Addressing the Grand Societal Challenges through Living Labs
About the Course
The course – organised by lecturers from the Universities of Parma, Pisa and Bari and the Politecnico di Milano as part of the Onfoods project – introduces Living Labs as collaborative and transformative models for tackling major social challenges, with a particular focus on the sustainability of agri-food supply chains and systems. The aim is to provide a critical understanding of Living Labs as spaces for co-creation, real-world experimentation, multi-stakeholder collaboration and locally-oriented innovation. The course also aims to demonstrate how these approaches can support research, education, participatory governance, policy design and the development of sustainable solutions.
The MOOC is aimed at a diverse audience, with learning pathways designed for students, researchers, policy-makers, agri-food businesses, professionals, facilitators and local stakeholders interested in understanding and applying Living Labs. It is designed for those who work, or wish to work, in the fields of sustainable innovation, local development, food system transition, participatory planning, innovation in the agri-food sector, and collaboration between universities, institutions, communities, businesses and civil society.
Scientific coordinators:
Prof. Filippo Arfini (filippo.arfini@unipr.it)
Prof. Alessio Cavicchi (alessio.cavicchi@unipi.it)
Prof. Sonia Massari (sonia.massari@unipi.it)
Arts and Humanities
Training hours16
LevelIntermediate
Course ModeSelf Paced
English
Duration1 weeks
TypeOnline
Course StatusSelf Pacement
Course Agenda
Enrollments Start
Course Opens
Course Closes
Learning outcomes
Through short modules and practical case studies, participants will learn what Living Labs are, how they are designed, developed and managed, which stakeholders and skills are involved, and which methods can be used to set them up. The course will explore the role of Living Labs in agri-food systems, social sustainability, territorial governance, food policies, hybrid markets, sustainable consumption and impact assessment. It will also present operational tools, indicators, databases, mentoring models and case studies that can help translate Living Labs into concrete practices in research, innovation and transformation.
Background and Requirements
None
Textbooks
Each section of the course includes lists of recommended reading, articles and further reading materials.
Course Format
Video lessons and quizzes.Certificates and Exam rules
Attendance Certificate
By completing all five assessment tasks for the course, you can obtain a certificate of attendance.
