• Assess new technologies and models for sustainable change
• Identify the interdependencies, actors and networks of the chosen urban challenge
• Evaluate the scope and viability of potential solutions that help tackle the chosen urban challenge
• Uncover potential innovative business opportunities for tackling the chosen urban challenge
• Work along side leading companies who are actively seeking to make lasting changes within cities

Cities are the considered as the most important test labs in the world. It is also fitting that as the world is becoming increasingly interdependent, core skills such as creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation et al. are in constant play. Quite clearly, there is little opportunity elsewhere, to test new technologies, government policies and financial models at the same scale For instance, can we make decisions in cities without considering the huge migration into cities from both countryside and abroad? How do we deal with the dualism of cities, as cities become desirable for both the most affluent and poorest populations? Can we make decisions in cities without considering climate change and adaptation? How supportive are our government policies and relationships with enterprises to meet these challenges? What are the agents of change and who is leading the way?

Imagine that vast business potential inherent in effectively answering these questions. This is a highly dynamic class that recognizes that in order to answer these questions, we need to foster collaborations between economists, engineers, political scientists, social scientists, life scientists, urban planners, policymakers, developers amongst others/and many others. Trying to solve the complex problems of the world from a mono-disciplinary perspective will only get us half the way to a solution. Thus, students are asked to act as ambassadors of their own discipline, while demonstrating willingness and aptitude to engage in dialogue and collaboration with students of a broad range of studies. In light of this, students will have access to industry leaders, government officials and leading academics in the field.

Cities are becoming an increasingly powerful factor to reckon with in both business and society at large. Numerous companies cater to the growing demands of urban citizens and local city governments in everything from fast moving consumer goods to housing, infrastructure and energy. There is a need for approaching sustainable urbanization from a trans-disciplinary perspective. Thus, students are asked to engage in group work with fellow students from other master degrees and universities. The goal is to present both a broad overview of the field and to help students advance their own projects.

Students are asked to select an urban challenge and deal with this challenge from multiple perspectives, including as a business, as a local government and as a citizen. For instance, how can regeneration in a socially deprived neighbourhood, such as Mjølnerparken, provide new business opportunities and social benefits at a city government and individual citizen level? How do you as a business tackle the challenges of pluralism in deprived neighbourhoods? What type of approach should you as a business adapt?

Another case that we will present is collaboration between non-profit organizations, local city governments and businesses. How do NGO’s gain legitimacy and influence local city governments? How can NGO’s define the political agenda of cities? What are the ties between NGOs and businesses in cities?

Presented cases

During the course, students will be presented with a selection of ‘real-life’ cases, including:

• Pilot model for sustainable living illustrated by case study of Roskilde Festival – led by prof. Esben Rahbek
• Sustainable building cases – led by prof. Carsten Rode
• Regenerative cities illustrated by the University of British Columbia campuses and their sustainability initiatives – led by Doctoral fellow Kristjan Jespersen
• Danish case examples of regenerating a deprived urban neighbourhood with culturally diverse populations, including what is the role of communities in local city governments – led by Dr. Luise Noring

This course is offered as a CIEL course, meaning it is offered simultaneously by University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark and Copenhagen Business School. Students from all three universities are taught together by professors from minimum two of the three universities, and course contents are innovative, practice-oriented and trans-disciplinary. Student performance will be assessed according to learning objective specific to their home institutions.

Application deadlines are specific to the three institutions; at CBS, application is possible until the third round of electives applications. In case the on-line course registration at CBS is closed before the third round, students are asked to register by mail to ln.mp@cbs.dk . If a course is cancelled, students will be offered seats at other CIEL courses.

Learn more at www.greeninnovationincities.com.

• Bulkeley, H., Betsill, M. (2005), Rethinking sustainable cities: Multi-level governance and the 'urban' politics of climate change. Environmental Politics 14, 42-63
• Bulkeley, H., Betsill, M.M. (2003), Cities and Climate Change: Urban Sustainability and Global Environmental Governance. Routledge, London
• Bulkeley, H., Castan Broto, V. (2012), Government by experiment? Global cities and the governing of climate change. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
• Burch, S., Shaw, A., Dale, A., Robinson, J. (Forthcoming) Triggering transformative change: A development path approach to climate change response in communities. Climate Policy
• Frantzeskaki, N., Loorbach, D., Meadowcroft, J. (2012), Governing transitions to sustainability: transition management as a governance approach towards pursuing sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Development 15, 19-36
• Nevens, F., Frantzeskaki, N., Gorissen, L., Loorbach, D. (2012), Urban Transition Labs: co-creating transformative action for sustainable cities. Journal of Cleaner Production
• Rode, Carsten (2012), Global Building Physics, Journal of Building Physics, 36(4), pp. 337–352