Discussion: Finance in the era of responsible management
oikos International
Author
oikos Lausanne and the HEC Lausanne Finance Club joined forces to co-organize a conference on finance and responsible management.
Human is a non-profit organization with a goal to “(re)create a virtuous circle around the company but also society”. Its founder, Aurélien Herquel comes to talk to us about his experience and the issues of the subject.
The first oikos Curriculum Academy was hosted by the oikos Prague Chapter. The three days workshop focused on reform of economics and management education and was a result of close collaboration of local oikos Prague chapter and oikos International Curriculum Initiative team. Its main purpose was to reflect and learn about innovative economics and management programs and teaching approaches that are designed to address current global environmental and social challenges. During this first and pilot project, the organisers decided to test following organisational approaches and learning methods.
Online and Onsite Interaction
The Academy was hosted both onsite and online, which proved to be beneficial for the participants. It also allowed to involve diverse groups and participants into the conversation about curriculum reform. 10 onsite participants from the Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland thus interacted with around 10 online participants from Italy, Germany, Austria, USA, Spain, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
On the first day, the interactive debate with faculty and students about curriculum reform was held. After four short presentations (Dr. Dušan Kučera, University of Economics Prague, Prof. Dr. Judith Walls, University of St. Gallen, Baptise Crozat, Rethinking Economics Geneva and Michela Ciscotosto, Rethinking Economics Torino) all the participants actively engaged into 1,5 hour long discussion about the future of economics and management education and its sustainable perspective. Throughout the second and third day, various sessions combining online and onsite participation were held. On Saturday, a workshop on curriculum reform was run by J. Christopher Proctor from oikos International team and on Sunday two workshops focused on curriculum action were facilitated by Lenka Kepkova from oikos International.
Active Participation and Informal Learning Methods
The oikos Curriculum Academy was participant’s driven event. Each participant had a chance to present or discuss a project they were involved in. oikos St. Gallen members, oikos Cologne representative as well as oikos Prague members presented the status of curriculum at their university with respect to sustainability, Phd students from Masaryk University and Wageningen University run an interactive session on alternative economic models. Representatives of oikos International introduced the Exploring Economics Platform during their hands on workshop. Representative from oikos Cologne organised reflection and warm up sessions.
Action Focus and Follow up
The main goal of the Academy was to kick start a discussion about the economics and management curriculum reform which would have several follow up activities with tangible results. During the Academy, two workshop tutorials were developed in order to bring the various concepts of heterodox economics as well as discussion about the curriculum innovation further.
One tutorial was used during the oikos LEAP Meeting in November in Leysin, during which two interactive sessions on degrowth and circular economy were held. Furthermore, the second workshop tutorial was used to run the workshop with 90 international participants on core building blocks of economics and management education during the oikos FutureLab in Geneva. Later this workshop was run again at the conference on Sustainable Innovation 2020 at ESCP Berlin.
What was kick started in Prague will continue in April in Lausanne. Based on the experience made during the first oikos Curriculum Academy the follow up event has been planned in April the the Business School Lausanne. See more information here.
We would like to cordially thank the University of Economics in Prague for supporting the first oikos Curriculum Academy and thus providing the space for the discussion about sustainable economics and management education.
We want to invite you to a webinar facilitated by oikos Advisor Mark Wade and our board member Sophie Charrois. Shaped in style of a community conversation, the webinar will focus on how we can strengthen our bonds & connect more sustainably as a community.
In the webinar, we will explore some of the following questions in a participatory manner:
In terms of how we communicate and engage with each other,
● what do we do well? (platforms, messages)
● what do we need to improve (frustrations, obstacles)?
● what do we want to build (aspirations)?
● what do we commit to doing better (structurally and behaviourally)?
We will directly tie these questions to the structural changes (esp. reg. Thematic & regional layer) and make sure to have enough space for an open discussion.
Who? All oikos chapter members & representatives. Please forward the invite!
We might be joined by some friendly alumni voices, learning from their experience.
When? 11.12, 6.00-7.30 pm CET,
Where? Online, via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/2032030203
Host a carbon Literacy training to tackle the climate crisis and promote climate solutions
oikos International
Author
Are you concerned about the climate crisis? Are you concerned about how businesses and societies will be affected by the climate crisis and want to find out ways you could still mitigate the risks?
The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges we are currently facing, and it will affect all aspects of business and society and all other areas we might be concerned about such as poverty or loss of biodiversity. Consequently, graduates and employees with the know-how in tackling environmental and social issues to cope with future challenges have a competitive advantage in the job market. You are invited to join the free interactive Carbon Literacy training. Please contact Professor Petra Molthan-Hill petra.molthan-hill@ntu.ac.uk if you are interested in participation.
By taking part in this training, you will gain an understanding of:
The basic science behind the climate crisis
The impact different sectors such as food have on our climate and vice versa
Climate Change mitigation tools for your discipline or/and function
Solutions with the highest impact
Strategies and skills for communicating and/or teaching climate actions
Your personal possibilities to take action privately and in your current/ future role
You will also receive a full certificate issued by The Carbon Literacy Trust in Manchester.
This training was developed by Nottingham Business School (Nottingham Trent University) in collaboration with the UN PRME Champions, oikos International, Manchester Metropolitan University and the Carbon Literacy Project. The aim of this project is to get academics, students and others Carbon Literate within a short time frame and to get as many people as possible actively involved in embedding climate solutions in their own life and work. In order to do so, we have chosen a train-the-trainer approach, so we will offer regional events inviting all the universities and business schools in the vicinity to train academics and students there so that they can become trainers in their own institution and/or involved in training other in other regions of the world. We will also use conferences to train academics and others so that they can then become facilitators in their own home institution and also in their home country if they choose to do so.
The material for the training will be provided. Please contact Professor Petra Molthan-Hill petra.molthan-hill@ntu.ac.uk if you are interested in offering such training in your own institution.
Please, download an outline of the Carbon Literacy Training here.
We are still looking for contributors so that we can adapt the material more to specific disciplines and functions within universities and beyond. Please contact Petra if you are interested in this option.
Sustainable Development Goals Trail: oikos and Leysin American School students walk and talk the SDGs
oikos International
Author
Some 50 university students from all over the world hiked the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Trail in Leysin, Switzerland, on October 26, 2019. The event was part of the LEAP Meeting 2019, a week-long leadership training that encourages participants to become responsible leaders at the forefront of sustainable development.
The expedition was led by two 9th graders, Antonio and Sean, and their teacher John from the Leysin American School (LAS). The group and two other students from the LAS’s edge program crafted the route and matched the 17 Goals to landmarks across Leysin.
Before leaving the starting point, Hotel Central Residence, Antonio and Sean decided to first head to the LAS Student Council (linked to SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), where “students make decisions for a greater good of the school and environment”, and walk the trail down from there. “This way we won’t get too tired.” – they explained.
Antonio and Sean
The favorite stop for everyone involved was by far the Beau Site Garden. The Garden was linked to many SDGs, including Goal 2 – hunger, Goal 3 – Good Health and Well being, Goal 4 – education, Goal 9 – innovation, Goal 11 – sustainable communities, and Goal 13 – climate change. “The Garden helps with various problems. Being outside, gardening, producing homegrown vegetables and eggs, these all point toward good health and well being.” – described the edge team in their text for the Map. Antonio and Sean explained that LAS students work and take care of the garden, while everyone is welcomed to take plants and vegetables. “Gardening requires time and attention. It’s great, except when it rains.” – said Antonio. The little garden was indeed charming. Its edible flowers, ponds, frogs, and bees captivated the hikers. The boys even had to hurry them up to make sure that they saw as many landmarks as possible.
The next stop was at the Beau Site Dorm (linked to Goal 5 – gender equality), where “every girl, unlike in many other schools, could herself determine what type of clothes she could wear”. From there, the hikers hastily went to the Maison De Commune (linked to Goal 11 – sustainable cities and communities) and Telecabine (linked to Goal 9 – industry, innovation, and infrastructure). Unfortunately, the trail was too long, and the oikos LEAP Meeting program too packed to continue the hike beyond the scheduled two hours. So, the hikers, tired but cheerful, had to head back to the hotel.
Antonio, Sean, and John engaged the LEAP hikers in discussions about SDGs and introduced them to the past and present of this little Vaudois town in the process. The edge program students also developed Google MyMap of these locations – available via this url link – to turn the route into a permanent trail that can be used by any Leysin local or visitor in the long term.
Beau Site Garden
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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
oikos is an international student network for sustainability in economics and management education. Against the background of pressing environmental, economic and social challenges, we stand with a mission to transform economics and management education by empowering student change agents, raising awareness for sustainability opportunities and challenges, and building institutional support for curriculum reform.
Leysin American School is an international boarding school that has been bringing enriching, educational experiences to students since 1961. From practical, engaging in-class academics to experiential learning on international cultural trips, the school believes in bringing together students from around the world and providing them with an education that sparks their curiosity and encourages them to be the best global citizens they can be. Learn more about LAS here: www.las.ch
