Universität Wien
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300113 VU Natural heritage: Global perspectives and local solutions in view of sustainable management (2026S)

5.00 ECTS (3.00 SWS), SPL 30 - Biologie
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung
CIRCLE-U
Moodle

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 50 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine

This course is offered as a Circle U. joint course, developed within the Circle U. framework, coupled to a BIP in Autumn and delivered in collaboration with partner universities. Teaching is carried out by an international and interdisciplinary team of lecturers from the University of Vienna (Austria), the University of Pisa (Italy), Humboldt University Berlin (Germany), and the University of Oslo (Norway).

Lecturers:
Didone Frigerio is Privatdozentin at the University of Vienna, researching animal and avian social behaviour and behavioural physiology, with a strong commitment to open and citizen science.
Gabriele Goretti is Associate Professor at the University of Pisa, focusing on design innovation and digital strategies for sustainable industrial transformation.
Matylda N. Guzik is Senior Lecturer at the University of Oslo, working on sustainability, materials science, and renewable energy through a systems-oriented and transdisciplinary approach.
Sonia Massari, PhD, is a researcher at the University of Pisa with over 20 years of experience in food design, agri-food innovation, and sustainability education.
Federico Niccolini is Associate Professor of Organizational Science at the University of Pisa, specialising in protected areas management, sustainable development, and tourism.
Marcel Robischon is Professor at Humboldt University of Berlin and head of Agricultural Ecology, with research interests in forest science, woody plant biology, and nature conservation education.
Petra Sumasgutner is Associate Professor at the University of Vienna, specialising in human-wildlife interactions and raptor ecology using GPS and bio-logging data.
Marianne Zeyringer is Professor in Sustainable Energy Systems at the University of Oslo and Academic Chair Climate for Circle U., designing net-zero energy systems with environmental and social impacts in focus.
Ute Smit is Professor for English Linguistic at University of Vienna, with a focus on English in and around education.

The course is taught entirely in English to facilitate international participation and cross-border academic collaboration. All sessions take place in a hybrid format, combining on-site teaching at the Seminarraum der Zukunft (University of Vienna) with online participation of lecturers and students from partner institutions.

This format enables transnational exchange, interdisciplinary perspectives, and collaborative learning across institutions, in line with the objectives of the Circle U. alliance.

Course dates and contents
Wednesday, March 11, 2:00-5:00 pm
Introduction and course framework
Welcome session; introduction to objectives, structure, assessment, and interdisciplinary and international collaboration; formation of groups and start of work on the case-based assignment.

Friday, March 13, 9:00 am-12:00 pm & 2:00-5:00 pm
Natural heritage, climate change, and energy transition
Concepts and values of natural heritage; impacts of climate change; role of conservation in mitigation and adaptation; sustainable energy transition, renewable technologies, and social justice in natural heritage regions.

Thursday, March 26, 2:00-5:00 pm
Natural heritage and animal behaviour
Biodiversity, ecosystems, and protected areas; human-wildlife interactions; animal behaviour in conservation, wildlife management, and tourism.

Friday, March 27, 9:00 am-12:00 pm & 2:00-5:00 pm
Natural heritage and sustainable tourism
Biodiversity and landscape protection in sustainable development; case studies; visitor management; role of local communities and long-term preservation strategies.

Thursday, April 16, 2:00-5:00 pm
Natural heritage and education
World Heritage frameworks; conservation principles; education, outreach, and intangible natural heritage; integration of scientific and cultural knowledge.

Friday, April 17, 9:00 am-12:00 pm & 2:00-5:00 pm
Student presentations and course conclusion
Presentation and discussion of group projects; evaluation and final reflections.

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

Learning objectives of the course

The primary learning objective of this course is to enable students to understand, analyse, and address challenges related to the sustainable management of natural heritage through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. Students will develop the ability to integrate biological, environmental, technological, cultural, and social perspectives when dealing with complex sustainability problems. By the end of the course, students should be able to critically evaluate interactions between climate change, biodiversity, energy transition, tourism, education, and local communities in natural heritage contexts. Furthermore, the course aims to strengthen students’ skills in international and interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific communication in English, and reflective thinking on their own disciplinary contributions within team-based sustainability projects.

Contents of the course
The course covers key concepts of natural heritage, including its biological, ecological, cultural, and social values, as well as global and local frameworks for its protection and sustainable management. Core topics include the impacts of climate change on natural heritage and the role of conservation in climate mitigation and adaptation; the relationship between renewable energy development and natural heritage protection; animal behaviour and human–wildlife interactions; sustainable tourism and its ecological and socio-economic implications; and the role of education, traditional ecological knowledge, and intangible natural heritage in conservation practices. Case studies from different European contexts are used to illustrate challenges, trade-offs, and best practices in sustainable management. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary perspectives and the integration of scientific knowledge with cultural and community-based approaches.

Teaching and learning methods
The course is taught in a blended and collaborative format combining lectures, interactive discussions, and challenge-based learning. Lectures delivered by an international team of lecturers provide the theoretical, methodological, and conceptual foundations. These are complemented by group work sessions in which students apply theoretical knowledge to a real-world case related to natural heritage and sustainability. The course promotes active learning through teamwork across disciplines and national backgrounds, use of English as a working language, and continuous interaction between students and lecturers. Learning outcomes are assessed through case-based group presentations in various formats (e.g. video, podcast, poster, presentation) and an individual reflective report in which students critically assess their scientific contribution and reflect on the opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinary sustainability work.

Welcome, Circle U. students! Please read the information about this lecture and follow the instructions on the website:
https://www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/natural-heritage-global-perspectives-and-local-solutions-view-sustainable-management

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

To successfully complete the course, students are required to actively participate in the course sessions and to complete both group-based and individual assessment components.

The main assessment consists of a case-based group project, developed throughout the course and presented at the end of the semester. The group presentation addresses a complex problem related to the sustainable management of natural heritage and must demonstrate the integration of interdisciplinary perspectives. The final output can take various formats, such as a video, podcast, poster, slide-based presentation, or a moderated public debate. Students are expected to apply relevant scientific concepts, theories, and methods discussed during the lectures and group work sessions.

In addition to the group project, each student must submit an individual written reflection. This reflection documents the student’s personal scientific contribution to the group work, explicitly referencing the concepts, theories, and academic literature used. Furthermore, students are required to critically reflect on the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration in the context of sustainability-oriented problem solving.

There is no written or oral exam in the traditional sense. Assessment is based on continuous participation, the quality of the group project and presentation, and the individual reflection paper.

For the preparation of all assessment components, students are allowed to use all course materials provided via the Moodle platform, including lecture slides, assigned readings, and additional publications, as well as relevant academic literature and digital tools. During the preparation of the presentations and written reflections, the use of standard academic aids (e.g. literature databases, reference management software, presentation and media production tools) is permitted, provided that academic integrity and proper citation standards are respected.

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

In order to be eligible for a positive assessment, students must fulfil all mandatory course components. This includes regular active participation, attendance of at least 75% of the scheduled course sessions, successful completion of the group-based case project, delivery of the final group presentation, and submission of the individual reflection paper. Failure to meet the minimum attendance requirement or to submit either the group project or the individual reflection automatically results in a negative assessment of the course.

Assessment is based on the following partial performances, which together form the final grade:

Group case project and final presentation (60%)
. The group project is evaluated according to the following criteria:
. Relevance and clarity of the selected case and research question
. Integration of interdisciplinary perspectives (biological, environmental, technological, cultural, and social)
. Appropriate application of scientific concepts, theories, and methods discussed in the course
. Quality, coherence, feasibility, and originality of the proposed analysis and solutions
. Quality of the final presentation format (structure, argumentation, clarity, creativity, and communication)

Individual reflection paper (30%)
The individual reflection is assessed based on:
. Clear identification and explanation of the student’s personal scientific contribution to the group project
. Critical and correct use of relevant scientific concepts, theories, and academic references
. Depth of reflection on the opportunities and limitations of interdisciplinary collaboration in sustainability-related contexts
. Academic writing quality, structure, and proper citation

Active participation during the course (10%)
. Active participation includes regular attendance, constructive engagement in discussions, and meaningful contribution to group work activities throughout the course.

Grading scheme
The final grade is calculated based on the weighted sum of all assessment components and follows the standard Austrian grading scale:
Very Good (1): 90–100%
Good (2): 80–89%
Satisfactory (3): 70–79%
Sufficient (4): 60–69%
Fail (5): below 60%

A positive assessment requires at least 60% of the total achievable points, fulfilment of the minimum attendance requirement (75%), and completion of all mandatory assessment components.

Prüfungsstoff

To successfully complete the course and its assessment components, students are required to acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical, applied skills related to the sustainable management of natural heritage.

Students must demonstrate a solid understanding of the core theoretical concepts introduced in the lectures, including:
. Definitions, values, and dimensions of natural heritage (biological, ecological, cultural, and social)
. Global and regional frameworks for natural heritage protection and sustainable management
. Interactions between natural heritage and climate change, biodiversity loss, energy transition, tourism, and education
. Principles of sustainable development, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, and challenge-based learning

For the group-based case project, students are required to:
. Select and analyse a real-world case related to natural heritage and sustainability
. Apply relevant scientific concepts, theories, and methods from different disciplines
. Integrate biological, environmental, technological, cultural, and socio-economic perspectives
. Develop well-argued, evidence-based and feasible solutions or management strategies
. Collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary and international team and communicate results clearly in English using an appropriate presentation format

For the individual reflection paper, students must:
. Clearly describe and justify their own scientific contribution to the group project
. Demonstrate critical engagement with the academic concepts and literature used
. Reflect analytically on the advantages, challenges, and limitations of interdisciplinary work in sustainability contexts
. Present arguments in a structured, coherent, and academically sound written form

Overall, students are expected not only to reproduce knowledge, but to apply, integrate, and critically reflect on course content in order to address complex sustainability challenges related to natural heritage.

Literatur

The achievement of the course learning objectives is supported by selected academic literature and teaching materials provided via the Moodle platform. These include lecture slides, scientific articles, book chapters, policy documents, and case study materials introduced and discussed during the course.

The literature covers the key thematic areas of the module, such as natural heritage and sustainability, climate change, biodiversity conservation, energy transition, sustainable tourism, education, and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability research and practice. Additional readings may be provided throughout the course to support specific topics or student projects.

All required and recommended materials are made available to students on Moodle and form part of the examinable course content.

The course is linked to a Blended Intensive Programme: https://www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/sustainable-agritourism-intensive-week-saiw

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

MNB4

Letzte Änderung: Do 09.07.2026 13:47