Every year there appears to be an increase in the number of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) available on sustainability topics. These courses are available for free online and open to anyone with an interest in the topic, lasting between three and fourteen weeks and taking three to eight hours per week to complete. Below is a selection of such courses offered this Spring 2016, listed by topic, from PRME signatory and non-signatory schools. These courses focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, and international development.
Leadership
Ethical Leadership Character, Civility, and Community: Explore theoretical and practical elements of ethical leadership with an emphasis on leaders’ personal narratives within social historical contexts. From Boston University – starts March 15, 2016.
Managing Responsibly: Practicing Sustainability, Responsibility and Ethics: Work on your competence to solve tasks and problems related to sustainability, responsibility, and ethics. From University of Manchester – starts March 7, 2016
Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility: Understand the multidimensional nature of corporate social responsibility and recognise the risks of CSR washing, as well as the opportunities related to a strong CSR communication strategy. From Universite Catholique de Louvain – starts February 25, 2016
New Models of Business in Society: This course discusses the emergence of a new story about business, one that locates business within a societal framework. From University of Virginia – available now
Effective Altruism: Builds on the simple, yet unsettling, idea that living a fully ethical life involves doing the most good one can do. This course explores how altruism can be put into practice in your own life. From Princeton University – available now
Leadership in 21st Century Organizations: Explore your own personal leadership approach and how to avoid the slippery slope of ethical failures. From Copenhagen Business School – available now
Make an Impact: Sustainability for Professionals: Covers the basic definitions and history of sustainable development and sustainability in business – from a niche interest to the present day. From University of Bath – starts April 4, 2016
Entrepreneurship
How to Build a Sustainable Fashion Business: Learn what it takes to create a successful fashion business with a social or environmental ethos from leading entrepreneurs. From the Ethical Fashion Forum, the global industry body for sustainable fashion – available now
Changer le monde/Creer son entreprise sociale (French): Outlines how to turn your passion into a social or environmental enterprise. From ESSEC Business School – starts February 20, 2016
Social Entrepreneurship 101: Discovering Your Passion and Path to Change the World: Explores how to apply entrepreneurial skills to social problems and design lasting solutions. From Acumen – starts February 23, 2016
International Development
International Human Rights: Examine the sources of human rights, the rights of individuals, the duties of States, and the mechanisms of protection. From Universite Catholique de Louvain – starts February 29, 2016.
Global Health and Humanitarianism: Is humanitarianism an effective, justifiable and sustainable response to ill-health, inequality, injustice, and war? From University of Manchester – starts February 15, 2016.
Engaging Citizens: A Game Changer for Development?: What conditions are necessary for inclusive and effective citizen engagement? Can it positively improve people’s lives? This course provides an overview of citizen engagement, critically analysing how it can be leveraged most effectively to achieve development results. From The World Bank Group – started February 1, 2016
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