Designing Resilient Regenerative Systems

Course Description

"Designing Resilient Regenerative Systems" (DRRS) is an innovative and comprehensive MOOC series that addresses some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and global pandemics. This first course in the series, "Regenerative Systems: Sustainability to Regeneration," offers a transformative learning experience that combines scientific knowledge with design thinking to tackle complex global issues.

The course takes you on a journey to expand your worldview, challenge conventional thinking, and develop a holistic approach to understanding our relationship with nature. By blending scientific reasoning with creative design practices, you'll learn to address complex challenges in innovative ways, fostering regenerative and transformative action.

What Students Will Learn

• Understanding of complex global challenges and their interconnections
• Alternative worldviews and holistic approaches to sustainability
• Concepts of regeneration and resilience in ecosystems and societies
• Methods for combining scientific analysis with design thinking
• Tools for navigating complexity and uncertainty
• Techniques for reconnecting with nature and designing as nature
• Practices for self-compassion and flow experiences in nature
• Real-world case studies from various European regions
• Systemic design and systems-oriented design methods
• Resilience assessment and circularity mapping techniques
• Transdisciplinary research and metadesign concepts

Prerequisites

• Curiosity and openness to expand beyond your expertise
• Willingness to engage in philosophical discourse and design practices
• Motivation to contribute to a more sustainable and regenerative world
• Readiness to connect with stakeholders in your local region
• Openness to mental, physical, and social challenges
• No specific academic background required; suitable for diverse audiences

Course Coverage

• Current state of sustainability science
• Different perspectives on regeneration
• Systemic design and systems-oriented design methods
• Resilience assessment and circularity mapping
• Visual dialogue and cross-scale design techniques
• "View from above" perspectives
• Biomimicry and its applications
• Transdisciplinary research approaches
• Real-world case studies and elaborations
• Metadesign concepts and practices

Who This Course Is For

• Current science or engineering students from various disciplines
• Designers, architects, landscape planners, and urban planners
• Programmers and technology professionals
• Practitioners seeking to expand their knowledge and redirect their careers
• Anyone interested in sustainability, regeneration, and transformative action

Real-World Applications

• Developing innovative solutions for sustainability challenges in various industries
• Implementing regenerative practices in urban planning and landscape design
• Enhancing decision-making processes in policy and management roles
• Creating more resilient and adaptive systems in business and community development
• Fostering transdisciplinary collaboration in research and practice
• Designing products and services with a focus on circularity and regeneration
• Implementing nature-inspired solutions in technology and engineering
• Leading sustainability initiatives in organizations and communities
• Conducting more comprehensive and holistic environmental impact assessments
• Facilitating transformative learning experiences in educational settings

Syllabus Overview

• Introduction to global challenges and complex systems
• Rethinking worldviews and human-nature relationships
• Foundations of sustainability and regeneration
• Navigating complexity and uncertainty
• Systemic design and systems-oriented design methods
• Resilience assessment and circularity mapping
• Biomimicry and designing as nature
• Transdisciplinary research and real-world applications
• Case studies from European regions (Norway, France, Italy, Spain)
• Personal practices for self-compassion and nature connection
• Metadesign and transformative action
• Gigamapping and visual dialogue techniques