UASFS301 Transdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in practice

This course builds on UASFS300 and gives students deeper experience with transdisciplinary collaboration in practice through case-based work in a Living Lab concept. The students will work with complex, real societal and sustainability challenges, in close collaboration with external actors such as municipalities, businesses, researchers and NGOs. Through a problem-based approach, students will develop skills in systems thinking, group process management, and the application of relevant methods for transdisciplinary interaction and innovation. The course gives students the opportunity to use and further develop tools and methods from UASFS300 in the face of real problems. The content of the course is structured around three integrated processes:

1. Case work in the Living Lab: The students work with specific challenges related to sustainable food systems or other relevant disciplines.
2. Group processes and collaboration: Focus on advanced group dynamics, decision-making processes and handling conflicts in interdisciplinary teams.
3. Methods and tools for case solving: Use of methods such as co-design, co-creation, stakeholder analysis, decision support and evaluation of implementation. The students are expected to apply and further develop methodological tools from UASFS300, with particular emphasis on adaptation to real social cases.

Knowledge

Students:

• Has an in-depth understanding of how Living Labs function as an innovation arena for sustainable solutions.
• Can analyze transdisciplinary interaction in practice, including the dynamics between different actors.
• Has knowledge of methods for user involvement, co-creation and co-design in real contexts.
• Can explain how systems thinking can be used operationally to develop solutions in food systems and sustainability issues.

Skills

Students:

• Can lead and facilitate interdisciplinary groups in co-creation processes and innovation work.
• Can apply and adapt methods for co-creation and problem solving in different contexts.
• Can handle uncertainty, conflicts and conflicting interests internally in the group and in collaboration with external actors.
• Can evaluate and further develop strategies and measures in a living laboratory.
• Can supervise project work and communicate solutions both in writing, orally and visually to different target groups.

General competence

Students:

• Can work independently and in interdisciplinary teams to solve complex problems.
• Has developed a critical understanding of their own and others' competence in transdisciplinary collaboration.
• Can link theory and practice to real sustainability challenges.
• Can handle ethical dilemmas and assess the societal consequences of different solutions.