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  • Course programme


    Welcome to join 10 high-level sessions on State of the World and Development!


    This lecture series  highlights the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development and explores the dilemma of development from various stakeholder perspectives.  Lectures are open for all in Aalto! To gain the study credits, please register through SISU (sisu.aalto.fi). Lectures will not be recorded or streamed.

    • Lectures from 9 September to 9 October 2024

    • Mondays in U7 PWC - U135a & Wednesdays in A2 - A215 in Otakaari 1, at 10-12. Exceptions will be communicated during the course.

    • Course coordinator: Julia Sundman (julia.sundman@aalto.fi)

    • Course assistant: Pragati Singhal (pragati.singhal@aalto.fi)

    COURSE PROGRAMME

     

    LECTURE 1: “Dilemma of Development" 

    Monday 9 September. |  U7 PWC - U135a

    Distinguished Professor Olli Varis, Aalto School of Engineering

    Olli Varis is professor of Water Resources Management with a focus on water, environment and development research and consultation. His research concentrates on sustainable development and water resources management in developing and emerging economies, particularly in Asia. Prof. Varis has been active in several international organizations including UNESCO, WMO, IWRA (Vice President 2007-2009), IWA, IIASA and UNU-WIDER. He was the Vice Dean of Research and Innovation of Aalto School of Engineering in 2013-2018, Counsellor at the Supreme Administrational Court of Finland in 2006-2015, and he is Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.

    LECTURE 2: “From zones of fragility to spatial diplomacy: Reflections upon humanitarian architecture”

    Wednesday 11 September  |  A2 - A215

    Professor Esther Charlesworth, RMIT

    Esther Charlesworth is the founder of Architects without Frontiers (AWF). Since 2002, AWF has undertaken over 72 health, education and social infrastructure projects across 15 countries for vulnerable communities. Esther is also a Professor in the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University (Melbourne), where she established the Master of Disaster, Design and Development degree [MoDDD] in 2015. MoDDD alumni are now directing major design and disaster reconstruction projects across the public, private and development sectors, globally.

     

    LECTURE 3: “The role of connectivity in an evolving world order”

    Monday 16 September |  U7 PWC - U135a, Otakaari 1

    Dr. Bart Gaens, Finnish Institute of International Affairs

    Dr. Bart Gaens works as Senior Research Fellow at the Global Security and Governance Research Programme at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA). He holds the title of docent at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki. In the past he has worked as Project Director for FIIA’s Center on US Politics and Power (CUSPP), as Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Helsinki, and as Specially-Appointed Associate Professor at Osaka University, Japan. 


    LECTURE 4: “Media, trust & democracy”

    Wednesday 18 September  |  A2 - A215, Otakaari 1

    Esa Salminen, author and journalist

    Esa Salminen is a writer and journalist, with special focus on sustainable development and global issues. He has worked with international development themes for more than 20 years, including five years in Zambia & Mozambique. He has published several books and has won the State award for public information. In his lecture, Salminen will discuss how the Finnish media tends to portray non-Western countries, how quality media strengthens democracy and what issues may arise if trust in media is weak.

    Pre-materials:


     

    LECTURE 5: “Responding to metacrisis”

    Monday 23 September |  U7 PWC - U135a, Otakaari 1

    Dr. Sara Lindeman, Leapfrog Projects

    Dr. Lindeman is a founder and mission holder at Leapfrog. Leapfrog is a think-and-do tank that build capabilities for deep societal transformation. Starting her work in academia, she holds a PhD in sustainable market organizing. Later, she initiated and led a large transdisciplinary research and innovation project on how to co-innovate the future’s sustainable solutions for emerging markets.

     

    LECTURE 6: “Book launch: Transforming education to reach global impact”

    Wednesday 25 September | A2 - A215, Otakaari 1

    Book launch & seminar event: www.aalto.fi/en/events/book-launch-transforming-education-to-reach-global-impact

     

    LECTURE 7: “Climate change & adaptation” [NOTE: online lecture!]

    Monday 30 September | Zoom: https://aalto.zoom.us/j/66931902825


    Dr. Philipp Schmidt-Thomé, Geological Survey of Finland

    Dr. Schmidt-Thomé is a researcher and ‎International Operations Director at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). He is a geographer with a postgraduate in hydrogeology and engineering geology, a PhD in geology on climate change adaptation, and a docentship in geology at the University of Helsinki. He was born in El Salvador, raised in Germany, Sudan and Colombia and completed parts of his studies in Chile and Thailand. During his research career, Philipp has worked as a scientist and project manager in several EU projects, and in South America, West Asia and Southeast Asia. Currently, he is based in Tanzania where he cooperates with the Geological Survey and mining companies on digitalization of services and critical mineral potential assessment

     

    LECTURE 8: “Transformation of humanitarian aid and its role”

    Wednesday 2 October  |  A2 - A215, Otakaari 1

    Suvi Virkkunen, Red Cross Finland

    Suvi Virkkunen works at Finnish Red Cross International Aid as Head of Knowledge development and advocacy since 2022. She has over 25 years experience in development policy and its interlinkages with other policies. She has worked with the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and European Commission, ACT Alliance an FinnChurchAid as well as national umbrella organisations of a broad range of civil society organisations working in development or humanitarian field in Finland (Kepa) and Europe (CLONG). Suvi Virkkunen has a Master of Social Sciences (International Politics) from University of Tampere as well as a degree in management.

     

    LECTURE 9: “Finnish development policy & goals”

    Monday 7 October | U7 PWC - U135a, Otakaari 1

    Annika Kaipola, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Ms. Annika Kaipola works as team leader for Quality and Results at the Department for Development Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. She has more than 20 years' work experience in development policy and cooperation at the United Nations and the Government of Finland. The geographical focus of Ms. Kaipola has been in Asia where she spent over 7 years working mainly with issues related to sustainable management of natural resources. At Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, she in engaged in developing results-based management and effectiveness of development cooperation.


    LECTURE 10: "Resilience and crisis management in urban environments: perspectives from future studies"

    Wednesday 9 October | A2 - A215, Otakaari 1

    Lassi Tähtinen, Aalto University

    Lassi Tähtinen is a university teacher and doctoral researcher in real estate economics at Aalto University, and serves as the vice-chair in the Finnish Society of Built Environment Research. Previously, he has worked for example in national and international smart city innovation management research projects. In his lecture, Lassi shares his research, in which he utilizes methods from futures studies to broaden the perspective of traditional crisis management and resilience-building practices in cities and built environments.





    • Forum icon
      Announcements Forum
    • Sida icon
      Inspiration wall Sida

      Click on this padlet to share interesting resources (e.g. videos, readings, events) related course themes with other course participants.


    • URL icon
      Monday 30 Sep: Climate change & adaptation URL
      Use this Zoom link to join the lecture.
    • Sida icon
      Special lecture: Indigenous rights & sustainability Sida

      WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER | 10-12 | 1-216, Otakaari 4

      Special lecture: "Indigenous Rights and Sustainability"

      Pirita Näkkäläjärvi, President of the Sámi Parliament in Finland

      Pirita Näkkäläjärvi has a unique career combining Indigenous rights advocacy and global business. Before being elected as the President, Pirita has had a long career in Mergers & Acquisitions for example at Merrill Lynch, Nokia and EY. Pirita holds MSc in Economics from Helsinki School of Economics (now Aalto) and MSc Media & Communications (with Distinction) from London School of Economics. Pirita will discuss why respecting Indigenous Rights is an essential part of sustainability.