Digital Sustainability Transformation of, by and for the TUM

Sustainability and digitization are two of the key challenges of our time. Both transformations must be actively shaped, whereby it is crucial to think "sustainability" and "digitization" not only as two separate megatrends but examine their intersections and interplays. Universities like the TUM have a central role to play in shaping the digital and sustainable transformation: they are learning venues for sustainable/digital development with the goal to educate people; they serve as fora for public discussions and as hubs to connect important stakeholders; they are important incubators for innovations; and they (should) also function as role models for the society. Against this backdrop, this module pursues three interrelated goals: 1) to promote the discussion of sustainable development issues in conjunction with the digital transformation at TUM; 2) to strengthen TUM's position as a driving force and central multiplier of issues with a view to sustainable digitization or sustainability through digitization; and 3) to support the deep-rooted anchoring of sustainability issues at TUM.

The module consists of two courses:
- The first course is a virtual lecture that examines the mutual opportunities and challenges of sustainability and digitization in the university context - i.e. in teaching, research, administration and third mission. In the summer term, the lecture will focus on a range of topics linked to sustainability and digitalization within the TUM. In other words, we will explore, among others, how sustainability matters for learning, working and living at the TUM, what initiatives are in progress to enhance issues related to sustainbility at the TUM. In doing so, we will also examine the question of sustainability & digitization within higher education and ask how sustainability and digitization can be thought together from theoretical perspective. In the winter term, the lecture will look at various issues and initiatives that address the mutual opportunities and challenges of sustainability and digitization at various levels. While a focus will be on projects in Munich and Bavaria, we will also discuss topics from a national, supranational and global perspective.
- The second course is a seminar which gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge on topics related to sustainable digitization/digital sustainability in a project-based manner. Over the course of two semesters, students are asked to develop and implement their own projects. Concretely, the seminar envisages two tracks of potential projects: Track 1 is dedicated to sustainability governance at TUM where students will work in small groups on assessing individual components of a sustainability at the TUM and identify possible potential for action with regard to digitalization and sustainability. Track 2 focuses on developing concrete projects together with stakeholders and local actors, with the goal to work on solutions and applications.

The module closes with a conference where the student-led projects are presented to a broader audience and discussed with experts.

After successful participation in this course, students are able:
- to understand and to critically discuss key aspects linked to sustainable and digital transformations, particularly in the context of higher education;
- to put their knowledge into practice for their own (research) project, and to systematically plan and implement their own projects;
- to analyze how they can actively shape big transformations in their immidiate vicinity,
- to demonstrate the progress of their work and to enhance their conversational and presentational skills,
- to present their work/research in an adequate manner to a scientific and broader audience.

This module is aimed at all students enrolled in a Master program at the TUM; it is thus designed as an interdisciplinary venue which brings together a range of scientific perspectives. No specific prior knowledge is required; however, its project-based character requires high levels of intrinsic motivation and the willingness to actively participate in a project.

A range of teaching & learning techniques will be applied:
- The lecture combines (pre-recorded) videos and online presentations, with podcasts and interviews. To facilitate active participation with the content of the lectures, Q&A sessions, online discussions and additional participartory methods will be used.
- The seminar draws on the ideas of service-learning and project-based learning. After a set of introductory sessions which provide input on the core topics but also project management, students will work on their projects in groups. Progress will be assessed through project presentations during the semester, continuous feedback from the instructors, as well as peer-to-peer feedback.
- Presentational skills will be further facilitated through the requirement to present ongoing and final results within the seminar and at a final conference.

The module is planned as a hybrid event combining online tools and in-person sessions (depending on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic). The lecture will be held online via Zoom or as pre-recorded videos; materials will be accessable via Moodle and YouTube. The seminars will be organized via Moodle and Zoom.

Sterling, St. et al. 2013. The Sustainable University. London: Routledge.
Filho, W. L. & P. Pace 2016. Teaching Education for Sustainable Development at University Level. Cham: Springer International.
Filho, W. L. et al. (eds.). 2019. Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development. Cham: Springer International.
Heinrichs, H. et al. (eds.). 2016. Sustainability Science. An Introduction. Cham: Springer International.

The exam takes the form of a portfolio, consisting of two comments (20%), a project draft (20%) and an in-class project presentation (20%) as well as a public project presentation (20%) and a final report (20%), charting the progress of their work/research over time. Over the course of this module, students will have to complete the following tasks: Lecture: In order to demonstrate that they are able to understand and to critically discuss key aspects linked to sustainable and digital transformations, students have to actively contribute to two sessions of the lecture (one in the summer term, and one in the winter term) by writing a blog post, designing a digital story or short video, conducting an interview or producing a presentation to provide additional information on a selected topic. This counts 20% to the final grade. Seminar: Students have to develop a project and implement this over the course of the seminar. During the summer term, students need to prepare a project draft of min. 10 to max. 15 pages, in which they will show that they are able systematically plan and implement their own projects, and present their project in-class in order to demonstrate the progress of their work and to enhance their conversational and presentational skills. This counts 40% to the final grade (20% each for report and presentation). During the winter term, students need to present their project at the public conference to prove that they are able to present their work/research in an adequate manner to a scientific and broader audience and need to compile a final project report of min. 15 to max. 20 pages, in which they show that they are able to understand, identify and analyze how they can actively shape big transformations in their immediate vicinity. This counts 40% to the final grade (20% each for report and presentation).