D7.6 Final ECS Curricula, Training Modules and Materials

In the deliverable "D7.6 Final ECS Curricula, Training Modules and Materials", Edible City Solutions (ECS) developed throughout the EdiCitNet project (Edible Cities Network Integrating Edible City Solutions for social resilient and sustainably productive cities, funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020, duration: 2018 - 2024) form a synthetised curriculum for the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) "Making Cities Edible: Cultivating Sustainable Urban Environment". MOOCs are free online courses providing an affordable and flexible way to learn new skills, advance your career and deliver quality educational experiences at scale. The Edible Cities Network aimed to connect cities, NGOs, businesses and researchers to develop and mainstream Edible City Solutions (ECSs). These solutions go beyond vertical gardens, rooftop farms, community kitchens and urban aquaponics. They embody a holistic approach to urban resilience, incorporating elements such as biodiversity conservation, waste reduction, water recycling, social engagement and co-creation. Main objective of the course "Making Cities Edible: Cultivating Sustainable Urban Environment" is to disseminate practical knowledge of these ECSs. Current deliverable deliverable "D7.6 Final ECS Curricula, Training Modules and Materials" explains, how the ECS Knowledge Base was developed in a co-creation process, actively involving communities of knowledge and practice. The MOOC “Making Cities Edible: Cultivating Sustainable Urban Environments” is aimed at initiatives, urban developers, small and medium-sized businesses and anyone interested in making their cities edible. The course is led by a team of expert instructors with extensive knowledge in urban agriculture, sustainability and community development, providing a comprehensive understanding and theoretical and practical knowledge of ECSs. Through engaging lectures, interactive discussions, and practical case studies from around the globe, course participants are to gain the necessary tools and insights to become a catalyst for change in their own communities and to shape the cities of tomorrow. The content of the course is based on a structured ECS Knowledge Base, covering the following main fields: I) ECS Governance, II) Economic value of ECS, III) ECS as Ecological Systems and IV) Socio-cultural impact of ECS. Both the ECS curriculum and the MOOC follow the principles of inclusive communities of shared knowledge and practice, and thus adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals. The deliverable is also a collection of all ECS educational measures that have been developed or compiled during the project. The MOOC is concluded as a co-creation of a structural and holistic knowledge to mainstream ECS as a strategic step towards the development of socially-inclusive, sustainable, productive, biodiversity-friendly, resilient and healthy cities. The deliverable underlines the potential that ECS and the Edible Cities Network itself have in facing challenges of rapid urbanisation and global change. In order to efficiently do so, and taking into account that knowledge is in constant flux and development, both the ECS curriculum and the MOOC are easily expandable and can adapt to changing requirements. EdiCitNet has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 776665.