240131 VO+UE VM1 / VM8 - Negotiating change (2020W)

PLEASE NOTE: we are currently developing a course program that creates a meaningful learning experience while respecting current health regulations. We will update the course page accordingly.

Joint course with the Institute of International Development, University of Vienna. 30 participants from University of Vienna, 30 participants from BOKU. Central European University, FH Campus Vienna, FH BFI Vienna - all three additional institutions will send also students as various stakeholders.

The conference will take place at the Vienna International Centre (UN Vienna).

Each year, the course focuses on a global ‘hot topic’ in sustainable development. The final outcome of the course is a resolution, negotiated and accepted in a 2-days conference at the UN headquarters Vienna.

Doing self-organized research, you relate the topic (environmental migration) to the socio-economic and agro-ecological background of a specific region (e.g. Haiti). Representing a region (e.g. Small Island States) and its interests, you have to develop suggestions for solutions to address the challenge. You will be supported by the trainers, and external experts from ministries, the UN, the International Organization for Migration, NGOs, etc.

Negotiating with other regional representatives (e.g. Russia), you experience the complexity of communication and nego tiation in a “realistic” situation.

Based on the negotiations, all student teams have to agree on a UN-resolution for addressing the challenge (e.g. environmental migration) in a general assembly.

# Describe a challenge in sustainable development applying socio-economic and agro-ecological categories.
# Develop interests a specific region will have facing this challenge and possible solution strategies.
#Based on the regions’ interests, construct a negotiation strategy to achieve international action towards addressing the development challenge.
#Debate solution strategies in an “assembly” setting with peers representing other regions (Guidance by lecturers and external trainers).
#Recognise drivers and constraints of successful communication for change. #Participate in a simulation of multi-stakeholder processes to experience strategic and communicative rationality.
#Summarize the complex system that constitutes negotiations in international development.