Tech Innovation for Sustainable Development
Learn to create impactful technology innovations for sustainable development in low and middle-income countries.
Learn to create impactful technology innovations for sustainable development in low and middle-income countries.
Discover how to harness technology innovation as a powerful tool for sustainable development and poverty alleviation. This course introduces a comprehensive methodology for developing impactful innovations that address critical issues in low and middle-income countries. Learn to take your ideas from concept to large-scale deployment, focusing on creating affordable, durable, and resource-efficient solutions. Explore entrepreneurial approaches to designing business models that tackle development challenges. Gain practical skills in co-creating solutions with key stakeholders, including affected populations. This course is ideal for those interested in using technology to drive positive change and sustainable development on a global scale.
4.3
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What you'll learn
Analyze how contextual factors influence technology development and deployment in low-income settings
Design innovative technologies that sustainably impact poverty reduction
Lead a technology innovation process from initial concept to product scale-up
Maximize impact and minimize risk in technology innovation projects
Evaluate and develop business models for technologies aimed at poverty alleviation
Apply entrepreneurial approaches to address development-related challenges
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments, exams
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
Limited Access access
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Module Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to using technology innovation for sustainable development in low and middle-income countries. It covers a methodology for developing impactful innovations that address critical issues faced by those living in poverty. The curriculum includes understanding contextual factors that influence technology development and deployment, creating innovative and sustainable technologies, leading a technology innovation process from concept to scale-up, and evaluating business models for poverty-impacting technologies. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on practical application, with examples demonstrating how to take an initiative from idea to large-scale deployment. The course encourages an entrepreneurial approach and promotes co-creation of solutions with key stakeholders, including affected populations.
Fee Structure
Instructors
1 Course
Pioneering Technology Innovation for Global Development
Klaus Schönenberger holds an MSc in Microengineering (1993) and PhD (1996) from EPFL, followed by a post-doc at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. After spending over a decade in the medical devices industry as Vice-President of Worldwide R&D and Global Vice-President of Research and Technology, he experienced a pivotal moment in 2009 when he recognized the stark disparity in medical technology access between industrialized and developing nations. This revelation led him to co-found the EssentialMed Foundation and later establish the EssentialTech Centre at EPFL in 2011, which was elevated to a research centre status in 2018. Under his leadership, the Centre has developed significant innovations, including a digital x-ray imaging solution for low and middle-income countries through Pristem SA, where he serves as board chairman. He also co-founded HMCare, which develops transparent surgical masks. The EssentialTech Centre focuses on sustainable development, humanitarian action, and peace promotion through three main divisions aligned with the UN's Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus. Schönenberger currently teaches Development Engineering (ENV-470), a 4-credit course that covers topics such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, and technologies for development in low-income settings. In 2017, he co-directed a MOOC titled Technology Innovation for Sustainable Development, which has attracted over 12,000 enrollees.
1 Course
Global Innovation Leader in Sustainable Development and Healthcare Technology
Dr. Soli Makohliso serves as the Deputy Head of the EssentialTech Centre at EPFL, where he focuses on leveraging cutting-edge research for sustainable development in low and middle-income countries. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Brown University and completed his Ph.D. at EPFL, later adding Certificates in Executive Leadership & Finance from Cornell University. At EPFL, he co-teaches Development Engineering (ENV-470), a 4-credit course conducted in English that covers essential technologies, sustainable development, and poverty reduction in low-income settings. The course combines lectures, group work, and practical applications, with assessment methods including group projects and written exams. He also co-developed and taught a MOOC titled Technology Innovation for Sustainable Development alongside Klaus Schönenberger, which provides a methodology for using technology innovation to combat poverty. His expertise spans multiple advisory roles, including serving on the Technical Expert Group for the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics and the Ministerial Task Team for National Technology Innovation Valorisation in South Africa.
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4.3 course rating
9 ratings
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