University of Copenhagen
Public University • DK
Showing 28 courses from University of Copenhagen
Sustainable Development - Ideas and Imaginaries
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Ideas and imaginaries inspire human capacity for great endeavours, but ‘conventional wisdom’ frequently prevents necessary change. Achievement of global sustainable development is, therefore, dependent on a profound comprehension of the preunderstandings and implicit imaginaries that form both our perception of reality and our basic confidence in the viability of transgressive action. The present-day concept and ideal of sustainable development contains many interlaced meanings and many contradictions. In order to bring out the concept’s indisputable transformative potential, and be able to gain support, promote decision-making and take action in it, it is, therefore, requisite to disentangle this mélange and shed light to the implicit preunderstandings . This course will contribute to doing so by focusing on the historical roots and multiple layers of meaning of sustainable development, and by exploring questions such as: ‘What is the historical background of the current Sustainable Development Goals?’, ‘Which imaginaries about relations between individual and collective tend to promote and prevent sustainable solutions?’, ‘How can ideas about humans and nature affect global development?’, And ‘how do we as humans react on inconstant notions of time and change?’ During this course, you will meet associate professor in history Bo Fritzbøger from Centre for Sustainable Futures as the primary lecturer and a range of cultural, natural and social scientists, all from the University of Copenhagen working with different aspects of sustainability thinking. We hope that you will join us in the course and qualify your participation in current discussions about how to achieve common sustainable development in a divided world.
Personalised Medicine from a Nordic Perspective
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
The technical revolution has generated large amounts of data in healthcare and research, and a rapidly increasing knowledge about factors of importance for the individual’s health. This holds great potential to support a change from the one-size-fits-all paradigm to personalised or precision medicine, to guide and thereby improve each health decision of expected benefit for the patient. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has contributed to a great public and political awareness of the importance of personalised medicine, where the influence of host factors like age, sex, obesity, smoking, co-morbidities etc. confer increased risk of serious COVID-19 illness. It is expected that in the near future, a more systematic and data-driven approach for prediction and risk stratification of COVID-19 patients and many other patient groups, will increase and improve due to better understanding of disease pathology, including the influence of genetic variability and biomarkers on disease risk and outcome. The Nordic countries have unique welfare systems with general access to healthcare, and longitudinal nationwide health databases and biobanks. This infrastructure combined with unique person identifiers creates an optimal setting for personalised medicine development, and the Nordic model of research, translation, care and education can serve as a forefront example for the rest of the world. The course in Personalised medicine from a Nordic perspective will introduce, describe, define and discuss the concept of personalised medicine from the aspect of the patient, health-care and the infrastructure available to generate a learning environment that is integrated with everyday care of patients. The course also covers communication of risk and the ethical, legal and social aspects of personalised medicine and presents examples where personalised medicine approach is already used in routine care. The course was initiated by Faculty leaders in the Education Working Group of Nordic Medic...
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease – The Essentials
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a global problem, affecting up to 25% of all individuals. The disease not only increases the risk of liver disease, but also of cardiovascular disease and liver cancer. During this course, you will learn the essentials of NAFLD. We will begin with an introduction to the physiology of the human liver followed by epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical medicine, and genetics. Diagnosing NAFLD based on blood tests, diagnostic imaging and histology will be discussed. Complications and treatment options will also be covered in this course including the link between NAFLD and the development of diabetes. Finally, experts will discuss data driven identification of new biomarkers by omics technologies. After completing this course, you will have a broad knowledge about NAFLD ranging from the aetiology and pathophysiology to bedside examinations and treatments.
Bacteria and Chronic Infections
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
This course will give you an introduction to bacteria and chronic infections. Leading experts in the field will make you familiar with the fundamental concepts of microbiology and bacteriology such as single cell bacteria, biofilm formation, and acute and chronic infections.
Understanding Patient Perspectives on Medications
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Inappropriate use of medicines harms patients' health and increases healthcare costs. When healthcare professionals and patients engage together, healthcare can be based on the patient perspective, so the use of medicines is better tailored to each patient's needs and preferences. The result is a better relationship between patients and healthcare professionals, more appropriate medicines use, improved patient outcomes, and reduced healthcare costs. This course explores patient perspectives on medicine use. Through videos, readings, and quizzes, it informs about the importance of patients’ perspectives on medicines, teaches about the patient’s lived experiences with medicines and mismatch in how healthcare professionals and patients view medicines, and introduces the methods that can be used to explore patients perspectives on medicines. Through discussions, you’ll be encouraged to reflect on the patient perspective on medicines in relation to your own professional context. This course was developed collaboratively by scholars from the Universities of Copenhagen, Groningen, and Oslo, as well as Trinity College Dublin. Drawing on their extensive experience in teaching, research, and professional practice, they worked together to distill the most important elements of interviewing patients about their perspectives on medication. The team includes Susanne Kaae, Lourdes Cantarero-Arevalo, Katja Taxis, Anne Gerd Granas, Anna Birna Almarsdóttir, Lotte S. Nørgaard, Sofia K. Sporrong, Johanne M. Hansen, Martin C. Henman, Solveig N. Jacobsen, and Ramune Jacobsen. The course is related to 'Patient Perspectives on Medications: Qualitative Interviews', which is also available on Coursera, but each course can be taken independently.
The New Nordic Diet - from Gastronomy to Health
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
The New Nordic Diet is a new food culture developed in 2009-13 with key emphasis on gastronomy, health, and environment. Major research in its effect on acceptability, behaviour and learning skills, and disease prevention have been conducted by the OPUS centre at the University of Copenhagen and the people behind the award-winning restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. This course will give the participants the opportunity to experience a healthy and palatable new food and eating concept diet “The New Nordic Diet” and an understanding of how food and diets can affect mental and physical health and ensure the foundation for a healthier life style for future generations with a regional based diet and food culture. In Denmark “the Nordic cuisine”, has expanded from food eaten at the award-winning Copenhagen restaurant Noma to home-made dishes of local ingredients of whole-grain rye bread, root vegetables, berries, fresh fish and seaweed. This course is also part of the EIT Health Programme
Making Democracy Fit for Climate
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Climate change has been high on the political agenda for years, yet greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Globally, communities are already experiencing the consequences of the crisis in various ways: from increases in extreme weather and changes to ecosystems to rising sea levels and depleting natural resources. Despite the clear consequences of climate change, political action has so far proven inadequate at addressing the crisis. Democratic countries are no exception in this regard, which raises questions about the democratic system's ability to deliver the policies and actions needed to address climate change. The goal of this course is to zoom in on the relationship between democracy and climate change action. Do democratic systems have the capacity to deal with a threat like the climate crisis? If so, what will this require in terms of innovating democracy as a political system? During the course, you will meet researchers and experts from the University of Copenhagen who specialise in various areas relevant to this course. This includes scholars working on political and democratic theory, climate and environmental science, authoritarianism, international politics, and non-state actors. Furthermore, you will be presented with interviews from real-world actors who have engaged in the climate debate in various ways. We hope you will join this course to equip yourself with the knowledge needed to take part in the ongoing discussions related to climate change and the role of democracies in addressing its many challenges.
Transformation of the Global Food System
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
The UN predicts we will be 9-10 billion people on Earth in 2050. Providing so many people with nutritious foods is a massive challenge and one that cannot be met by simply upscaling current practices regarding food production and consumption. Providing humanity with nutritional food is at the center of all decisions related to sustainable development. Agriculture is responsible for 80% of global deforestation. The food systems release 29% of global greenhouse gasses. We use an area equivalent to North and South America combined for the production of meat for consumption or to produce the food necessary to feed the animals we eat. 70% of fresh water use is related to agriculture. These figures are staggering, and they show us, that we need to rethink and transform the way we produce, distribute and consume food worldwide. This course focuses on how food systems can become more sustainable. It consists of four modules where each focuses on an essential ingredient towards developing more sustainable food systems: (1) Boosting the small, (2) Transforming the big, (3) Losing less and (4) Eating smarter. In each of these key areas, we will meet people from different countries around the world, who labor every day to find and spread solutions that work. Connecting the challenges that must be overcome to develop a sustainable global food system with the solutions being developed by the amazing group of people you meet in this course has been a huge source of inspiration for me. I truly believe that the global food system can be transformed to sustainably meet the needs of 9-10 billion people and, with this course, I dare you to join me!
Business Models for Innovative Care for Older People
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Aging has been coined as one of the major societal challenges. The fact that we simply live longer, is in itself not a problem but rather a triumph. However, this unprecedented demographic change significantly affects individual life histories through an increased number of e.g. lifestyle related chronic diseases. These extra life years, also have a massive imprint on the organization of welfare institutions and the financial sustainability of the welfare system. This course will introduce you to healthcare innovation within the field of healthy living and active aging. By following two specific cases on diabetes and rehabilitation, this interdisciplinary course will provide you with key theories, tools and concepts for analyzing and developing viable innovative solutions for aging populations. The lectures will cover demographic, biological, economic, social and cultural aspects of active aging and healthy living, along with lectures on current innovation theories and methods. During the course you will meet leading researchers and experts from among others: University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School, Steno Diabetes Center in Copenhagen and Erasmus University of Rotterdam. They work with very different aspects of active aging and healthy living, from biomedicine to digital design, but what ties them together is the belief that an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare innovation will benefit the aging population. The course is part of the EIT Health Campus programme https://www.eithealth.eu/campus. We hope you will enjoy this course and equip yourself to take a more professional approach to healthcare innovation.
Constitutional Struggles in the Muslim World
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Learn what motivates the restive Muslim youth from Tunis to Tehran, what political positions Islamists from Mali to Chechnya are fighting for, where the seeming obsession with Islamic law comes from, where the secularists have vanished to, and whether it makes sense to speak of an Islamic state. Since 2009 there has been a renewed wave of popular unrest sweeping throughout much of the Muslim world. Secular, but generally repressive and inefficient autocracies have come under pressure or been swept aside entirely. At the same, the various Islamic Republics have not fared much better, but been convulsed by internal unrest, economic and social decline. Throughout the Muslim lands, existing constitutional arrangements are being challenged, often very violently. This course is a survey of the constitutional ideas and institutions that have developed since the mid 19th century throughout predominantly Muslim countries, but its focus will lie on the actors that have dominated this discourse and shaped its outcomes. We will look at the large body of classical writings on the Islamic state only in so far as it is necessary to understand the contemporary debate, but concentrate on the legal and political developments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Three common themes will characterise the course: We privilege the study of the legal and social reality and seek to highlight where it is at odds with dogmatic stipulations, be they religious or constitutional. We seek to illustrate the practical tensions posed by limited administrative capabilities and political legitimacy that resulted from the incomplete reception of modern bureaucratic statehood. We seek to examine how popular dissatisfaction with the practical performance of Muslim governments has fuelled demands for greater accountability under the guise of cultural authenticity. Ultimately, the course aims to equip participants to better understand Muslim contemporary discourse about the res publica, better contex...
Chronically Ill in an Emergency: Why Mental Health Matters
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
In humanitarian settings, mental ill-health is powerfully inter-connected with other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. Integrating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) with NCD prevention and care might therefore be useful, both to be more effective, and to require fewer resources. There is, however, a lack of widely accepted guidelines that take this into account, and this course is intended to draw attention to that issue. Attention to NCDs focused initially on four major disease categories (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer) and four groups of associated risk factors (unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol). Recently, mental ill-health has been considered as the fifth NCD and environmental determinant as the fifth risk factor for NCDs – known as ‘5-by-5’ conditions. The course has a threefold aim: i) to explore evidence of interaction between mental ill-health and other NCDs and the role of psychosocial support in humanitarian response; ii) to explore what is being done and where; what level the determinants of health are being addressed at and the integration of mental health and psychosocial support or MHPSS and NCD prevention and care in humanitarian response; and iii) to identify and explore challenges, opportunities and lessons learned for integrating MHPSS and NCD prevention and care in humanitarian response. The MOOC will be led by a course leader from the University of Copenhagen in close collaboration with academic teachers, the Danish Red Cross and IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Scandinavian Film and Television
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
In many ways Scandinavian film and television is a global cultural brand, connected with and exporting some of the cultural and social values connected to a liberal and progressive welfare society. This course deals with the social, institutional and cultural background of film and television in Scandinavia and in a broader European and global context.
Academic Information Seeking
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
This course will introduce you to the basic elements of academic information seeking - we will explore the search process from defining a strategy to evaluating and documenting your search results. Attending the course will make you a proficient information seeker. You will learn how to carry out comprehensive literature searches based on your own research assignment. You will be guided through the various information seeking steps from selecting relevant search strategies and techniques to evaluating your search results, documenting your search process and citing your sources. Attending the course will enable you to: • Identify your information need • Evaluate databases and other information resources • Set up search strategies and use various search techniques • Formulate search strings based on your own research assignment • Identify relevant material types • Undertake critical evaluation of your sources • Search more efficiently on the internet • Avoid plagiarism • Cite correctly • Work with reference management • Document your search process The course is intended for undergraduate students but the lessons will be useful to anyone who is interested in becoming better at finding scientific information. There are no formal requirements for the course. The series consists of 21 lectures that are organized into three modules. The lectures include small assignments and quizzes (to check comprehension). The lectures will each touch upon a topic that is essential to the information seeking process. To get the most out of the lecture series, we recommend that you access the lectures while you are working on an academic paper. We also recommend that you watch the lectures in the order in which we have structured them. We recommend that you create and fill out a log book while attending the lectures. We have created a log book template that you can use during the course. The lecture series has been developed in collaboration between information specialists at Un...
Origins - Formation of the Universe, Solar System, Earth and Life
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
The Origins course tracks the origin of all things – from the Big Bang to the origin of the Solar System and the Earth. The course follows the evolution of life on our planet through deep geological time to present life forms.
After the Arab Spring – Democratic Aspirations and State Failure
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Learn why the hope and excitement of the Arab Spring is gone, why so many Arab states are falling apart, why the youth are so frustrated, why there are so many refugees, and what can be done about it. The so-called Arab Spring appeared to end decades of exceptionalism and bring the Arab world back into the mainstream of global developments. The rebellions promised the return of politics and the reassertion of popular sovereignty against their corrupt and geriatric leaders. Much hope and flowery language greeted the young men and women who deposed their leaders and tried to build new, better societies. Today, the Arab world is in deep crisis. Of the 22 member states of the Arab League, at least five have essentially collapsed: Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Syria exist only in name today, as their territories have fallen to competing, murderous armed groups. In the remaining countries, the old autocracies have reasserted themselves. The repression at home is now worsened by regional conflict on an unprecedented scale, and the resulting frustration has led to the biggest refugee flows in recent memory. What went wrong? This course offers an overview of the structural shortcomings of Arab states and societies, which help us understand why the democratic awakening did not happen but instead “has given way to civil wars, ethnic, sectarian and regional divisions and the reassertion of absolutism.” This raises the obvious and renewed question whether there is something inherent in the Arab, and by analogy Muslim, condition that makes them special. Does this condition make this part of the world impervious to generally observable trends towards greater accountability, popular participation in political decision-making, greater generation and fairer division of economic wealth? Join this course to find out!
Patient Perspectives on Medications: Qualitative Interviews
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
This course teaches you how to explore the patient perspective on medicines using qualitative interviews. With the course as your digital supervisor you will step through designing, conducting and analyzing data in your own small interview study. The course combines video lessons, readings, quizzes and guided discussions. This course was developed collaboratively by scholars from the Universities of Copenhagen, Groningen and Oslo, and Trinity College Dublin. Drawing on their extensive teaching, research and professional practice experience, they worked together to distill out the most important elements of interviewing patients about their perspectives on medications. The team includes Susanne Kaae, Lourdes Cantarero-Arevalo, Katja Taxis, Anne Gerd Granas, Anna Birna Almarsdóttir, Lotte S. Nørgaard, Sofia K. Sporrong, Johanne M. Hansen, Martin C. Henman, Solveig N. Jacobsen and Ramune Jacobsen. The course is related to ‘Understanding Patient Perspectives on Medications’, also available on Coursera, but each course can be taken separately
Sustainable Tourism – promoting environmental public health
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
The MOOC introduces learners to key environmental health and natural resources management challenges associated with the rapid growth in international tourist arrivals into low-income countries. Since infrastructural and regulatory capacities in such countries are often limited they are more exposed to the negative implications of such development. The MOOC will present experiences and potential avenues to develop a more sustainable form of tourism. The Course particularly focuses on the problems and potentials of tourism development in small island states in tropical and sub-tropical settings and highlights the challenges of such development on vulnerable ecosystems. It also highlights how tourism development in Zanzibar results in increased pressure on its marine environment, solid waste management, water resources and control of mosquitoes. These factors will be used as tracers of impacts and areas for future improvement towards a more sustainable form of tourism. Zanzibar will be in focus during this course and used as a case in order to exemplify how a massive increase of Tourism in a low income and resource poor setting, can increase the vulnerability of the local population. The Course topics also relate to a number of targets under the global Sustainable Development Goals, especially: Goals 3: “good health and well-being” Goals 6: “clean water and sanitation” Goals 14: “life below water” Goals 17: “partnerships”. Thus, the Course is a continuation of the efforts and discussions raised as part of the 2017 international year of sustainable tourism. A diversity of perspectives and areas of expertise will be presented by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, State University of Zanzibar, representatives from the hotel sector and international experts in specific areas of sustainable tourism.
European Citizenship – Development, Scope, and Challenges
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
All citizens in the EU are granted a European Citizenship on top of their national citizenship. Which rights and opportunities does this supra- and transnational citizenship provide? And what are the challenges and dilemmas of the two-level citizenship – for individuals, for the member states and for the union? This course examines the development, the scope and the challenges of European Citizenship. The course has a threefold aim: to explore the development, application and current challenges of European citizenship. This aim is examined through three modules. The first module focuses on the development of European Citizenship: What are the substantive rights of citizenship beyond the state, and which institutions have been key to their development? Here, we focus on free movement for persons, cross-border welfare, and political rights – especially the European Citizens' Initiative. The second module focuses on the application of EU citizenship: How is EU citizenship practised? Is EU citizenship limited or extensive when compared to the US federal system, for example? Is it still foremost a right for those who move from member state to member state, but not for those who stay in their member state of origin? Finally, the third module examines the extent to which the rules and rights around European citizenship have been contested and politicized during the last decade. In this part of the course, we also look into the de-Europeanisation of citizenship through Brexit. The course is funded by Erasmus+ and developed by the 4EU+ University Alliance, consisting of six European Universities: Univerzita Karlova, Universität Heidelberg, Sorbonne Université, Københavns Universitet, Università degli studi di Milano, Uniwersytet Warszawski.
Tackling cardiometabolic diseases – insights from India
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
This course addresses the global rise in cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, especially in low- and middle-income countries. CMDs require long-term, personalized care, placing a heavy burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. The course explores how healthcare personnel can support lifelong treatment in resource-limited settings and develop healthcare models for underserved populations. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to follow nurses and doctors from Christian Medical College Vellore in Tamil Nadu, India, as they venture into remote areas. You will witness how they collaborate with local community health workers to treat the increasing number of people with CMDs and improve awareness and prevention. You will get insights into the challenges and barriers for cardiometabolic healthcare as well as ideas, advice and guidance on how to tackle them. The aim of the course is to equip healthcare professionals with knowledge and tools to improve CMD care in resource-constrained environments and inspire health managers to implement effective community health models based on multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The course is produced in collaboration between the Christian Medical College Vellore, India, (Departments of Community Health and Distance Education) and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, (Global Health Section and Centre for Online and Blended Learning). The course is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation as part of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals. The course has been produced with complete editorial independence from the funder.
An Introduction to Global Health
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
This course will provide you with an overview of the most important health challenges facing the world today. You will gain insight into how challenges have changed over time, we will discuss the likely determinants of such changes and examine future projections. Successful international strategies and programs promoting human health will be highlighted and global health governance structures will be mapped and the role of the key actors explored.
Søren Kierkegaard - Subjectivity, Irony and the Crisis of Modernity
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
It is often claimed that relativism, subjectivism and nihilism are typically modern philosophical problems that emerge with the breakdown of traditional values, customs and ways of life. The result is the absence of meaning, the lapse of religious faith, and feeling of alienation that is so widespread in modernity. The Danish thinker Søren Kierkegaard (1813-55) gave one of the most penetrating analyses of this complex phenomenon of modernity. But somewhat surprisingly he seeks insight into it not in any modern thinker but rather in an ancient one, the Greek philosopher Socrates. In this course created by former associate professor at the Søren Kierkegaard Research Centre, Jon Stewart, we will explore how Kierkegaard deals with the problems associated with relativism, the lack of meaning and the undermining of religious faith that are typical of modern life. His penetrating analyses are still highly relevant today and have been seen as insightful for the leading figures of Existentialism, Post-Structuralism and Post-Modernism.
Diabetes – the Essential Facts
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Across the world more than 420 million people are living with diabetes. Two thirds of these have not yet been diagnosed. When discovered late or managed incorrectly, diabetes can damage your heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves, leading to disability and premature death. In fact, more people are dying of diabetes related diseases than of diseases as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. This course will provide you with an introduction to the most recent research in the field of prevention and treatment of diabetes as well as a broader understanding of the situation in different communities, rich and poor, across the world, where diabetes threatens public health. What kind of disease is diabetes, who has it, and who is at risk of getting it? And what are the roles of medicine, exercise and nutrition when trying to prevent, delay or treat diabetes? During the course you will meet researchers and experts from Imperial College London, Emory University in Atlanta, Steno Diabetes Center in Copenhagen as well as the School of Global Health and the Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen. They work with very different aspects of diabetes, from microbiology to global public health, but what ties them together is the belief that it is a global responsibility to combat diabetes, and this fight can only be won through new knowledge and global collaboration. We hope you will join us in the course and equip yourself to take part in the ongoing discussions of this truly global and individual health challenge. This course is also part of the EIT Health programme.
Air Pollution – a Global Threat to our Health
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
We all have to breathe to live. But the air we breathe is polluted both outdoors and indoors. Each year, this pollution costs 7 million lives across the globe – and a lot of suffering. 1 in 8 deaths is due to air pollution. This course will provide you with an introduction to the most recent research in the field of health effects of air pollution as well as a broader understanding of sources and spread of air pollution and what we should do about it. What is air pollution? What are the sources? How and where are we exposed outdoors and indoors? What happens in the body? Which diseases are the result? Who are the most vulnerable? How can we assess the effects of air pollution? And what should we do to reach the Sustainable Development Goal to “substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution”? These are some of the important questions we will address in the course. During the course you will meet researchers and experts from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark. They work with different aspects of air pollution and health: toxicology, exposure assessment, epidemiology, engineering and health impact assessment. It is a global responsibility to combat the health impacts of air pollution, and this fight can only be won through new knowledge and global collaboration. We hope you will join us in the course and equip yourself to take part in this global and individual health challenge.
Urbanisation and Health - Promoting Sustainable Solutions
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
More than half of world’s population lives in cities while only 5% did so in the 18th century. The rapid urbanisation has resulted in for example inadequate infrastructure, physical inactivity, gentrification, air pollution, and growing numbers of slum dwellers. All factors challenging health and wellbeing of the people living in the cities. In addition, when addressing climate change it has become of paramount importance to look at mitigation and adaptation investments tailored to the urban context. As stated in the Sustainable Development Goal 11 adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, societies need to be at the forefront in the continuous management and design of urban spaces to secure that cities and human settlements are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. In this course, you will learn about the key determinants of urban health including demography, climate change, air pollution, noise, transport systems, public and blue and green spaces, and policies and investments affecting sense of community and public safety. You will get a historical overview of the major trends in urban planning and meet a range of stakeholders in urban planning who will provide examples of innovative methods and people-centered approaches to create sustainable solutions. Finally, you will be provided with a series of resources to inspire you to help create awareness and action around an idea or sustainable solution in the field of urbanisation and health. The course has been developed (with support from EIT Health) in a partnership between the University of Copenhagen, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and University of Coimbra. Researchers and stakeholders in urban planning will introduce you to cases from cities in Denmark, Spain, Portugal and many other urban settings across the world. The aim of the course is to further interdisciplinary knowledge on urbanisation and health. We plan for the courses to reach citizens and activists as well planners, ...
Diabetes - a Global Challenge
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
Diabetes and obesity are growing health problems in rich and poor countries alike. With this course you will get updated on cutting-edge diabetes and obesity research including biological, genetic and clinical aspects as well as prevention and epidemiology of diabetes and obesity. All lectures are provided by high-profile scientists from one the world's leading universities in diabetes research. This course is part of the EIT Health Campus programme. We hope you will enjoy our course. Best Wishes Jens Juul Holst, Signe Sørensen Torekov and Nicolai Wewer Albrechtsen Department of Biomedical Sciences Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen
The Sustainable Development Goals – A global, transdisciplinary vision for the future
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
In 2015, the UN launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopted by 193 member states, the goals represent an important international step in setting humanity on a trajectory towards sustainable development. Within this course, you will get a historical overview of how sustainability has been understood, as well as a thorough introduction to the SDGs – what they are, how progress can be measured, and how the SDGs are relevant for the management of the global systems supporting humanity. The course will examine how various societal actors are responding to and implementing the SDGs. While all of the SDGs are essential to sustainable development, SDG 13, Climate Action, is usually perceived as the most urgent in terms of the need for a swift implementation on a global scale. Therefore, particular focus is given to this SDG. Through the course, you will gain up-to-date knowledge of the current understanding of human impacts on the Earth at the planetary level. Progress towards establishing global management of human interactions with the climate system within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is also discussed. The course is designed and taught by Professor Katherine Richardson, who is a member of the 15-person panel appointed by the UN General Secretary in 2016 to write the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report. In each lecture, Katherine interviews experts who provide insights relevant to the topic at hand.
Data Literacy – What is it and why does it matter?
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
You might already know that data is not neutral. Our values and assumptions are influenced by the data surrounding us - the data we create, the data we collect, and the data we share with each other. Economic needs, social structures, or algorithmic biases can have profound consequences for the way we collect and use data. Most often, the result is an increase of inequity in the world. Data also changes the way we interact. It shapes our thoughts, our feelings, our preferences and actions. It determines what we have access to, and what not. It enables global dissemination of best practices and life improving technologies, as well as the spread of mistrust and radicalization. This is why data literacy matters. A key principle of data literacy is to have a heightened awareness of the risks and opportunities of data-driven technologies and to stay up-to-date with their consequences. In this course, we view data literacy from three perspectives: Data in personal life, data in society, and data in knowledge production. The aim is threefold: 1. To expand your skills and abilities to identify, understand, and interpret the many roles of digital technologies in daily life. 2. To enable you to discern when data-driven technologies add value to people’s lives, and when they exploit human vulnerabilities or deplete the commons. 3. To cultivate a deeper understanding of how data-driven technologies are shaping knowledge production and how they may be realigned with real human needs and values. The course is funded by Erasmus+ and developed by the 4EU+ University Alliance including Charles University (Univerzita Karlova), Sorbonne Unviersity (Sorbonne Université), University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet), University of Milan (Università degli studi di Milano), and University of Warsaw (Uniwersytet Warszawski).
Non-Communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Settings
University of Copenhagen (via Coursera)
NCDs are the leading cause of death in almost every region of the world, and place a huge burden on individuals, families and societies. Humanitarian settings have a negative effect on the levels of disease, and the possibility of treatment. The importance of NCDs in global health is acknowledged by their inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for a reduction of a third in premature mortality from NCDs by 2030. However, NCDs have until recently received little attention in humanitarian settings, leaving prevention, care and treatment needs largely unaddressed among some of the most vulnerable populations. According to the World Health Organization, 70 percent of global deaths are due to NCDs. The four main disease groups which cause the greatest number of deaths are cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (including asthma). The course will provide knowledge about issues and dilemmas that occur around NCDs in humanitarian settings and possible solutions. Why are NCDs a problem in humanitarian emergencies or crises? Natural disasters and complex emergencies, including armed conflict, have a negative effect on the levels of disease, and on the possibilities for preventing, treating and caring for people with NCDs. People living with NCDs often need continuous care to avoid disease progression, and disrupted treatment due to natural disaster or emergencies pose a large health challenge. In conflict situations and fragile contexts, the challenge of disrupted care and treatment may be exacerbated – an estimated 65 million people have been forcibly displaced by conflict, displacement lasts longer, and at times health systems and health personnel are deliberately targeted.