SFOK15005U Alive and KICking - Innovative solutions to aging related challenges

Volume 2015/2016
Content

Aging has been coined as one of the major societal challenges. The fact that we simply live longer, is in itself not a problem but rather a triumph. However, this unprecedented demographic change significantly affects individual life histories through an increased number of lifestyle related chronic diseases and cognitive impairments. These extra life years also have a massive imprint on the organization of welfare institutions and the financial sustainability of the welfare system. Thus, aging has for several years been one of the most important research areas from a biomedical, societal and humanistic perspective, prompting not only important new scientific knowledge, but also new ideas, concepts and technologies for innovative solutions of some of the core problems that individuals and societies are confronted with.

The course consists of two parts:

1) An e-learning course on the Coursera platform with 12 lectures and multiple choice tests. Accessible on 1 June

2) Two weeks of intensive case work on campus 8 - 19 August 2016

The online lectures provides the students with recent knowledge on, and for the purpose relevant, innovation and business theories and methods covering different environments for health innovation for elderly. The e-learning part of the summer school serves as background knowledge for the students to be able to develop innovations to health care related challenges in an elderly population.

On the on-site campus part the acquired knowledge will be applied to selected case-topics and put into practice. In an interdisciplinary setting the students will work intensively on a case and obtain knowledge on and practical experience with working on an innovation and a business case that supports healthy lives and active aging.

 

Learning Outcome

After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge:

  • Identify analyse, and explain specific aging related challenges and innovations for citizens in their domestic living environments.

  • Explain the pros and cons with the use of technologies to solve healthcare related challenges in an elderly population.

  • Be critical to the process of developing innovative solutions in a participatory design, involving the future users, to address such aging related challenges.

  • Discuss and be critical to how differences in health literacy influence design of solutions.

 

Skills:

  • Analyse and discuss aging related challenges and innovations for citizens in their domestic living environment.

  • Master group work, to facilitate innovation processes from initial ideas in a participatory design, to prototypes and feasibility studies, and eventually to business plans

 

Competences:

  • Demonstrate control of analytical tools for understanding aging related challenges for citizens

  • Overview the organizational and economic viability of innovative solutions.

  • Plan and develop business cases for innovative ideas.

  • Be a valuable collaborator by being aware of the different competences that are brought into an interdisciplinary setting.

EIT Health brochure

Further readings to be added spring 2016

Completed BSc degree and a successful completion of the e-learning course
Students, who have obtained a bachelor degree from any discipline, have interests in aging, healthcare, welfare technology or innovation, and have good English skills are welcome to apply for this course. The course is offered as a part of the EIT Health (see https://eithealth.eu).
Active participation in the e-learning module is a prerequisite for on-campus participation. During the e-learning-part of the course, participants will get familiar with the field of aging, innovation and business through theory and reading material, exercises and practical examples.

Between the e-learning-part and on campus, students are expected to prepare for the on-campus-part by reading further relevant material, provided by UCPH and CBS.

On-campus learning is characterized by short introductions and discussions the first couple of days. Afterwards the participants will work in groups on selected case-topics, where the theory and acquired methods will be applied. At the end of the course, the groups will present their project in plenum and write a report about their findings.

The program also includes social activities, such as field trips and min. one dinner.
The combination of students selected must be as wide as possible regarding academic and geographic backgrounds.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • E-Learning
  • 60
  • Exam
  • 46
  • Excursions
  • 6
  • Preparation
  • 20
  • Project work
  • 74
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination
The students present their projects in plenum for fellow students. Fellow students are opponent for another project (1 hour pr. project). All students must participate actively in the presentation. The plenum session form the basis for the written report, which is worked out individually. The report must be of max. 15 pages; The report must be handed in max one week after the end of the course.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Criteria for exam assesment

Knowledge:

  • Identify, analyse and explain specific aging related challenges and innovation for citizens in their domestic living environments

  • Explain the pros and cons with the use of technologies to solve healthcare related challenges in an elderly population.

  • Be critical to the process of developing innovative solutions in a participatory design, involving the future users, to address such aging related challenges.

  • Discuss and be critical to how differences in health literacy influence design of solutions.

 

Skills:

  • Analyse and discuss aging related challenges and challenges for citizens in their domestic living environment.

 

Competences:

  • Demonstrate control of analytical tools for understanding aging related challenges for citizens

  • Overview the organizational and economic viability of innovative solutions.