International Sustainable Development (Engineering For International Sustainable Development) - 2026
The course, promoted by the University of Trento, UNESCO Chair in Engineering for Human and Sustainable Development, is part of the educational offer of the MSc Degree in Engineering for the Environment and the Territory, Curriculum "Environmental Sustainability and International Cooperation (ESIC)". However, it is open and useful to students and workers of any discipline, as it offers an opportunity for initial training and professional updating on all issues of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation.
CONTENTS
The course is divided into two parts, strictly interconnected (it is recommended to attend both):
- Sustainable Development and International Cooperation
- Participatory Management of Projects and Conflicts
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
The first part has the following learning goals: make students acquire basic knowledge, skills and competences to apply concepts, principles, strategies and theoretical-practical tools of sustainable development in their professional and working activities (in private companies, in public administrations, in third sector bodies, in education/training institutions), with particular attention to the international dimension, as well as to cultivate job or volunteer opportunities in the vast field of sustainability and international cooperation.
The course is also useful as a professional refresher and retraining path.
Consequently, as expected learning outcomes, each student, upon passing the related tests, will be able to:
a) build and enhance a good critical understanding of specific international and local contexts in which sustainable development and, in particular, environmental sustainability will be applied;
b) understand and use the basic concepts and principles related to sustainable development, especially in the environmental sphere, and the advanced concepts/principles peculiar to its application in the field of international cooperation;
c) know and interact with the many subjects involved in various capacities in the areas covered by the course;
d) understand, analyse and apply the sustainable development goals set by the system of the relevant global and local agendas, as well as the goals of other relevant global agendas (contents and methods);
e) use and adapt to their contexts the main tools and methods for sustainable development and international cooperation, with special attention to those for environmental sustainability; in particular, to apply the Environmental Mainstreaming Approach.
PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT OF PROJECTS AND CONFLICTS
The second part, developed with a strong experimental character to provide basic knowledge and tools for the participatory management of sustainable development projects and initiatives, both locally and internationally, has the following learning goals:
- to offer students both a theoretical framework and a practical "toolbox" to analyse local and international contexts;
- to offer students tools for understanding contexts and managing interventions that involve a variety of stakeholders;
- to promote sustainable development strategies and to manage situations of social and economic conflicts.
This area develops along two complementary lines.
The first has conflicts – meant as a resource – as its point of observation. Thanks to the study of some case studies, it allows students to understand the cultural dimension, analyse and question the power relations between the actors involved, and study their direct effects on territorial organisation and innovation.
It introduces the topic of participatory approaches in the sustainable development of the territory, with particular reference to environmental conflicts, using the latter to investigate the general issue of conflict transformation and the construction of sustainable solutions that allow people to manage them.
The second explores project methods, and in particular how to promote participatory sustainable development projects, offering an overview of the different approaches and basic skills necessary for their management.
The contents have a strong experiential character and are based on the analysis, also practical, of the main methodological approaches (Project Cycle Management, Appreciative Inquiry, Agile, etc.) and techniques used in project management in the international field, with particular attention to the most consolidated and innovative ones (Open Space Technology, World Café, Scenario Workshop, etc.).
Therefore, as expected learning outcomes, each student, upon passing the related tests, will be able:
- to develop a critical understanding of the context in which they are called to operate, with particular attention to the relationship between stakeholders and the environment;
- to carry out an analysis of conflict, with reference to environmental conflicts, and experiment with some methods for managing them;
- to know a variety of participatory project management approaches and methods, with reference to those typically used in the field of sustainable development in international contexts.
In addition to the ordinary lectures, some Optional Workshops and Seminars will also be organized this year; their contents will be communicated later.
Attendance at all these stimulating opportunities is recommended, also because students will be actively involved in their management, for the benefit of both theoretical and practical learning.
The complete calendar of all training activities will be communicated at the first lesson and updated during the course.
LANGUAGE
The course is held entirely in English.
TEACHING METHODOLOGY
An interactive approach is favoured, including practical case studies, discussion forums in the classroom and on the online learning platform, experimentation with process facilitation techniques, participation in simulations and role-playing games.
To make full use of this methodology, it is recommended to attend lectures in both thematic areas, which are not divisible.
VERIFICATION OF LEARNING
Written and oral exam.
The written test consists of a multiple-choice questionnaire.
The oral test consists of a dissertation on a real case study chosen from a list drawn up by the lecturers, also on the proposal of the students.
Oral performance evaluation is based on three parameters:
- analytical skills, also taking into account the higher or lower data availability;
- design responsiveness;
- communication capacity.
A twofold alternative is offered for completion of the exam:
a) Collective exercise in preliminary session: an individual written test as described above, followed by group project work on the case study. Each group shall present the results of its work as a frontal lecture during a final event.
b) Individual exam: written test based on the questionnaire and oral test on a real case study as described above.
During the course, official intermediate tests or test simulations will be proposed on the part of the programme previously carried out. Participation is optional.
VENUE, DATES AND TIMES
Lectures will be held in Classroom 1R at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM) of the University of Trento, from 14 September to 21 December 2026, according to the following weekly timetable:
- Monday: 2:30 pm – 7:30 pm (usual class day)
- Tuesday: 2:30 pm – 7:30 pm (accessory day)
Audio podcasts will be made available after each lecture.
The first session, on 14 September 2026, will start at 2:30 pm. Don’t miss it.
RECIPIENTS
The course is addressed to:
- university students of all MSc degrees, both scientific and humanistic;
- HSE or sustainability managers in profit or non-profit organisations;
- freelancers and professionals;
- public administration officials;
- entrepreneurs;
- international cooperation practitioners;
- teachers and lecturers interested in sustainable development and related issues, operating in national/local and/or international contexts.
Enrolled students who request it from the lecturer in charge can adapt the course to their personal needs with additional information and/or bibliographic references.
Dialogue with teachers and among students is very open and is encouraged and supported in order to foster interdisciplinary learning.
REQUIREMENTS
Full attendance of the course, including the exam and ECTS recognition, is subject to formal registration at the University of Trento.
Interested participants who are not enrolled in UniTrento degree courses shall subscribe to the single course ("iscrizione a corso singolo"), upon payment of a tuition fee:
https://www.dicam.unitn.it/76/ufficio-offerta-formativa-e-gestione-studenti
UNIVERSITY CREDITS
6 ECTS are recognised to regularly enrolled participants who include the course in their study plan and regularly pass the exam.
For non-DICAM students, inclusion of the course in the study plan is subject to formal endorsement by the relevant internal bodies.
INFORMATION
For further information about the course:
Course webpage:
https://sites.google.com/unitn.it/int-sust-dev/
Information materials:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZKdHBAiwvYBj0gGHbnduQpU5rYAgKpir?usp=sharing
ENROLLMENT
Interested candidates can send a simple email including:
- name and surname;
- degree course, for UniTrento students;
- name, surname and background/job, for non-UniTrento students;
to the lecturer in charge, Massimo Zortea, at:
He will provide further details on the procedure.