Study Guide

Objective

After completing the course, you will have a working knowledge of participatory methods and how to engage the community and stakeholders in your planning processes. You will be able to design stakeholder engagement plans and implement them. You will understand the challenges and advantages of involving stakeholders in your planning processes.

You will be able to utilise multidisciplinary expert networks, creative thinking and various technologies for problem solving. Your communication and interaction skills will have improved.

Content

Identification of stakeholders and target groups
Importance of stakeholder engagement
Different levels and steps of stakeholder engagement
Examples of public and community participation processes
Participatory methods
Design and implementation of multistakeholder meetings
Communication and dissemination to different stakeholders

Location and time

Online, Nurmes and Joensuu
1.5.-11.6.2023

Teaching methods

The course will employ student-centered approaches combined with interaction with real-world stakeholders. It will build the theoretical foundation for learning during the preliminary phase. The theory will be put into practice in the onsite phase. Students will work with regional organisations to formulate a stakeholder engagement plan, with examples of meeting agendas and participatory methods for different stakeholder groups and ages.

The course will have:
- short, recorded lectures during the preliminary phase
- facilitated workshops, group work togehter with regional organisations, site visits, cultural and freetime activities, and group presentations during the onsite phase

Student workload

The course will be implemented in three phases: Preliminary phase online, onsite phase and final phase:
Preliminary tasks (1.5.- 26.5.2023)
o 25 - 30 hours
o Presenting yourselves online, background research, designing the evening activity, starting the learning diary
o Group work
Onsite phase (29.5.-5.6.2023, including the weekend)
o 64 hours
o Designing stakeholder engagement activities and plans in groups
o Onsite phase includes workshops, coaching, excursions, presentation of results and social activities
Post phase (6.-11.6.2023)
o 11 - 17 hours
o Finalising the learning diary

Content scheduling

The course will be implemented in three phases: Preliminary phase online, onsite phase and final phase:
Preliminary tasks (1.5.- 26.5.2023)
Onsite phase (29.5.-5.6.2023)
Post phase (6.-11.6.2023)

Further information

The course is for INVEST partner universities and each university has 5-6 places. The application period and process will be informed via Karelia communication platforms.

Minimum requirements:
o English language level is B2
o For BSc students, they should have completed two years of studies

Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Jannet Lavalette, jannet.lavalette@hvhl.nl

Additional information
The course is part of the INVEST (INnoVations of REgional Sustainability: European UniversiTy Alliance) project funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The teaching language is English. Applying to the course is also considered as consent to participate in the research carried out in the project. Assignments, online discussions and other material produced during the course can be used as research material. The identities of the participants cannot be identified from the research reports. Part of the course assignments can be published

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The course is evaluated on a scale of 0-5, where 5 is excellent, 1 is satisfactory and 0 is failed. The evaluation of the course is based on the approved completion of the preliminary assignments (pass/fail), evaluation of the presentation (30%), report of the solution (30%), and the learning diary (40%).

- Assessment of group assignments
- Assessment of individual assignments
- Continuous assessment

Further information

Minimum requirements:
- English language level is B2
- For BSc students, they should have completed two years of studies