Critical Sustainability - Hybrid Course
analyzing the reciprocal relations of technology, individuals, nature, society and democracy (TINS_D) and democratizing them through individual and collective interventions
6 ECTS Hybrid Course // highly interactive and international // free for everyone
8 online meetings // 18 Apr > 11 May // Tuesdays + Thursdays // 14.00 > 16.00 CET
summer school in Berlin // one week // 17 July > 21 July // on campus at TU Berlin
travel stipends for students of the ENHANCE University Alliance
Overview
In a Nutshell
Educational Concept
Hard Facts
Assessment
Enrollment
Travel Stipend - CritS Week
Critical Sustainability - all digital course
CritS Team
Critical Sustainability in a Nutshell
The course "Critical Sustainability" provides a digital space to learn, reflect, discuss and take action together. The participants will jointly analyze existing power relations as well as society-nature relations and democratize them. The course is the compulsory module of the Sustainability Certificate for Students issued by TU Berlin.
Educational Concept - Content and Methods
The participants will broaden their understanding of sustainability through various interactive, artistic and group-dynamic formats. For this they engage in individual work as well as group work to jointly reflect and analyze the reciprocal relations between technology, individuals, nature, society and democracy. This will be the basis for their contribution to a socio-ecological transformation of society through individual and collective action.
Hard Facts - Hybrid Course Summer 2023
Tuesdays + Thursdays
14.00 > 16.00 CET
18 Apr > 11 May 2023 - 8 meetings via videoconference
Summer School in Berlin (CritS Week)
17 July > 21 July on campus at TU Berlin
The link for the videoconference will be published here one day before the start. You can subscribe to an email reminder at the bottom of the page
Assessment - 6 ECTS
The assessment of the course comprises a wide range of individual activities through which you explore and change your situation in the world. Together with others you intervene into society on a topic of your interest.
Enrollment - Free and open for everyone
Students of all study programs from all universities are cordially invited. Non-Students are also warmly welcomed.
Travel Stipend - CritS Week
Students from ENHANCE Universities are eligible for a stipend of 490 Euros for the Summer School in Berlin (CritS Week).
Critical Sustainability - all online course
There is a fully digital track of the Critical Sustainability course. It is also highly interactive and international and starts at the same date as the ENHANCE hybrid course.
CritS Team the people conducting the course
We are a diverse team with a broad background and a dedication to democratize society as well as to offer an education that calls people to intervene into society.
Hard Facts - Language, Dates, Place, Costs, Stipend
Which language is used? - English
The course will be conducted in English. Most participants will not be native speakers, so don’t worry - enjoy the ride and improve your English as well.
When? - 18 Apr > 11 May 2023 online + 17 July > 21 July on-campus TU Berlin
The online sessions of the CritS course take place on Zzoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 14.00 to 16.00 CET.
The CritS week takes place on the campus of TU Berlin from Monday, 17 July, to Friday, 21 July 2023. The course hours are every day from 10.00 to 16.00 CET
Where? - Video Conference and Learning Platform/Forum + TU Berlin
The online phase of the course will take place through a video conference based on Zoom. Therefore, please make sure that you are willing and able to participate with video/audio as the course is highly interactive and you must be ready to exchange with your fellow participants. The link to the video conference and the forum will be provided here one day before the course starts. You can also sign up for an email reminder below - so that you receive all necessary information per email one day ahead.
During the CritS week, TU Berlin will be the basecamp from where we will explore numerous spots within Berlin so that we get to know first hand how people in science, art, politics etc. are contributing to a social-ecological transformation.
Who can attend? - all those who are there : )
Students of all study programs from all universities are cordially invited. Non-Students are also warmly welcomed. The complete hybrid course (online and on campus) is free and open to everyone. Students from ENHANCE universities have the possibility to apply to a travel stipend.
How much does the CritS ENHANCE Hybrid Course cost? - It is free of charge.
Nothing. Participation is free for everyone. However, the CritS Week builds up on the discussions and interventions of the digital part of the CritS Course, so that only persons who have successfully completed the first part may participate in the CritS Week.
Will I get financial support to attend the CritS Week? - Yes, ENHANCE students are eligible.
Students from the ten universities of the ENHANCE University Alliance are eligible to aply for a travel stipend of around 490 Euro, see below for further information.
Educational Concept - Content and Methods
What is the Critical Sustainability course about? - power relations - society-nature relations - Critical Theory - merging arts and science - intervention research - democratization - social-ecological transformation
The participants expand their understanding of sustainability, especially with regard to social aspects such as power relations as well as society-nature relations and political ecology. The theoretical foundation for this is Critical Theory and theories of radical democracy. The pedagogical foundation of the course lies in the realm of critical pedagogy and pedagogies of democracy. During the course, the participants work on societal challenges from different interdisciplinary and artistic perspectives and engage in corresponding practices. They conduct an intervention research project through which they contribute to a democratization of society and its social-ecological transformation.
How is it taught? - high engagement and interaction between the participants
The course promotes exchange and joint actions in digital as well as real life. This is why all participants are actively involved in the course again and again. Unlike many digital courses, this course lives from interactivity - dare to show yourself and contribute to the conduction of the entire course through individual, small and large group work as well as group-dynamic activities - only few lectures will be given. In order to achieve this high degree of interactivity, participants need to be able and willing to participate in the video conference of the course with audio and video. In addition, all meetings are intensely prepared and followed up with exercises by the participants through which they will intervene in their everyday-life. The single meetings build strongly up on each other so that the reciprocal relations of technology, individuals, nature, society and democracy (TINS_D) are continuously unveiled over the entire course.
What learning outcomes are reached? - analyzing and democratizing the reciprocal relations of technology - nature - individuals - Society - democracy (TINS_D)
The participants analyze and evaluate in a democratic process the present reciprocal relations of technology, individuals, nature, society and democracy (TINS_D). Based on this analysis and evaluation, they learn to democratize these reciprocal relations.
The participants acquire the competence to unveil the complex interdependency of their social, political, ecological and economic surroundings. This includes the consideration of different values, interests and needs within a global perspective as well as within one class(room). The course design encourages democratic decision-making not only to solve but also to define problems within the course itself and moreover outside of the classroom. In addition, the participants deal with artistic positions and practice artistic actions, for example by doing performances, and integrate these practices in their intervention research project.
How does the ENHANCE Hybrid Course work? - Online + Summer School in Berlin (CritS Week)
After eight sessions of digital video conferences the participants of the Critical Sustainability course are prepared to take a step into the real world. They meet each other for a summer school in Berlin. Building up on the discussions and interventions started in the Critical Sustainability course, the participants will further analyze and democratize existing power relations as well as society-nature relations.
In this Critical Sustainability Week (CritS Week) in Berlin the participants will explore ways in which different initiatives in the fields of science, art, politics etc. are already contributing to a social-ecological transformation of Berlin. In return, the participants themselves will engage in interactive, artistic and group-dynamic formats to jointly analyze their own positions/conditions in society and to reflect on how they want to co-design our societies. This will be the basis for their contribution to a socio-ecological transformation of society through individual and collective action.
Assessment - Attendance, Registration, Examination
How is it assessed? - 6 ECTS points - portfolio assessment
The course is credited with 6 ECTS points. The portfolio assessment totals 100 points: 75 points in total for the written activities in the meetings, written preparation and/or written follow-up activities (5 points per meeting), 25 points for intervention research conducted in a small group.
What about attendance? - up to two missed meetings
The course is based on the interaction of the participants and the mutual learning from each other. Therefore, only two meetings can be missed. Please write an email beforehand.
How can I integrate the course in my own study program? - performance record
A performance record (Leistungsnachweis) will be issued upon successful examination at the end of the course. This certificate can be used to credit the course in your own study program - for instance as an elective or with some justification/paperwork/luck as a compulsory elective. In this case you must clarify the details with your university.
Enrollment - free and open for everyone
Who can attend? - all those who are there : )
No matter if you are still studying or already working or doing something completely different, no matter if you are in Berlin or elsewhere - every person is invited to participate. Thanks to video conferencing we can offer the course almost without limits and borders - so please let your friends from everywhere know. In this course they come together to share and question their different knowledges, expertises and perspectives. Together they will explore societal problems across any borders between humans and mutually work on them.
How do I sign up? - just show up in the first lesson
The course is offered by Technische Universität Berlin and it is free of costs. To participate in the course you must attend the first meeting. After the second meeting registration is closed and no newcomers will be accepted. The link for the video conference and the learning platform will be provided on this website one day before the course starts.
Can I get an email reminder with all the information and links? - Yes
Just, sign up for the email reminder through the form at bottom of this page - Form for the Email Reminder
I am a student at TU Berlin. What is there to know? - elective course - maybe compulsory elective
The Critical Sustainability Course is credited as a 6 ECTS elective course at TU Berlin. You register with the examination office with a special form which we will provide once the course has started. In some cases, students were successful in getting the course credited as a compulsory elective (Wahlpflichtfach) in their respective study program. You have to discuss this with your examination board (Prüfungsausschuss / Prüfungsobfrau/-mann).
I am a student at another university. What is there to know? - registration within the course
Welcome! We are happy that you want to partake in the course at TU Berlin. The course is offered free of costs to students enrolled at other universities. You will have to register within the course and upon successful completion of the course we will issue a certificate of performance. There are many reports that other universities will credit the course within your own study program. For this, you must clarify the details with your university.
I am not a student. What is there to know? - Welcome! Whether you are in school, work, unemployed or retirement.
Welcome! We are happy to accept people that are not enrolled in a university - whatever their current official status is. There are no special requirements or knowledge needed to attend the course. Please, contact us beforehand for details. You will receive a certificate of attendance from TU Berlin after successful participation in the course.
Travel Stipend - CritS Week in Berlin
How much is the travel stipend? - 490 Euro
The travel stipend is at least 490 Euro which will be paid out by the international office of your home university. Additional support may be granted if you travel sustainably. The stipend is provided through the Erasmus+ Program.
Who is eligible to apply for a travel stipend? - Students from ENHANCE Universities
Any student of a university which is part in the ENHANCE University Alliance.
Which universities form the ENHANCE University Alliance? - Ten European Universities of Technology
The Alliance includes ten leading universities of technology from seven countries which are shaping the future of Europe and driving transformation in science and society: RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, TU Delft, Chalmers University of Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, Politecnico di Milano, NTNU Norwegian University of Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Warsaw University of Technology and ETH Zürich - https://www.enhanceuniversity.eu/
How many stipends are provided for each university?
- RWTH Aachen - tbc
- Chalmers University of Technology - tbc
- TU Delft - tbc
- Gdansk University of Technology - tbc
- Politecnico di Milano - tbc
- NTNU Norwegian University of Technology - tbc
- Universitat Politècnica de València - tbc
- Warsaw University of Technology - tbc
- ETW Zürich - tbc
How to apply for a stipend? - Fill in the Application Form at the Bottom
The application consists of a motivational letter of 300-500 words in which you describe 1) who you are, 2) why you want to participate, 3) if you will be able to participate at all dates of the CritS Week and the corresponding first part of the CritS course or which dates you will miss. Please fill in the form at the bottom of the website and answer all three points from above - Application Form for Travel Stipend
What are the conditions of the stipend? - Attendance in the digital meetings and the summer school
In order receive the stipend you must attend and pass the digital meetings as well as the summer school.
What is the deadline for the application?
30 March 2023
When do I hear of the results?
01 April 2023
Applicants will hear of the results by 01 April 2023 including if they are chosen for the stipend and travel allowance.
CritS Team - the people conducting the Critical Sustainability course
Who is offering the course? - sustainability certificate for students - TU Berlin
The Critical Sustainability course is the compulsory module of the sustainability certificate for students issued by TU Berlin.
Lucía Alvarez - crossing borders easily
Lucía (she/her) is an educator, an administrator and a philosophy and architecture enthusiast. She also studies sustainable management at TU Berlin and is now one of the tutors of the CritS course. She believes digitalisation is key for contemporary education but thinks that interventions should be rooted in reality.
favorite technical tool - pliers
individual daily habit - having a nap on the couch with my cat friend Charlie
natural habitat - downtown São Paulo
fear in society - people (myself included) forgetting that they have a voice that should be used
first democratic experience - mobilizing my colleagues in 5th grade to write a letter of complaint about our History classes being too teacher centered
Dr.-Ing. André Baier - philosopher and democracy educator
André (he/him) has a Master Degree in Philosophy of TU Berlin as well as of Université Rennes 1. His dissertation is on Education for Sustainable Development within the Engineering Sciences. He currently holds a postdoc position at TU Berlin where he coordinates the Sustainability Certificate for Students and is vice chairman of the Sustainability Council at TU Berlin. He co-founded the study reform project Blue Engineering - Engineers with Social and Ecological Responsibility.
favorite technical tool - mechanical pencil – it actually is my brain
individual daily habit - folding my blanket neatly every morning
natural habitat - the hilltops of the Rhön
fear in society - withdrawing to myself instead of joining in with others
first democratic experience - as a kindergarten child going into the voting cabin with my father
CritS - Email Reminder
Travel Stipend - Application Form
