Introduction to Smart Cities and Societies in the Arctic

ORG2009

This course is a starting platform for students to understand Smart Cities and Societies in the Arctic. It aims to explain how urban and rural initiatives are planned and developed in the Arctic for integrating smartness and sustainability.

This interdisciplinary module-based course combines the competencies of Nord University Business School and its partner universities from Nordic countries and North America. It covers such topics as: elements, concepts, global trends in smart city development; previous and current cases of smart initiatives in the Arctic; role of governance and community participation in the Arctic; Arctic urbanization and mobility issues; Arctic sustainability and role of technology; smartness and digital literacy for local societies; the role of dialogue across Arctic borders.Each module includes self-study video-lectures supplemented with PowerPoint presentations/slides and other materials (required and recommended readings, Internet links, etc). Each block consists of a short introduction to the block, video lectures, conclusion, a list of required and recommended readings, and exercises and/or quizzes to evaluate the learning progress

Must fulfill the requirements for admission to the bachelor program at Nord University/partner institutions

Knowledge

The candidate:

• has knowledge of key themes, concepts, and tools in the field of smart cities and societies from interdisciplinary perspectives

• Has knowledge of various interpretations of smart concept and how it relates to sustainability

• Is familiar with the context of the High North/Arctic and how different Arctic contexts shape the development of smart cities and communities

Skills

The candidate:

• can apply the academic material from the course to reflect on smart initiatives in different contexts and explain his/her choices

• can work independently with practical and theoretical problem-solving related to smart initiatives, in particular in the Arctic context

General Competence

The candidate:

• can work with smart concepts to address the development of cities and societies in the Arctic

• can apply their knowledge and skills to the problem-solving related to the development of smart city initiatives

No tuition fees. Costs for semester registration and course literature apply. It is also required that students have a laptop at their disposal.

Elective course

The course is arranged as a guided self-study online course with video materials, texts, and multiple-choice tests. The course takes place in CANVAS, web-platform for distant learning. The course also implies obligatory participation in the annual High North Dialogue conference on-site or digitally.

The study programme is evaluated annually by students by way of course evaluation studies. These evaluations are included in the universitys quality assurance system.

The course is offered at a bachelor’s level to students from various fields. It is relevant for students at any stage of their bachelor’s degree program.

Course language

English

Credits

7.5

Study location

Online

Responsible faculty

Nord University Business School

Course coordinator

Researcher

Elena Sæther

elena.saether@nord.no