Newsletter May 2021

Welcome to the May edition of our newsletter!

This is the month of exciting opportunities in the oikos Community! If you’re looking for a job, we’re hiring a member for our LEAP Team. This year’s oikos Winter School, despite out of season, is almost here but you can still apply to participate and our oikos Consultancy project has prepared a challenge you can join in and win prizes.

We also bring you a new oikos Alumni Portrait and some interesting reads from our local chapters. From our partner network we share some new opportunities for interested changemakers with Race to Zero Campaign and Sustainability Centres Community Workshop coming up.

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oikos International

posted May 27, 2021

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oikos Consultancy challenge

Join the 1st edition of the oikos Consultancy challenge!

Are you passionate about marketing and creating a long-lasting impact in the world?🌍 This is YOUR challenge 💪🏼

– You will need to create a marketing campaign for XYZ generations hostels, a network that includes the most selective hostels all around the world.
– You will be presented a case that will need to be solved in 2 weeks.
– You will get the chance to win 700e per group‼️ (1st place), 200 euros (2nd place) and 100 euros (3d place).

Applications are now open through this link:
https://bit.ly/3oEipDq
You can apply either in group of 4 or individually (you will then be allocated a group). Once you sign up, you’ll receive further details about the challenge👏🏼

What are you waiting for?

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM TO STAY TUNED @oikos_consultancy

*prices will be distributed in the form of vouchers for Charme & Caractere hotels

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oikos International

posted May 26, 2021

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Curriculum Change Squad Call May 2021

Join us for the May meeting of the Curriculum Change Squad which will take place on Friday 28th of May at 5 pm CEST.

This month we will discuss challenges and opportunities from online learning. Moving education online was a sudden response to COVID. However, it is very likely that it will stay permanently, whether fully or blended. In this scenario, curriculum change faces new challenges and brings exciting opportunities. To prepare ourselves for the times to come and share ideas and learnings between chapters, we want to start a conversation: how was your experience with online learning? What worked and what didn’t? What are the main challenges and opportunities that moving online has posed to your chapter (meeting, recruiting, carrying projects)? What are the new things that we should consider introducing as curriculum innovation demands? How can we achieve change?

The second second part of the meeting is reserved for the members of the Curriculum Change Squad and include Curriculum Change coaching sessions.

If you wish to participate, just write us!

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oikos International

posted May 24, 2021

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Sustainability Centres Community Workshop 2021: Registration Open

Are you the Director of a Centre feeling the challenges of moving forward on the sustainability agenda? And is COVID-19 only adding to your challenges? If so, we encourage you to register for the Network for Business Sustainability Sustainability Centres Community Workshop on July 12-15, 2021, to be held virtually.

This event brings together a powerful community of 170+ business school centres from across the world. The Workshop has been held every two years over the last decade – and just ask those who have previously attended to learn how much more progress they have made in their centre through their participation!

The 2021 Workshop will focus on “Designing the Business Sustainability Centre of the Future”. Drawing from a day of multi-sectoral engagement, centre leaders will work collectively toward not just reacting to a new normal, but proactively leading their business schools in shaping it.

Registration is €100 and enables active engagement in all sessions. We are capping attendance at 200 individuals and ask that each centre have no more than 2 representatives.

The Workshop is hosted by the Center for Sustainability Transformation and Responsibility (STaR) at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and the Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainable Strategy (IBES) at the FH Wien University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication.

Biennial SCC workshops provides a rare and important opportunity for business school sustainability/ responsibility centres to share common challenges and identify solutions. Outputs from the 2016 and 2018 workshops are available online.

If your centre isn’t already a member of the Sustainability Centres Community, do join. It’s free and fun. Questions? Contact info@nbs.net.

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oikos International

posted May 17, 2021

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oikos Winter School 2021

oikos Winter School is annualy organized by oikos Witten/Herdecke where participants from all over the world come together to reflect on the big questions and challenges of our time. This year we will focus on the question of how a transformation towards sustainability can succeed. What are the conditions, what are the goals and models of a transformation towards sustainability? These and other questions will be addressed during the two-and-a-half-day long conference. In addition to Keynotes and Workshops that increase our knowledge about the subject, the focus will lie on personal encounters, because we believe that transformation cannot simply be forced from the outside by a change in institutions, but must come along with a change in values at the individual level.

oikos Winter School 2021 will focus on the interactivness, the social dimension and the spontaneity of the conference, as there are many digital conferences with great input – we believe that people are craving for social activties, networking and getting to know new people. Because of that we host the event via Gather.town, as its possible to do lots of social and fun activites. Gather.town works somewhat like an old, two dimensional videogame, but with lots of tools. You can walk around the conference hall with your avatar and talk to people that are close to you as their video will pop up. Different rooms with different functions, integrated games and tables with limited number of chairs where you can “sit down” and talk to others siting next to you and much more.

This year the event will be held in German, open to German-speaking students and members of the oikos Community.

You can find more information on the agenda, speakers and how to register at the oikos Winter School website.

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oikos International

posted May 14, 2021

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[CLOSED] Join us: We’re looking for Leadership Development Manager

We are currently searching for a team member to join our oikos LEAP Team and contribute to the development of our leadership program.

The oikos Leadership Program – LEAP inspires young people to become more responsible and sustainable in their decision-making and equips them with insights, knowledge, and tools to do so. The program challenges participants to reflect on their values, purpose, and actions. It helps them to have an empowered voice and encourages them to be proactive about change.

oikos was founded back in 1987 by students who, seeing the absence of sustainability in their formal educational programs, aimed to empower young leaders to drive sustainable change. Even today, after more than three decades, the majority of universities still fail to integrate sustainability holistically and struggle to develop sustainability leaders, resulting in a “leadership crisis.” The LEAP program bridges this gap. It builds and empowers a network of responsible and sustainable decision-makers that holds the keys to solving the challenges of the 21st century.

The LEAP program is now in its sixth run. Since its launch in 2015, the program has welcomed over 300 participants and has had a lasting influence on their lives. Many LEAP participants return to the program as coaches to continue their leadership journey and help new generations of LEAPers – as we like to call our participants – in the process. Today, close to 20 former LEAP participants are engaged in the program.

Job Description

You are independent, flexible, and resourceful, and you enjoy working with students and young professionals in a dynamic, international, and remote team?

You have…

… knowledge about leadership, facilitation, and coaching techniques and topics
… preferably, a good network in the field of personal development
… a high proficiency in English written and spoken
… event and project management skills
… good command of Office Suite and familiarity with Google Drive
… interest and commitment to the oikos vision and mission
… good organizational and time management skills
… the ability to anticipate needs, solve problems in a collaborative environment, and sensitivity to deadlines
… the ability to work under pressure and multi-task
… the ability to protect confidential and sensitive information of the organization

Then we might have a fantastic opportunity for you to work with the oikos LEAP Program!

Your tasks include, but are not limited to:

Planning and Coordinating online webinars and workshops
Find experts and facilitators for webinars and workshops and design the sessions with them.

Creating readings, reflections, and guides about various topics
Prepare participants before the webinars with reading material and follow-up with a summary, some exercises, and a reflection.

Create Micro LEAP guides & organize Micro LEAPs
Micro LEAPs are little personal development exercises the participants bring to their environment outside the program. Your task will be to create guides with exercises and helpful tips to implement them and support participants in creating Micro LEAPs themselves.

Supporting the organization of events
Support the Track Coordinators in the organization of the events of their LEAP Tracks.

Communicating about the Program
This includes writing articles about various topics dealt with in the program, gathering stories and testimonials from participants, updating and maintaining the website, preparing this content for social media. You also support the Track Coordinators with promotion, as well as coordinating with communication roles in oikos.

Fundraising
Support the fundraising for the program. This may include grant writing, conducting Micro LEAPs with companies, etc.

Coaching
Coach at least one participant of one of the tracks individually once per month to get a feeling for the participants.

Be Part of the oikos International team.
You will work with the diverse team on the organization’s strategy and help shape the path oikos takes in the future and support the development of the oikos community. Exchange with the team regularly to provide feedback and find synergies between the organization’s different programs and support each other’s work.

Benefits of working for oikos International

  • Become part of a network of student change agents & alumni, all working for a more just & sustainable tomorrow
  • Work with purpose in a multicultural, dynamic, international team that puts a high value on walking the talk and innovating ways of working
  • Learn about the day-to-day working of an international organization and gain insights into the global opportunities and challenges of international NGOs
  • Gain experience in working remotely in a virtual office
  • Get a coach to develop yourself further
  • Connect to an extensive network of various NGOs

Important Information

Application deadline: May 31st, 2021

Starting Date: June 14th with a 15% for onboarding (6.3 hours per week); from July onwards 50% (21 hours per week)

Duration: permanent, 50% (21 hours per week)

Salary: 1000 CHF

Location: remote

Recruitment Process

If you are interested in the position, send us your CV (max. 1 page) and a brief motivation letter (max. 2 pages) by max. May 31st. The letter should outline why you want to take up the position and what makes you a suitable candidate.

We would be interested to know…

  • Why do you want to work for oikos?
  • What do you uniquely bring to the table, including your background in the “topic of the application”?
  • What makes for the ideal company or job, in your opinion?
  • How did you find out about this job opportunity? If someone referred you, please include the person’s name in the motivation letter.

Please email the required documents to leap@oikos-international.org with the subject line “Application for Leadership Development Manager.” For any further questions, please reach out to us via email.

Interviews will be held throughout the period of application until the 2nd week of June.

Ideally, you would start your new role with a 15% commitment (6.3 hours per week) on June 14th to get you settled in and work 50% (21 hours per week) from July on. We also have an onsite Midterm Meeting from July 24th-31st planned in Leysin, Switzerland, that you would support, where you can already get to know the community.

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oikos International

posted May 12, 2021

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oikos Alumni Portrait: Jonas Friedrich

We’re excited to share another oikos Alumni Portrait – this time featuring Jonas Friedrich, an alumni from oikos Witten/Herdecke!

In the Alumni Portrait our oikos alumni share their fascinating journeys. From the first time they recognized the need for more sustainability in their degree to their motivation to join oikos; from their first career plans to their everyday lives as agents of sustainable business and economics.

You can read past Alumni Portraits here.

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oikos International

posted May 11, 2021

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RED WoLF summer school 2021

Join the RED WoLF summer school 2021: an online, flexible, part-time programme where students will work in interdisciplinary groups to problem-solve real world challenges relating to social and environmental sustainability.

RED WoLF stands for ‘Rethink Electricity Distribution Without Load Following’. The RED WoLF Project aims to increase the use of renewables and reduce CO 2 emissions from home electricity. The project utilises technology to store renewable energy output from the Power Grid at times of low demand, so it can be used when demand is higher. Find out more about the project here.

RED WoLF and Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK) are launching an exciting collaborative student challenge summer school to demonstrate the importance of students from all disciplines in tackling real-world sustainability challenges. The summer school will take place entirely online from June 2021 – August 2021, where small groups will develop impactful projects or initiatives addressing real-world challenges faced by the RED WoLF project.

Through taking part in the RED WoLF summer school, you will develop and demonstrate transferable professional and academic skills and apply them to challenges which are addressing the climate emergency, with potential to make a real impact on the RED WoLF project outcomes. You will also have the opportunity to meet and work with new like-minded students from across North-West Europe, and present to high profile stakeholders. All students will be provided a certificate and digital badge upon completion of the programme to demonstrate your participation, and the skills you’ve gained.

The summer school is extra-curricular and voluntary with an expected time commitment of roughly 0.5 – 1 day per week over the eight-week programme (flexible around other commitments).

Apply here (deadline 7 th May): bit.ly/redwolfschool
For further information, please contact Rachel Soper, Senior Project Manager – Education at SOS-UK.

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oikos International

posted May 6, 2021

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