Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach

"Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach" is an advanced-level course offered by WageningenX that delves into the fascinating world of sustainable development and circular economy principles. This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to a more sustainable society by tackling the challenges in transitioning towards a circular economy.

What students will learn from the course:

• Understand the concept and principles of a circular economy
• Analyze how a circular economy differs from the current linear system
• Develop complex circular systems using systems thinking
• Assess and apply Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Agent-Based Modelling (ABM)
• Formulate improvements for transitioning towards circular design
• Apply complexity aspects and agent-based modelling in real-world scenarios

Pre-requisites:

While there is no formal entry-level requirement for this MOOC, it is recommended that students have a bachelor's degree in social sciences, preferably in business or economics, to optimally benefit from the course content.

Course Coverage:

• Introduction to circular economy concepts and principles
• Circular systems engineering and systems thinking
• Transition management for businesses and society
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for quantifying environmental impact
• Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) for researching circular economy situations
• Case study application of learned concepts

Who this course is for:

This course is ideal for professionals, students, and individuals interested in:

• Contributing to a more sustainable society
• Understanding and implementing circular economy principles
• Developing interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability
• Gaining skills in systems thinking, LCA, and ABM
• Exploring the transition from linear to circular economic models

Real-world Application of Skills:

1. Developing sustainable business strategies
2. Designing circular supply chains
3. Implementing cradle-to-cradle product designs
4. Assessing and improving the environmental impact of products and processes
5. Creating policies that support circular economy initiatives
6. Modeling complex systems to predict and optimize circular economy outcomes
7. Consulting on sustainability and circular economy projects

Syllabus: