The Department of Business Management has launched an innovative new course focused on Sustainable Global Trade. Designed as a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course, it combines online lectures, interactive discussions, and asynchronous collaboration among diverse international student groups.
The course is the result of a global academic partnership, bringing together the expertise of faculty from four leading universities. The course is led by Liliana Harding from the University of East Anglia (United Kingdom), Renata Čuhlová from Masaryk University (Czech Republic), Isabel Rodriguez Tejedo from the University of Navarra (Spain), and Bryan Buckley from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA).
The course is structured around two key components that together create a dynamic and immersive learning experience. First, the COIL lectures provide students with foundational insights into sustainable economies and global trade, offering expert perspectives on how international commerce intersects with environmental and social responsibility. Second, through student-led presentations and discussions, participants delve into trade controversies and the Sustainable Development Goals, critically examining real-world challenges and debating diverse viewpoints. This collaborative format not only deepens academic understanding but also fosters meaningful cross-cultural exchange, allowing students to engage with global peers and develop a nuanced perspective on sustainability in international trade.
When we reach for a pack of chicken in the supermarket, we rarely know how the animal was actually raised. Was it crammed into a large industrial barn without natural light? Did it have access to outdoor space and the ability to express natural behaviours? Or did it grow so quickly that its weight caused its own bones to break?
The DiCiM consortium team members met again at the fifth General Assembly, which took place in Cork, Ireland. The project has now entered its second half, during which most of the development of the digital solutions will be finalised and preparations will begin for implementation and testing.
