In 20 years since the Summit of Rio, even if a lot of work has been done in the direction of Sustainable Development, much effort is still needed to guarantee the right approach to decision-making at all levels. Green thinking has to drive development in agriculture, industry, transport, services and administration; greener business models have to encourage consumers towards more sustainable lifestyles. In order to be competitive, all companies need to be eco-efficient - adding more value to a good or service while using fewer resources and releasing fewer pollutants.
The most difficult challenge is to put the eco-efficiency principle into practice and implement eco-effective thinking. To reach this task, what is "behind the scene" has to be explored and well understood, as fundamental step to use Life-Cycle approaches. Life-Cycle Assessment and Life-Cycle Management are two important structural aspects underlying sustainable development, which should be taken into account at all levels. The objective of this summer school is to show how theoretical principles can be transformed into reality and how specific instruments can be applied to reach this goal.
The summer school will attract foreign lecturers and students in an interactive workshop-based format, using local and international examples as case studies to highlight the key aspects to be taken into account by authorities and businesses, as well out determining future areas of practical research. The University of Lecce is committed to an active programme of co-operation with key social partners to promote effective regional development in the area of Puglia. To be sustainable, regional development must be based on sound principles and efficient execution. The University is increasingly linking with other national and international centres of expertise to bring the latest knowledge and practice on these subjects into its teaching and research.
Period
28-08-2012 - 31-08-2012 (1 weeks)
Target group
The summer school targets students at the final year of bachelor degree courses, students of Master degree courses, PhD students, post-graduate students, young scientists and researches. Representatives of Public Administrations as well as of the industrial world are also welcome. The target number of participants is 40; the minimum number is 12.
Course aim
The objective of the school is to provide students with the necessary background to understand the reasons for Sustainable Development and to teach how to use specific instruments to transform principles into practicality, with a focus on regional development. Students of the school will have the opportunity to take advantage of the experience of the lecturers, thanks to years of activity in the field of Sustainability, in order to develop new approaches for decision making. Students will be able to start new networks with key specialists and international students. At the end of the school students will be able to understand how life-cycle approach could be used in different contexts and situations in order to face the challenges of sustainable development. The major themes to which the instruments LCA and LCM will be applied are Tourism, Energy Production, Transport, Agriculture. Students will be asked to interact through group works, role-play exercises, use of case-studies, to develop and compare their own ideas, which will be further discussed during the round-table at the end of the school.
Credits
0.0 ECTS credits
Course fee
EUR 250: Admission fee is 250 euros and it includes: school participation, accommodation, lunches and coffee-breaks during the school, social dinner, guided visit of Lecce.
Course leader
Prof. Stefania Massari
Scholarships
The first 5 foreign students who register, by payment, will be reimbursed the whole fee at the end of the school. Students of the Faculty of Economics of Salento University pay 150 euros instead of 250 euros.
Universita del Salento Dipartimento di Scienze dell%5C'Economia
Address: Rettorato, piazza tancredi 7 Lecce
Postal code: 73100
City: Lecce
Country: Italy
Website: www.lcss.unisalento.it
E-mail: lcss@unisalento.it
Phone: +39 0832 298748
Life-cycle approaches for sustainable regional development
