"The course aims to introduce students to main tools, policies and methods able to enhance human-animal interaction in contemporary societies. Animals are becoming every day more present in urban and rural settings and can be considered as an innovative resource that can be mobilized in order to achieve innovative outcomes from an educational, social, touristic, economic point of view and increase local wellness and quality of life for both empowered and less empowered people. To achieve this main goal, social innovation, multi-stakeholders and multi competent pathways should be designed including participatory methods and the co-design of innovative solutions. The organization and the management of such paths for change are demanding in terms of project cycle management, fundraising, and supportive policies. The course would introduce students to topics relevant to the freelance activity.

Knowledge: on the concepts of prosperity, social innovation, participatory approaches, nature-based solutions and urban development and in the urban countryside relationships. Understanding of the main supportive European and national policies able to support social innovation in both urban and rural settings.

Skills: project cycle management, business model canvas, tools for multistakeholder processes facilitation (world cafe, EASW)

Attitudes: to facilitate ability and skills in group working, mediating and negotiating solutions in multi-actor processes by the way of a specific group working activities in project planning."