Free Online Course on Sustainable Development

Dear All,

I hope my mail finds you well!

You are invited to apply for this year's free online course on Sustainable Development, offered by Youth Action for Change (www.youthactionfor change.org).
If you want to make an active contribution to regaining the balance between humankind and Mother Earth, you are the right person for this course. The course lasts for four months, from May to August 2008 and includes both working online and offline, by yourself and with international and local partners.

The topics treated in the course are:

- Introduction to Sustainable Development or "How to live with Mother Earth"
- Ecology or "What a sustainable system looks like"
- Water, Food & Energy or "How to connect to the cycles and achieve intelligent systems"
- Climate Change or "The planetary challenges ahead"
- Economy and Organization or "How to reach a sustainable society"
- Lifestyles or "How to transform your habits"- Systems thinking or "How to grasp what matters" and
- Future or "Where are we going and where am I going from now"

There is room for sharing your own expertise in fields related to the general topic. For each topic there will be some materials to get an overview and questions for discussion plus resources for further reading. A chatroom is available for socializing with the other participants throughout the course.

The course requires much dedication from its participants. You will have to:

1. read texts,
2. watch videos,
3. participate in the forum,
4. summarize the discussion about one topic,
5. do internet research,
6. explore your own community/city/ region,
7. read a book of your choice,
8. do a small practical project.

All of these are necessary for completing the course and getting a certificate. There are deadlines tied to the different parts, and failure to meet them may lead
to exclusion from the course. Another requirement is the capacity to communicate in English.

You are invited to apply by filling out the application form below and sending it to the teacher Kjell at kjell@hospitalitycl ub.org until April 20th 2008. Even though the course is offered by YOUTH Action for Change, if you are older but still feel you
want to learn and make a significant contribution in this field, please feel free to apply.

The course is limited to 25 participants.

Timeline:

May - Self-Introduction of participants, Research in Local Community, Reading a Book
June and July - Course Work, one topic each week
August - Practical Project, Report

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APPLICATION FORM
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Full name:
Date and place of Birth:
Current Address:
Telephone:
E-mail:

1. Why would you like to take part in the course?
Where does your motivation come from?

2. What do you hope to learn in this course? Which
topics are most interesting for you?

3. Do you have any first-hand experience in an areas
related to sustainable development? Are you or have
you been active in any project or organization that
has some relation to it?

4. Do you have regular internet access? If not, how
often and with what kind of connection are you able to
go online?

5. Have you ever participated in an online-course? If
yes, which one(s)? If no, what do you expect from this
course?

6. How much time can you dedicate to the course?

7. Could this course be relevant for your personal
professional future? If yes, how?

8. Do you always throw your garbage in the wastebin?

9. Anything else you would like to share?