Guide to Complementary Courses

Guide to Complementary Courses All students will take the Sustainability Start-up Seminar course*. They are free in their choices for the remaining 3 ECTS to complement their specialist knowledge. Please note that all of the four selected ETH Master programmes already either build on complementary bachelor programmes, like the MTEC Masters programme, or include practical knowledge and business oriented project work in their study programme. Therefore the focus of the complementary courses lies on innovation management, sustainability, policy, and entrepreneurship relevant courses. Sustainability Start-up Seminar* (3 ECTS) V. Hoffman, N. Blum Lectures and workshops held by experts and entrepreneurs lead students through the process of identifying, rating and developing start-up ideas. Key learnings from pitch presentations to a panel of real-world investors and start-up experts are reflected upon and implemented. The goal of the course is to enable students to follow through with a start-up idea. We aim to generate one or several start-ups out of this course, optimally with initial funding of CHF 5'000 through the Social Impact Award (http://socialimpactaward.ch/), where we encourage students to apply. Students learn to identify and to develop sustainability-related start-up ideas, develop a team, a pitch presentation, and train to convince investors of main aspects of their prospective start-up. Innovation Leadership in the Built Environment/Construction Industry (6 ECTS) S. Brusoni Please note that this course is in development for a pilot run in 2015 as part of the newly created Masters programme in building systems. It is therefore not yet to be found in the ETH Zurich course catalogue. This course provides with the challenging opportunity of working on a real project in collaboration with a leading company in the construction industry. It will teach, relying on experiential learning and coaching, how to solve the main problems related to the introduction of innovation in the built environment. This course will develop in close collaboration with the top management of an outstanding Swiss company. Introduction to Negotiation (3 ECTS) M. Ambühl Students learn to understand and to identify different negotiation situations, deconstruct and analyze the specific situation, and develop and apply the respective negotiation approach based on leading negotiation methods. Corporate Sustainability (3 ECTS) - V. Hoffmann, J. H. Hoppmann The lecture "Corporate Sustainability" describes environmental and social challenges for companies and identifies practically relevant recommendations for action. A special focus is put on the key role of technology and its sustainability-oriented design. The lecture will be interactive and includes presentations by guest speakers, case studies, and practical examples. 1

International Environmental Politics (4ECTS) T. Bernauer The objectives of this course are to (1) gain an overview of relevant questions in the area of international environmental politics from a social science viewpoint; (2) learn how to identify interesting/innovative questions concerning this policy area and how to answer them in a methodologically sophisticated way; (3) gain an overview of important global and regional environmental problems. Discovering Management (3 ECTS) P. Baschera et al. Discovering Management offers an introduction to the field of business management and entrepreneurship for engineers and natural scientists. The module provides an overview of the principles of management, teaches knowledge about management that is highly complementary to the students' technical knowledge, and provides a basis for advancing the knowledge of the various subjects offered at D-MTEC. Discovering Management offers an integrated learning system, which combines in an innovate format a set of lectures, an advanced business game simulation and a set of group exercises involving industry speakers (ranging from leading venture capitalists to executives at established corporations). Technology and Innovation Management (3 ECTS) S. Brusoni This course focuses on the analysis of innovation as a pervasive process that cut across organizational and functional boundaries. It looks at the sources of innovation, at the tools and techniques that organizations deploy to routinely innovate, and the strategic implications of technical change. This course intends to enable all students to: understand the core concepts necessary to analyze how innovation happens master the most common methods and tools organizations deploy to innovate develop the ability to critically evaluate the innovation process, and act upon the main obstacles to innovation Sustainable Construction (3 ECTS) G. Habert At the end of the semester, the students know the emergence of the term sustainable development as well as the current political and scientific discussion in this regard. The students recognise the ecological and social constraints related to construction in addition to the frequently crucial economic view. To be able to better argue on these topics, the use of a life cycle perspective (i.e. from extraction of raw material up to deconstruction) and of the appropriate tools to assess it, is a key point of the course. For this purpose it is important to understand the involved players and their activity motives and therewith to be able to evaluate challenges, deficits and strategies to the promotion of more sustainable construction. Thus, an integral view that includes all the so-called dimensions (social/cultural, ecological, economical, and institutional) is crucial. After the lecture, the students shall also be capable to estimate which aspects in a specific local, regional or national setting are truly relevant in order to achieve coherent as well as realisable solutions. In the current environmental and socio-economic condition, the focus of the course will be done on the notions of transition and resilience of buildings and urban area. Advanced Environmental, Social and Economic Assessments (6 ECTS) A.E. Braunschweig et al. This course has the aim of deepening students' knowledge of the environmental, economic and social assessment methodologies and their various applications. In particular, students completing the course should have the ability to judge the scientific quality and reliability of environmental assessment studies, the appropriateness of inventory data and modelling, and the adequacy of life cycle impact assessment models and factors knowledge about the current state of the scientific discussion and new research developments 2

ability to properly plan, conduct and interpret environmental assessment studies knowledge of how to use LCA and ecobalance as a decision support tool for companies, public authorities, and consumers understanding of how to integrate non-financial sustainability issues into organisations' management. Energy Economics and Policy (3 ECTS) S. Datta, M. Filippini The students will develop the understanding of economic principles and tools necessary to analyze energy issues and to formulate energy policy instruments. Emphasis will be put on empirical analysis of energy demand and supply, market failures, energy policy instruments, investments in power plants and in energy efficiency technologies and the reform of the electric power sector. Technology Entrepreneurship (2 ECTS) U. Claesson, P. Baschera, F. Hacklin Technology ventures are significantly changing the global economic picture. Technological skills increasingly need to be complemented by entrepreneurial understanding. This course offers the fundamentals in theory and practice of entrepreneurship in new technology ventures. Main topics covered are success factors in the creation of new firms, including founding, financing and growing a venture. Human Resource Management: Leading teams (3 ECTS) G. Grote Understanding different forms of leadership and group processes. Knowledge of basic human resource management processes Strategic Management (3 ECTS) S. Herting The lecture "strategic management" is designed to teach relevant competences in strategic planning and - implementation, for both professional work-life and further scientific development. The course provides an overview of the basics of strategy and the most prevalent concepts and methods in strategic management. The course is given as a combination of lectures about concepts/methods, and case studies where the students asked to solve strategic issues of the case companies. In two sessions, the students will also be addressing real-time strategic issues of firms that are represented by executives. Financial Management (3 ECTS) J.-P. Chardonnens Students understand the principles of financial management develop thinking in financial environment master tools and methods of financial management Entrepreneurial Risk (3 ECTS) D. Sornette Entrepreneurship is one of the leading human activity based on innovation to create new wealth and new social developments. This course will analyze the risks (upside and downside) associated with entrepreneurship and more generally human activity in the firms, in social networks and in society. The goal is to present what we believe are the key concepts and the quantitative tools to understand and manage risks. An emphasis will be on large and extreme risks, known to control many systems, and which require novel 3

ways of thinking and of managing. We will examine the questions of (i) how much one can manage and control these risks, (ii) how these actions may feedback positively or negatively and (iii) how to foster human cooperation for the creation of wealth and social well-being. Accounting for Managers (3 ECTS) J.-P. Chardonnens This lecture with exercises delivers an overview of financial and managerial accounting, accounting for current and fixed assets, liabilities and owner s equity, recording change in balance sheet, measuring financial performance, managing financial reporting, full and variable costing system, and using accounting information for decision making purposes. Entrepreneurial Leadership (4 ECTS) C. P. Siegenthaler et al. This seminar provides the most ambitious and best performing master students at MTEC with the challenging opportunity of a real case on strategy, innovation and leadership in close collaboration with the top management of an outstanding Swiss company - in 2014: Swisscom. In your team, you will work on a specific assignment that flows from the current strategic agenda of the board. While gaining substantial insights into the structure, dynamics and challenges of a major industrial sector, you immerse into the business model and strategic landscape of the corporate partner. You visit their sites, conduct interviews with members of the management team, internal and external experts as well as clients and discuss your ideas with top executives. To secure impact, it is key that you formulate your recommendations from a deep understanding of the authentic leadership culture of the corporate partner. This seminar provides the most ambitious and best performing master students at MTEC with the challenging opportunity of a real case on strategy, innovation and leadership in close collaboration with the top management of an outstanding Swiss company - in 2014: Swisscom. In your team, you will work on a specific assignment that flows from the current strategic agenda of the board. While gaining substantial insights into the structure, dynamics and challenges of a major industrial sector, you immerse into the business model and strategic landscape of the corporate partner. You visit their sites, conduct interviews with members of the management team, internal and external experts as well as clients and discuss your ideas with top executives. To secure impact, it is key that you formulate your recommendations from a deep understanding of the authentic leadership culture of the corporate partner. Intellectual Property: An Introduction (2 ECTS) S. Bechtold Intellectual property issues become more and more important in our society. In order to prepare students for their future challenges in research, industry or start-ups, this course introduces them to the foundations of the intellectual property system. Knowing how the intellectual property system works and what kind of protection is available is useful for all students who are interested in working in academia, industry or in starting their own company. Exposing students to the advantages and disadvantages of the intellectual property system enables them to participate in the current policy discussions on intellectual property, innovation and technology law. The course will include practical examples and case studies as well as guest speakers from industry and private practice. International Business Management for Engineers (3 ECTS) W. Hofbauer The goal of the lecture is to get a basic understanding of international market mechanisms and their consequences for a successful enterprise. Students will learn by practical examples how to analyze international markets, competition as well as customer needs and how they convert into a successful portfolio an enterprise offers to the global market. They will understand the basics of international business management, why efficient organizations and effective business processes are crucial for the successful survival of an enterprise and how all this can be implemented. 4

Advanced Sustainability Economics (3 ECTS) L. Bretschger Understanding of the current issues and economic methods in sustainability research; ability to solve typical problems like the calculation of the growth rate under environmental restriction with the help of appropriate model equations. Strategic and Cooperative Thinking (3 ECTS) V. Britz The goal of the lecture is to learn how to think strategically or cooperatively and to apply the concepts of game theory to economic, social, political and business situations Carbon Mitigation (3 ECTS) N. Gruber The reduction of CO2 emissions is the only option for keeping future climate change within reasonable bounds. In this course, we will discuss a portfolio of options involving the alteration of natural carbon sinks and carbon sequestration. The course includes introductory lectures, presentations from guest speakers from industry and the public sector, and final presentations by the students Global Biogeochemical Cycles and Climate (3 ECTS) - N. Gruber The human induced mobilization of organic carbon stored in fossil fuels and its conversion to carbon dioxide has led to atmospheric CO2 concentrations that Earth likely hasn t seen for nearly 30 million years. This course aims to investigate the impact of humans on biogeochemical cycles on Earth with a focus on the carbon cycle and its interaction with the physical climate system. Building Physics IV: Urban Physics (3 ECTS) J. Carmeliet Urban physics: wind, wind comfort, natural ventilation, driving rain, heat islands and energy use in the urban context. Learning Outcomes: Basic knowledge the urban microclimate around buildings Impact of urban environment on wind, ventilation, rain, pollutants and energy, and their relation to comfort, durability, air quality and energy demand Knowledge of the methods used in urban physics (field experiments, CFD analysis, WT measurements) Application of the knowledge to a specific case Information Architecture and Future Cities (2 ECTS) G. Schmitt Students gain insight into the next generation of design processes for architects and urban designers, and into new concepts of the Information Architecture of cities, including the influence of Big Data. The seminar is highly interactive and discusses visionary case studies in Europe and Asia and new techniques in Big Data informed urban design. Apart from learning about and experiencing Information Architecture and Information Cities, the course also introduces research and management skills that will distinguish the future ETH architect. 5

The Science and Politics of International Water Management (4 ECTS) B. Wehrli This research seminar focuses on water management issues that extend beyond national boundaries, i.e. are international. In the spring semester of 2013 the seminar concentrated on the Zambezi River Basin (ZRB), one of the largest international river basins in Africa and worldwide. Sustainable Buildings: The Applied Viewpoint (3 ECTS) G. Habert After a presentation of Life Cycle Assessment techniques, this course will present the main type of constructive techniques. For each of them, a presentation of the fabrication process and the associated environmental impact assessment allows understanding the main contributions of building materials/structures during their production and maintenance (Focus will be on structural materials). After the lecture series, the students are able to apply sustainability concept during a construction project. They know which are the key parameters to take into account during the use of one material/structure during one project. 6