Key Competences for Sustainability Transformations
This course received the Teaching and Learning Award at the 2025 Teaching and Learning Conference, and is presented by the University of Bern.
Sustainability transformations can only be achieved if collaborations take place across cultures and contexts. This masters’ seminar is about how we behave and cooperate in inter-cultural and intercontextual collaborations such as international projects between Global North and Global South partners.
The overall aim of the seminar is to make inter-cultural and inter-contextual collaborations fairer and more equitable, more contextually aware and respectful, more conflict-sensitive and safe, and more mindful, through fostering necessary key competences of the students – our future change agents. This seminar applies a combination of teaching and learning activities. On the one hand, there are six interactive input workshops (for the six themes, kindly see detailed description) and one concluding reflection workshop. On the other hand, students develop their own imaginary, intercultural and inter-contextual transdisciplinary research project and apply what they learn in the workshops.
The students elaborate a project plan and present insights in an artistic exhibition, where any medium is allowed but power point presentations and creativity does not know any limits. This interactive seminar is mandatory for all students of this study programme and is rewarded with 5 ECTS. The students have different disciplinary backgrounds and different nationalities.
Contact: Lara M. Lundsgaard-Hansen,