UPC will organize the International Seminar on Sustainable Technology Development in the framework of the Master for Sustainability.

It is developed during two weeks and conducted by professors from different European universities experts on future studies analysis (TUDelft, Chalmers UT, KTH, TUGraz and others). The constructive-learning activities will be focused on the connections between technology development, environmental problems and societal change.

The objectives of this event are:

• To increase the understanding of SD in the long term and the role of technology therein embedded in systems.
• To increase the capacity to apply foresighting, forecasting and backcasting.
• To contribute to the development of the scientific work competences of students.
• To increase the capability of teachers to teach the approaches of future imaging, foresighting, forecasting and backcasting.
• To equip UPC with the insight and capability to transfer knowledge on future imaging and backcasting for sustainable development both within the Masters in SD and further afield in Catalonia and Spain.
• To become a meeting point of experts and to create networking activities for different groups and institution.

The topic chosen as the current Sustainability issue will be changed every year. This edition will be focused on agroecology and alimentary model in order to analyze:

• The implications of the implementation of a technological system (biotechnology, agribusiness, etc) based on ecological, agronomic and social processes, versus one that promotes consumption and production at cost price, which could move away the production of these processes and territory.
• The attitudes and habits related to alimentation needs of citizens: “when we buy food, we are deciding the society in which we live”.
• The ecological footprint (EF) derived from a global model of food production and consumption without consumption and production strategies that account for territory, generating social and environmental externalities.