Course Assessments

Assignments (60 %)

Week 2: Sustainable Development and the SDGs (15%)

Assignment Options:

  • Concept Map: Create a concept map illustrating the principles and concepts of sustainable development and their connections to specific SDGs and engineering disciplines.
  • Infographic Poster: Design an infographic poster highlighting the interrelation between the SDGs and the role of social entrepreneurship in achieving sustainable development.

Week 4: Systems Thinking and Complexity in Development(15%)

Assignment Options:

  • Systems Diagram: Create a systems diagram illustrating the interconnectedness of factors contributing to a selected development challenge, explaining how systems thinking helps identify leverage points.
  • Systems Analysis Report: Analyze a complex development issue using systems thinking principles, identifying feedback loops and proposing interventions for systemic change.

Week 6: Problem Identification (15%)

  • Stakeholder Interviews and Problem Identification Report: Conduct stakeholder interviews with individuals or organizations involved in water or energy-related initiatives aligned with SDG 6 or 7. Based on the insights gathered from these interviews, prepare a comprehensive problem identification report. Identify the key concerns and perspectives of stakeholders, and use this information to define the challenges they face in achieving the SDG targets. Present the findings in a well-structured report, highlighting the significance of understanding diverse perspectives in problem identification.

Week 8: Problem Analysis (15%)

In this assignment, you will explore critical issues related to water or energy challenges in Africa, specifically aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) or 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). You will conduct a comprehensive problem analysis (using the Pareto analysis or Problem Tree method) of a specific challenge and present your findings in either a blog article or a video (3-5 minutes in length). The goal is to identify the root causes and consequences of the chosen challenge and propose potential solutions or interventions.

Final Project (20%)

SDG 6 or 7 Solution Evaluation

For the final project, your task is to work in a group to evaluate existing solutions related to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) or SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). Working in groups, select a real-world intervention or project that aims to address water and sanitation challenges (SDG 6) or promote clean and affordable energy access (SDG 7) in a specific context within Africa. Your evaluation will focus on assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of the chosen solution based on provided criteria.

Project Guidelines:

  • Solution Selection: Choose one intervention addressing water, sanitation, or energy challenges aligned with SDG 6 or 7.
  • Case Study Analysis: Evaluate the intervention's effectiveness and impact on SDG targets.
  • Sustainability Assessment: Analyze the project's long-term sustainability and its contributions to the environment, society, and the economy.
  • Data Collection: Gather qualitative and quantitative data from reports, research articles, interviews, and surveys.
  • Critical Review: Compare findings with other relevant research to inform your assessment.
  • Recommendations: Provide evidence-based suggestions to enhance the solution's effectiveness and sustainability.
  • Final Presentation: Present your evaluation and recommendations (pre-recorded video) to the class.

Final Presentation (20%)

Final Presentation: Create a final presentation video defending your problem statement, showcasing your understanding of its complexities, and proposing potential pathways for sustainable solutions. Include a reflective statement on your personal growth and learning throughout the course.