Resource description:
We are pleased to announce a new MOOC on Ecosystem Services available immediately on the Coursera platform, produced by the University of Geneva, the Geneva Water Hub, the Luc Hoffmann Institute and the Natural Capital Project.
Is this course for me? This MOOC is for anybody interested in mastering the strengths and weaknesses of the Ecosystem Services concept as a tool for promoting sustainable development. Subjects covered will be both technical (methods for valuation, data acquisition, etc.) and socio-political (how to mainstream the process, ethics, criticism of the method, etc.).
Who are the instructors? Learners will hear from many of the field’s leading minds. The course is taught by three primary instructors and by 29 guest instructors and interviewees coming from many of the key institutions (the Natural Capital Project, WWF, IUCN, IPBES, TEEB, Luc Hoffmann Institute) and Universities. Learners can expect to hear multiple contrasting opinions. See the full syllabus and list of instructors on the course page.
When is the course offered? This course is offered “on-demand”. In practice, class cohorts are formed on a regular basis and you can take as much time as necessary to complete the course (2-5 hours for 5 weeks is a rough estimate). The first cohort begins February 2nd 2017 and once per month thereafter.
What will it cost? Access to all course materials and exams is free. To obtain a certificate of completion costs 49 USD. Financial aid is available (see FAQs on bottom of the course page).
Where can I sign up? Type “ecosystem services” on the Coursera website.
We hope you will join us and enjoy the course.
Author/Contact:
Martin Schlaepfer, University of Geneva,
email: martin.schlaepfer@unige.ch
Images
Requirements:
- Internet access
Advantages:
- More than 30 instructors present diverse and divergent opinions about the ES method
- Lots of opportunities to interact with other learners (peer-review exercises, Fb group, etc.)
- All course content and tests freely available (completely, immediately)
Constraints:
- 5 modules, each one requires 2-5h to complete
- Small fee of 49USD to be paid by learners who wish to receive a certificate of completion
Uses of this resource:
Partners:
Geneva Water Hub
Luc Hoffmann Institut
Natural Capital Project
Licence:
- Free, no licence
Development stage:
- Full, working product
Quality assurance:
- Own QA and testing