Leonie Hensgen: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2021 |
| Name | Dr. Leonie Hensgen |
| Department | Humanities, Social and Political Sciences |
| Relationship | Lecturer |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 851-0647-00L | Model United Nations - International Policy-making  | 2 credits | 1S | L. Hensgen, F. M. Egli | |
| Abstract | This course takes the UN as a starting point to acquaint students with key competences decisive for effective international policy-making to address the most pressing issues of humanity. These include intercultural negotiation, mediation and complex problem solving skills. Participants receive the opportunity to exchange with UN staff, diplomats and civil society members engaged with the UN. | ||||
| Learning objective | Intercultural mediation, negotiation, complex problem solving, sustainable development goals and how those are addressed by the UN, team work | ||||
| Content | Technical progress led to unprecedented opportunities and challenges for human societies. While we were never as affluent, educated and healthy as today - climate change, biodiversity loss, epidemics and widening inequality, as well as new risks from emerging technologies - such as lethal autonomous weapons and designed pathogens – pose novel challenges. Responding to these challenges requires not only profound technical knowledge but also a profound understanding of societies and the capacity to put technological solutions into practice in a globalized, intercultural and political environment. Thus, increasingly there is a need for engineers with a strong understanding of complex problem solving to address the most pressing challenges of human kind. This course takes the UN as a starting point to address complexity at international policy-making processes and to make students aware of the need for more sustainable solutions in the future. The work on real UN case studies will challenge students to critically assess global problems from different perspectives, to discuss UN resolutions brought forward and to reflect upon their potential implications. Opportunities to exchange with experts, such as UN staff, diplomats and civil society advisors will complement theoretic inputs. In this course, ETH students can complement their technical skills with key competences decisive for effective international policy-making. | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | The course consists of five sessions (March 9th/ March 23rd/ April 6th/ April 27th/ May 4th 5.15 PM- 7.00 PM) that include teaching and discussions about the UN system with external experts as well as the preparation and participation in a MUN in Zurich (May 1st- May 3th 2020). Upon request and at students’ own expense they can also attend a MUN in another location. The course is co-organized with the ETH MUN. Similar courses are offered at UZH, HSG, University of Bern, University of Geneva. | ||||
| 851-0648-00L | Machine Learning for Global Development Number of participants limited to 24 Prerequisite: Students on BSc or MSc level who have already successfully participated in a data science and programming course. | 3 credits | 2G | J. D. Wegner, L. Hensgen, A. Rom | |
| Abstract | In this course students will learn theories of machine learning and its application to problems in the context of global development, with a focus on developing countries (e.g. predicting the risk of child labor or chances of a malaria outbreak). By the end of the course, students will be able to critically reflect upon linkages between technical innovations, culture and individual/societal needs. | ||||
| Learning objective | The objective of this course is to introduce students with a non-technical background to machine learning. Emphasis is on hands-on programming and implementation of basic machine learning concepts to demystify the subject, equip participants with all necessary insights and tools to develop their own solutions, and to come up with original ideas for problems related to the context of global development. Specific importance is placed upon the reconciliation of the predictions, which have been generated by automated processes, with the realities on the ground; hence the linkage between technical and social issues. This raises questions such as “In how far can we trust an algorithm?”, “Which factors are hard to measure and therefore not integrated in the algorithm but still crucial for the result, such as cultural and social influences?”. These questions will be discussed in the interdisciplinary group, equipping students with various perspectives on this crucial and very current debate. | ||||
| Content | This course will give an introduction to machine learning with emphasis on global development. We will discuss topics like data preprocessing, feature extraction, clustering, regression, classification and take some first steps towards modern deep learning. The course will consist of 50% lectures and 50% hands-on programming in python, where students will directly implement learned theory as a software to help solving problems in global development. | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | This course will give an introduction to machine learning with emphasis on applications in global development. It will consist of 50% lectures and 50% programming exercises (in python). Teaching assistants from the EcoVision Lab will help with all programming exercises without any needs for additional funding. Students should bring their laptops to the exercises because we will program on laptops directly. It is required that students enrolling in this course have successfully passed a course that deals with basic data science and are familiar with programming (preferably in Python). | ||||
| 865-0000-03L | Contemporary Development Debate – Fighting Extreme Poverty in the 21st Century Only for CAS in Development and Cooperation students, as well as specialists with at least 24 months of practical experience in international cooperation. ETH doctoral students working on topics related to poverty reduction in low- and middle income countries may also be admitted. Registration only through the NADEL administration office. | 1 credit | 2G | I. Günther, L. Hensgen | |
| Abstract | The training course provides an introduction into strategic schools of thought that are important in current theoretical discussions and policies of development cooperation. | ||||
| Learning objective | The training course provides an introductio into strategic schools of thought that are important in current theoretical discussions and policies of development cooperation. | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Students of the course must fulfil requirements specified on the homepage of NADEL. Electronic registration may be done only after registration with NADEL secretariate. | ||||
| 865-0002-00L | Migration: A Challenge for Development Cooperation Only for MAS/CAS in Development and Cooperation students, as well as specialists with at least 24 months of practical experience in international cooperation. ETH doctoral students working on topics related to poverty reduction in low- and middle income countries may also be admitted. ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office. Registration only through the NADEL administration office. | 1 credit | 2G | K. Schneider, L. Hensgen | |
| Abstract | An estimated 250 million people are currently living outside their countries of origin - voluntarily as migrants or involuntarily as refugees. The course explores the role that international cooperation can play in promoting the positive aspects of migration and in reducing the negative consequences. | ||||
| Learning objective | Course participants have improved understanding of the following issues: - Definition of migration concepts and terms, including migrants, refugees, IDPs - The geography of migration flows - The evolving concept of “migration and development” - International organizations and their strategies and activities in terms of migration | ||||
| Content | Today's migration movements are initiated in the countries of origin through different causes, whether political, social, economic, or natural. Although the concept of migration is negatively connoted for many people, international migration has a positive impact on both the countries of origin and the recipient countries. In addition to the transfer of goods and capital, it can also be understood as part of the increasing globalization process. | ||||
| 865-0056-00L | Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding – Tools and Approaches Only for MAS/CAS in Development and Cooperation students, as well as specialists with at least 24 months of practical experience in international cooperation. ETH doctoral students working on topics related to poverty reduction in low- and middle income countries may also be admitted. ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office. Registration only through the NADEL administration office. | 2 credits | 3G | L. Hensgen | |
| Abstract | The course offers an introduction to the subject and contributes to a better understanding of the current debate and policy practices. Participants get an overview of concepts, methodological approaches as well as operational experiences and challenges of the actors in this complex area. | ||||
| Learning objective | The course offers an introduction to the subject and contributes to a better understanding of the current debate and policy practices. | ||||