Alpine seminar
The Alpine Seminar is a 2.5-day cross-curricular training (residential formula, at the House of sustainability) and is intended for all USI Bachelor students (the modalities of participation are defined by each Faculty).
The fundamental pedagogical tool of the Alpine seminar is the immersion of students in the Alpine landscape, aware of the educational role that this reality has on how to develop thinking based on the culture of sustainable development. Indeed, the Alps offer a privileged place to understand and meet the great challenges of our century (climate change, the planet's resources, transport, energy, etc.).
USI, through this educational experience, intends to offer all its students an opportunity to complement their own educational curriculum, to reflect on how they can contribute to respecting the great balance of the natural environment and of life and create 'a well-functioning society', capable of improving living conditions today without compromising the lives of future generations.
Structure and objectives of the Alpine seminar
Each Alpine seminar has a central educational core proposed to all students. This core is related to understanding the limits of planet Earth and the need to address the points proposed in the 2030 Agenda (Sustainable Development Goals SDGs). In addition to this central core, talks by experts are proposed, which will be structured around several thematic insights. As far as possible, visits and excursions will be diversified according to the thematic module.
The four main moments of the Alpine seminar:
- Theoretical introduction on sustainable development.
- 1 and/or 2 excursions in the area (e.g. excursion to Val Piora or Valle Bedretto, visit to hydroelectric power stations or the Gotthard wind farm, etc.).
- Thematic discussions with USI lecturers and/or invited external experts. The meeting with the experts will focus on dialogue with the students (can be organised either in person or online).
- Group work and presentation.
Each year 20-30 Alpine seminars are offered by the House of sustainability (depending on the number of students) with different thematic focuses that will determine both the experiences in the area and the presence of experts.
The calendar of annual courses can be found in the document attached to this page (available as of February 2024).
The courses are inter-faculty in order to encourage the meeting of students with different educational backgrounds, who can bring different sensitivities to the discussion, enriching the participants' experiences.
Goals
- General understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030).
- Understanding the limits of planet Earth and the need to implement ecological transition processes.
- Applicability of sustainable development goals in different areas (e.g. mobility, tourism, finance, food, etc.).
- Development of personal skills to nurture a sustainability-sensitive attitude.
- Development of multidisciplinary dialogue skills among students, synthesis, and group work.
- Development of specific skills related to the disciplines taught by the USI professors involved.
The Alpine seminar for other organisations and schools
In periods not occupied by USI courses, the Alpine seminar formula, adapted according to time, target group and training objectives, can be requested for groups of associations, schools, companies, and other entities. For more information, please write to [email protected].
