5 ECTS credits
125 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4021249ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Registration for this course is only possible for students Master Urban Studies.
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Science and Bio-engineering Sciences
Department
Geography
External partners
Université libre de Bruxelles
Educational team
Decaan WE (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
24 contact hours Lecture
24 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
12 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

Introduction: urban sustainability challenges and circular economy perspectives

Sustainable urbanism: socio-economic, environmental and political dimensions of urbanism

Sustainable circular economy: concepts and approaches

Urban sustainability assessment: concepts and approaches

Metabolism of urban systems – I

Metabolism of urban systems – II

Urban ecosystem services – I

Urban ecosystem services – II

Sustainable urbanism: Micro-scale case studies and best practices

Sustainable urbanism: Macro-scale case studies and best practices

Urban sustainability design, planning, and policy development

Additional info

Essential course material: The lecture slides will be made available before the class on UV.

Learning Outcomes

General competences

This module aims at analysing and assessing the sustainability of urban systems with an emphasis on circular economy perspectives and sustainable urbanism approaches.

By the end of the module, the student should be able to:

  1. understand the functioning of urban systems at different scale levels
  2. analyse the interaction between urban systems and resource flows
  3. analyse and assess the sustainability of urban systems using state-of-the-art methods, indexes and tools
  4. assess the different initiatives and plans aimed at sustainable urban development
  5. develop strategies and solutions to improve the urban sustainability in terms of urban design, spatial planning and policy
  6. present the analysis and assessment of urban sustainability in the form of a scientific paper

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Other exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The students will work in groups and produce:

  • A case study analysis assignment during the tutorials using urban sustainability assessment methods and tools (c).
  • A final report in the form of a scientific paper describing the selected case study (a city or an urban area) as an urban system (a), analysing the interaction between the urban system and resource flows (b), assessing the functioning of the urban system at different scale levels in terms of sustainability (a, c), analysing the recent progress made towards sustainability (d), and proposing strategies and solutions to improve the sustainability (e)

Grade weighted composition:
25% case study assignment
75% final report in the form of a scientific paper

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Urban Studies: Standard track