Take an online summer course at the University of Hohenheim (Germany) and get AUA Credit!
Course Name: Landscape Change, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services
Dates: June 14-July 2, 2021
Time: MTWRF, 16:00-20:15
Credits: 3 credits (granted by AUA)
Costs: Covered by the German Academic Exchange Program (DAAD)
Number of AUA Students: 2 undergrad or graduate students (selection competitive; see below)
Course Description
This course builds on two interdisciplinary concepts in order to understand landscape change and its ecological and societal implications. Firstly, students will become acquainted with the social-ecological resilience perspective. The resilience framework provides us with a deeper understanding of the patterns of dynamics in coupled human-natural environments, particularly regarding the interplay between ecological, economic and socio-cultural domains as well as between spatial and temporal scales. These conceptual ideas will be explored and illustrated in the course of case studies from all around the world (individual presentations/essays elaborated by students on self-selected topics). Secondly, students will deal with the ecosystem services framework, in order to grasp the linkages between biodiversity in changing landscapes and human well-being. We will place a particular focus on the subset of cultural ecosystem services (e.g. recreation, cultural heritage, aesthetics), which have an outstanding relevance not only in European cultural landscapes. In small subgroups, students will carry out an empirical assessment of cultural ecosystem services for an area/context the group decides upon (resulting in group presentations as a basis for opening up a broader discussion e.g. on the possibilities of including such findings in landscape planning).
To Apply:
Send a motivation letter and CV to [email protected] (with cc to [email protected]). In the subject line of your email put “Summer 2021 UHOH Online Course.” Make sure to note which free elective in your degree program this course will satisfy. The application deadline is April 23, 2021, 18:00 Armenian time.
Qualifications:
- Senior undergraduate students completing the Minor in Environmental Studies or graduate student
- Introductory knowledge of environmental and social sciences studies
- Excellent English writing and speaking skills
- Interest in understanding and developing planning and decision making tools for natural resource use and community socio-economic development
- Interest and ability to work in an interdisciplinary and intercultural team
- Willingness to write a short report within two weeks after completion of the course. Requirements of the report will be given to the students upon acceptance to the course.
Questions:
If you have any questions, write to [email protected] (with cc to [email protected])