U!REKA Change Agents (5 ECTS)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student is able to:

- develop their understanding of the principles of sustainable development and their related interconnections
- enhance their collaboration skills by working in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams
- learn to leverage different perspectives and areas of expertise in developing solutions
- develop communication and conflict resolution skills in an international environment
- adopt the core principles of service design
- apply theoretical knowledge and practical methods to develop innovative and tangible solutions
- evaluate the impact, feasibility, and scalability of their solutions
- prepare and present their solutions clearly, convincingly, and in a visually appealing manner
- work independently in complex projects and manage schedules in an international environment
- reflect on their learning and teamwork throughout the course and identify their strengths and areas for development

Content

- Multidisciplinary teamwork, learning, and stakeholder collaboration, including surveys, interviews, and data collection.
- Project and innovation work conducted in English, as well as its evaluation from both individual and team perspectives.
- Progressing according to the design process used in innovation activities, including tools and reporting: team formation, understanding the problem, building empathy (human-centered approach), ideation, validation, prototyping, and testing.
- Sustainable development themes (SDGs) and their integration into the team’s challenge.

Prerequisites

The student is capable of learning and working in a team in English.

Teaching methods

The course work consists of online lectures featuring guest experts from various fields and an intensive week held in Helsinki, during which students explore the course theme further through various sources. Throughout the course, students tackle "climate-neutral and smart cities" challenges using the design process. The course is conducted in English.

Location and time

Online lectures:

- April 22, 2025, 14:00–16:00
- May 6, 2025, 14:00–16:00
- May 12, 2025, 14:00–16:00
- June 3, 2025, 14:00–16:00
Helsinki week: May 19, 2025 – May 23, 2025

Learning materials and recommended literature

Links, sources, lectures, and materials for the Change Agents course.

Alternative completion methods of implementation

No alternative completion methods or credit transfer.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

There is no exam in the course.

International connections

The course includes exchange students. The course is conducted in English.

Student workload

The course is worth 5 ects, equivalent to 135 hours of student work.

Content scheduling

The Change Agents course is offered once per academic year in the spring.

Further information for students

The course requires a separate registration and interviews.

Assessment methods and criteria

Passed: The course is passed when you have completed the learning assignments given by the instructor, participated in the work, and presented your team’s solution proposal for the sustainable development challenge.

Failed: The course is failed if you have not completed the learning assignments given by the instructor, have not participated in the work, or have not presented a solution proposal for the sustainable development challenge as a team member.

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The course is successfully completed when the student
- understands the significance of the principles of sustainable development and their interconnections, and is able to apply them to the team's challenge
- is able to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, utilizing collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution skills
- is able to leverage different perspectives and areas of expertise in developing solutions
- masters the core principles of service design and be able to apply the stages of the design process in solving the challenge
- is able to apply theoretical knowledge and practical methods to develop innovative and tangible solutions
- is able to evaluate the impact, feasibility, and scalability of their solution
- is able to prepare and present their solution clearly, convincingly, and in a visually appealing manner
- works independently and responsibly in complex projects and manage schedules in an international environment
- reflects on their learning and teamwork, identifying their strengths and areas for development

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The course is assessed on a pass/fail scale.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The course is assessed on a pass/fail scale.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The course is successfully completed when the student
- understands the significance of the principles of sustainable development and their interconnections, and is able to apply them to the team's challenge
- is able to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, utilizing collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution skills
- is able to leverage different perspectives and areas of expertise in developing solutions
- masters the core principles of service design and be able to apply the stages of the design process in solving the challenge
- is able to apply theoretical knowledge and practical methods to develop innovative and tangible solutions
- is able to evaluate the impact, feasibility, and scalability of their solution
- is able to prepare and present their solution clearly, convincingly, and in a visually appealing manner
- works independently and responsibly in complex projects and manage schedules in an international environment
- reflects on their learning and teamwork, identifying their strengths and areas for development

The course is failed if the student
- does not recognize the significance of the principles of sustainable development or link them to the team’s challenge
- does not understand the requirements of working in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, nor can they effectively utilize collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution skills in teamwork
- does not leverage different perspectives and areas of expertise in developing solutions
- does not apply the core principles of service design or use the design process to solve the challenge
- does not apply theoretical knowledge and practical methods to develop innovative solutions
- does not evaluate the impact, feasibility, or scalability of their solution
- does not prepare and present their solution clearly, convincingly, or in a visually appealing manner
- cannot work independently in complex projects or manage schedules in an international environment
- does not reflect on their learning or teamwork, nor identify their strengths and areas for development