COMMODITIES, RESOURCES, ENERGY: Integrated approach to economic, environmental and ethical sustainability. Commodities and frauds. Impacts on air, water, soil. Energy and resources. Food preservation. Coffee and cocoa. Textile fibres. PRODUCTION PROCESSES, CERTIFICATIONS, CIRCULAR ECONOMY: International trade and customs. Circular economy. Waste management. Management systems and certifications. Labelling. LCA. Textile sustainability. Circular agroecology.
Knowledge and understanding: Acquisition of basic knowledge on sustainability, circular economy, international trade and customs, commodities and life cycle, environmental impacts of production on air, water, soil and characteristics of the main renewable energy sources. Knowledge of management systems and their application to production chains. Tools for understanding the quality of raw materials and resources, also in relation with social and ecological impacts along with all phases of the supply chain. Ability to understand the development-production-commodity interaction at the local level.
Applying knowledge and understanding: Assumption of the mentality of “commodity scientist” in order to understand problems, formulate and test sustainable and effective solutions, with an integrated and circular economy approach. To be able to design and implement, in contexts of international cooperation, adequate actions for the sustainability of the supply chains and production processes.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Lectures, seminars, case studies, project work.
Lectures will be held in class and simultaneously streamed via webex platform.
Lectures will not be video-recorded.
Further information
Any experimental lessons will be held at the commodity and resource quality laboratory, building D15, floor III.
Type of Assessment
1) NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: ORAL EXAM
Exam is on the entire programme, to be taken in the permitted manner (distance or face-to-face) on the date of the session.
2) ATTENDING STUDENTS:
In order to be considered as attending, at least 60% of the lessons must be attended (either in person or via real-time distance learning). Continuous interaction between students and teachers during lessons is desirable Attending students can take intermediate tests on part of the programme. After the two intermediate tests, the examination is completed with the presentation of a project work in the examination session (by 12 months after the end of the classes).
The % of the tests on the overall assessment is as follows:
• Midterm written exam 30%
• Final written exam 30%
• Presentation of a project work 30%
• Class participation 10%
Detailed instructions and materials about the project work are available on moodle.
Course program
PART I - COMMODITIES, RESOURCES, ENERGY - Patrizia Pinelli
1. Introduction to the course. Integrated approach to sustainability and the circular economy (Wed 14/09/2022)
2. Classification of commodities. Alteration, denaturation and commercial fraud (Fri 16/09/2022)
3. Environmental impacts. Air (Wed 21/09/2022)
4. Water as a resource. Treatment and reuse (Fri 23/09/2022)
5. Soil and fertilisation (Wed 28/09/2022)
6. Compost, organic production, precision agriculture (Fri 30/09/2022)
7. Energy and resources - part 1 (Wed 05/10/2022)
8. Energy and resources - part 2 (Fri 07/10/2022)
9. Textile fibres: classification and quality control (lecture in laboratory - D15) (Wed 12/10/2022)
10. Food preservation and hygiene. HACCP (Fri 14/10/2022)
11. Coffee and cocoa supply chains (seminar) (Wed 19/10/2022)
12. Mid-term written test for attending students (Fri 21/10/2022)
PART II - PRODUCTION PROCESSES, CERTIFICATIONS, CIRCULAR ECONOMY - Leonardo Borsacchi
1. International trade and customs classification (Wed 26/10/2022)
2. From linear economy to circular economy (Wed 02/11/2022)
3. Waste management, valorisation of by-products (Fri 04/11/2022)
4. Production processes, flow diagrams and product life cycle (Wed 09/11/2022)
5. Standardisation and certification. Technical regulations (Video lesson only) (Fri 11/11/2022)
6. Quality management systems, ISO 9001 (Wed 16/11/2022)
7. Environmental management systems, environmental labels, LCA (Fri 18/11/2022)
8. Corporate social responsibility and safety on workplace (Wed 23/11/2022)
9. Innovation and sustainability in textiles and fashion. Textile industry certifications (Fri 25/11/2022)
10. Labelling and traceability (Wed 30/11/2022)
11. Circular agroecology and agri-food supply chains (Fri 02/12/2022)
12. Final written test for attending students (Wed 07/12/2022)