August 19, 2005
Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability the program grants the random-est masters degree I have ever heard a masters in leadership towards sustainability. No-one is going to have a clue what that means.
They use the Natural step Framework so I could go and do research about that too.. so much research to do..BTW doesn't Natural Step just sound so damn Swedish, like what you do in birkenstocks or something.
**NB** their website, and the courses they offer look very exciting..*** for a list of the external professors and what they teach click here.
The pamphlet for the green MBA at York U came in the mail yesterday.
It was kind of dissapointing, a lot of pictures of grinning people in front of laptops wearing powersuits.
Or, worse yet, standing in front of power points, still grinning, still wearing suits.
Also tuition at York for an MBA is 8G a semester, WTF?! I would rather eat a live tarantula then pay 8 thousand clams to go back to Toronto. In fact, times was, someone would have had to to pay me a cool 10 just to set foot in that giant urban hairball. I mean, I like it better now, but 8 grand... they must be joking.
(Sorry mel, megan and my entire family re: calling toronto an urban hairball. I haven't eaten breakfast yet.)
Luckily last night Francois told me about this award from the giant snowmobile manufacterer, and when I went to look at this years recipients I found the Swedish program listed above and their website looks a lot more more interesting then the one at York...
So , I guess it's back to the drawing board again.
Addendum to this post: I just had a stupendously depressing conversation with the admin of my program, during which I was told that since math is a requirement I am not going to be able to register for any more classes (despite my A average in all the other courses) unless I re-take the math course and get not only a pass, but a pass with a B.
I am pushing 30 folks, and the last time I got a B in math we hadn't even moved up to long division. I still haven't got the times table memorized.
So, basically I am screwed. In my imagination the language centre of my brain has got the number center in some sort of complex greco-roman wrestling hold and is saying (through gritted teeth, no less); "Say Uncle asshole. SAY IT!.. Fucking say uncle you pussy." Poor number center - it never had a chance.
Okay so really, what does one do when they have just dumped a barrel of stinky fishoil on the highway of life? How do I go about finding a different degree hopefully in a different school that will allow me in without making too much fuss and hollar over the F.
Or do I grit my teeth and try and do the course over so that I can get a B and thus erase the stain on my academic record or at least minimize it? This was suggested to me, it is not outside the realm of possibility. Or at least in a logistical sense not outside. On a more practical, can I actually get a B level, it may be well outside the realm of the possible.
Sorry for all the swears, I am feeling a little tenderized by life by life right now.
Addendum to this Addendum: My dad just looked at the Swedish program, and apparently it's part of the school of engineering, so I don't think I'll be doing that any time soon. Oh well, it still looks cool.
Continued from main page..
from the website:
External Instructors
NOTE :These instructors are as designated for the 2004/5 programme. Some minor modifications to External Instructor selection, including the introduction of additional lecturers is likely for the 2005/6 Programme, based on the 2004/5 experience.
Christian Azar, Ph. D.
The physics behind the green house effect, and the associated technologies and national policies to address climate change.
Dr Christian Azar is Professor of Sustainable Industrial Metabolism at the Department of Physical Resource Theory, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. His research aims at understanding the long-term dynamics of societal energy and materials use and how it can be changed into a more sustainable direction. He is on the board of several international journals and a member of several international research groups and committees, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In 2002, he received the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) Young Researchers’ Prize for his “Research for a Sustainable Society”. Dr. Azar has authored several papers in direct connection with The Natural Step Framework.
Göran Carstedt, Ph.D.
Organizational Learning
Göran Carstedt is a leading member of the Society for Organizational Learning global network, dedicated to the "interdependent development of people and their institutions." Dr. Carstedt is also a consultant and coach to various US and European organizations and serves as Chairman and Board Member in several corporations. He is the former President of IKEA North America, CEO Volvo France and CEO Volvo Sweden. Dr. Carstedt received his Ph.D. from the University of Umea in 1974. From 1987-88 he was an Executive Member of the Swedish Bidding Committee for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Dr. Carstedt has direct experience applying the framework in a business setting as a member of the IKEA Group Executive Committee (1990-97) and President of IKEA North America (1990-95).
Leif Johansson, M.Sc.
Sustainable Transportation
Mr. Johansson is President of AB Volvo and Chief Executive Officer of the Volvo Group since 1997. Board Chairman: Member of the Board of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (det sammanslagna SAF och Industriförbundet), Association of Swedish Engineering Sciences (Teknikföretagen, f d Verkstadsindustrierna). Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Mr. Johansson holds a masters degree in Engineering. As previous CEO of Electrolux, Mr. Johansson was instrumental in using the Natural Step Framework to help guide the company’s strategic initiatives.
Torbjörn Lahti
Sustainable Communities
Torbjörn Lahti is a social planner with 20 years experience in sustainable development of local communities. He is currently the project manager of the Sustainable Robertsfors project. Between 1983 and 1989, Mr. Lahti was the project manager of the first eco-municipality in Sweden. He founded the consulting firm Esam AB and was its manager between 1990 and 2001. He has been a teacher of sustainable development applied to municipalities at the University of Umeå for the last 10 years and lectured extensively internationally (including Estonia, Russia, Spain, Japan and the US). His upcoming book, “The Natural Step for Communities” co-authored with Sarah James, will be released in 2004 by New Society Publishers.
Jason Leadbitter, Ph.D.
Sustainable materials such as ceramics and polymers.
Dr. Leadbitter is the Environmental & Regulatory Affairs Manager, Hydro Polymers Ltd responsible for Environmental and Regulatory issues with Government, NGOs and UK and European Trade Associations. Dr. Leadbitter has applied the Natural Step framework in his current position and recently published findings on sustainability and PVC.
Manfred Max-Neef, Ph.D.
Universal Human Needs, Ecological Economics and Social Sustainability
Manfred Max-Neef is a Chilean economist and Rector of the Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia who has gained an international reputation for his work and writing on development alternatives. Dr. Max Neef has had a long academic career – teaching economics at the University of California (Berkeley) and serving as a Visiting Professor at a number of US and Latin American universities. He is a member of the Club of Rome and has authored a number of books including “From the Outside Looking In: Experiences in Barefoot Economics”. One important part of his work has been to articulate nine basic human necessities thereby providing considerable guidance for the human side of sustainability.
Jonas Oldmark
Fundamentals of the TNS Framework in annual planning and decision making
Jonas Oldmark is the Secretary General, The Natural Step, Sweden. He serves as an advisor and coach to organizations from several sectors including food industry, construction, energy and utility. Mr Oldmark has been instrumental in developing methods to integrate TNS Framework with the annual business planning of organizations.
Jimmy Sjöblom
Pedagogical learning and communicating with youth, process and implementation management.
Mr. Sjöblom is currently leading the Swedish Youth Parliament for the Environment initiative, supporting teachers in implementing the Framework into school curricula. Jimmy has extensive experience applying The Natural Step Framework in the hospitality and education sectors. His focus is on the implementation process which relies heavily on active education and practice training. Jimmy also has extensive experience in reporting on sustainable development.
Margot Wallström
Environmental Policy and Political Considerations
Margot Wallström was appointed European Union Environment Commissioner in September 1999. She has had a long career in politics, both in the Swedish parliament and in the government, where she was Minister for Consumer Affairs, Women and Youth in 1988-1991, Minister for Culture in 1994-1996 and Minister for Social Affairs in 1996-1998. Commissioner Wallström also has worked as the CEO of a regional TV network in Sweden and before taking up her appointment as Commissioner she was the executive vice-president of Worldview Global Media in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Anders Wijkman
International human rights and geo-political affairs
Mr. Wijkman has been a member of the European Parliament since 1999 and is currently an Ambassador of the Swedish Foreign Ministry. Previously, he has been a Member of the Swedish Parliament, a long time Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross and Secretary General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation. More recently, he has held posts as the Assistant Secretary of the UN and policy director of UNDP. He has written several books on disaster prevention, sustainable development and HIV/Aids. Mr. Wijkman is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the World Academy of Art and Sciences, the International Factor 10 Club and the Club of Rome.
Posted by Miriam at August 19, 2005 10:14 AM
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