BIP: Responsible Consumption and Production

Responsible consumption and production are a crucial aspect of sustainable development, and it involves using resources efficiently, minimizing waste, and ensuring that consumption patterns do not harm the planet and compromise the needs of future generations. The UN (2020) defines sustainable consumption and production as:” the use of services and related products, which respond to basic needs and bring to a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as the emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generation”. In simpler terms, it means doing more with less and improving gains by reducing resource use, degradation, and pollution. This BIP offers students the opportunity to reflect on the importance of sustainable development, learn about good practices regarding responsible consumption and production and propose solutions for real companies seeking to improve their efficiency in the use of natural resources so as not to risk the planet and to respect the environment. Based on the concepts of social responsibility and ethics, students will be encouraged to make a critical and sustained contribution to raising awareness of the issue.

Date: From 15^th to 31^st of May

Face-to-face week: From May 27^th to May 31^st at Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave (Portugal)

Mode of delivery: Blended

Language of instruction: English

ECTS credits: 3

Academic recognition: BIP certified in their Diploma Supplement.

Eligible participants: Students from any study cycle, with a particular emphasis on students with Management, Engineering, and Design profiles.

Deadline for applications: 30 of April 2024

Course structure

The course will be organised as followed, and will be awarded 3 ECTS:

Week 1 and 2: online sessions (lectures, individual and group work)

Week 3: face-to-face sessions (group project, business, social and cultural activities, presentations, and final evaluation)

Project After presenting basic concepts and possibilities, students should develop three different ideas from each of the following domains within the first week: sustainable development, responsible consumption and production, ethics in business, and generation perspectives.

Deliverables per group Week 1 – 2:

Besides the active participation in all workshops, guest lectures and visits, the students will be requested to deliver 3 documents/activities:

Week 1- Study chapter: students, in pairs, will study, prepare, evaluate, and present a case or chapter from the given literature, that they will have to critically relate to an existing context that they researched. Pairs will be invited to present their chapters during the intensive week in a 15-minute mini-lecture.

Week 2- Study case journal: at the end of the course, students will deliver a study case that should contain at least one practice of the blocks of content and learning objectives presented for this course, that is 4 mandatory chapters (sustainable development, responsible consumption and production, ethics in business, and generation perspectives), and include at least another one as a self-reflection. Minimum 8 pages, maximum 10.

Week 3:

PechaKucha. This storytelling format in which a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds of commentary each will allow the students present their future self as active agent in shaping a sustainable future. During the intensive week, we will organize a PechaKucha event, where everyone will gather at the venue to share their personal presentations.

Application

How to apply: link to form

Deadline for applications: 30 of April 2024

Students are expected to have basic knowledge of at least three of the following topics:

Social Responsibility
Sustainable development
Ethics in Business
Innovation and Business Models
The life cycle of service or product
Circular economy
Generations perspectives

Teams will be set up based on individual skills. Motivation letter.

Programme

Contact details

Travel

How to get to Barcelos

The main international airport that serves this region is the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, located in the city of Porto.

There are several means of transport available to get to Barcelos, whether you come from Porto or Lisbon. Besides the transportation at your disposal, you will find that the locals are very welcoming, and that they will help you anytime you need.

From Porto Airport

By Train

You can take the metro from the interior of the airport. It is a good means of transport, easy to take and affordable. The access to the metro station is extremely simple and practical, being fully signalled.

The metro runs from 6.00 am until 01.00 am, every 20 minutes. (Further information at: http://en.metrodoporto.pt/)

From Porto Airport metro station, take Line E (purple) to Campanhã metro stop. You should exit at Campanhã metro stop, and then have a 3-minute walk to Campanhã train station. The metro ticket costs 2,00€. The trip takes approximately 37 minutes.

At Campanhã train station, you can buy your ticket to Barcelos at the vending machines or at the ticket office, where you can get further information on timetables.

From Monday to Saturday, the operating hours of the railway service are from 6.10 am to 10.10 pm. On Sundays it is available from 8.15 am to 10.10 pm. (Further information at: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/)

Train ticket prices are around 4€ and 5€. The ticket for Alfa Pendular (high-speed train) costs around 14€ and 20€. The trip to Barcelos takes about 1 hour.

You can find a taxi right outside Barcelos train station. The fare from the train station to the city center is approximately 3,5€ during the week and 3,90€ on weekends. From the train station to IPCA campus, the fare would be about 6€ during the week, and on weekends, the price may increase up to 2€.

By Taxi

There are plenty of taxi companies that serve Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, right outside the Arrivals area.

You can also come to Barcelos by taxi. If you take/call a taxi during the regular operating hours, the cost of the trip to Barcelos will be around 70€-80€. During night time hours, it can be more expensive. Ask the driver the estimated cost. The trip takes 30 up to 40 minutes.

In case you arrive late at the airport, you might also consider staying overnight in Porto, and then come to Barcelos in the morning.

The trip from the airport to Porto city center takes an average of 20 to 30 minutes. The cost of the trip ranges from 20€ to 30€. You should note that the rates go up by 20% in the evening hours (from 9.00 pm to 6.00 am), and these changes are automatically reflected by the taxi meter. The surcharges also apply to weekends and public holidays.

By Uber or Bolt

Uber services are also available for this route. The trip from the airport to Barcelos will cost approximately 35-50€. Uber requests must be submitted directly through Uber’s App. The trip takes 30 up to 40 minutes.