This micro-credential course (MCC), jointly hosted by UBC’s Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) and School of Engineering (SOE), aims to establish a world-class educational and applied research model, for advancing the circular economy in Canada and beyond. Learners will be introduced to the fundamentals of the circular economy including business models and associated value propositions, as well as tools and methods to investigate and design circularization strategies applied to their own workplace.
This MCC is highly differentiated from other offerings by virtue of the long-term support structures and value provided to learners and their respective organizations. Beyond the skills, tools, and other value offered through the MCC itself, collaborative problem-solving spaces, R&D concierge services, and more are available to course alumni. This will be carried through via a Project Summary document that all learners will produce by applying course tools and methods to a real workplace challenge for downstream development and collaboration.
The Project Summary document will encapsulate 1) an applied case study from the learner’s place of work, 2) the application of triple-bottom-line methods for exploring and selecting circular business model(s) for further consideration, and 3) a gap analysis. This Project Summary will form the basis of downstream efforts by the learners’ organizations to research and implement the investigated circular business model, such as for authoring funding proposals on the same topic, towards realizing the circular visions.
Downstream opportunities also include:
- The ability to further develop the case study selected for the MCC, in the collaborative Problem Solving Space (PSS) together with course alumni. If your organization enrols 3 or more learners in the course, you will also be granted an exclusive Tier 2 PSS session. You can find more information here.
- Using the completed Project Summary as a basis for writing a funding proposal for the Circular Economy Seed Fund (CESF) program, co-managed by UBC’s MMRI and NRC-IRAP. This program provides up to $9,000 for feasibility studies at Canadian universities, in partnership with one or more SMEs.
- Joining symposia and conferences hosted by UBC’s MMRI, towards networking and building strategic alliances
- Participation in working groups of MCC alumni, towards shaping the next generation of university education on the circular economy, via recommended undergraduate curriculum updates, stacking micro-credentials between institutions towards career growth pathways, among other opportunities.
Further details about the course will be presented through an information webinar on Friday February 23, 2024 (please register here).