Content (Syllabus outline)

1. The agri-food and forest-wood value chains as social-ecological systems
1.1 bio-physical principles of agricultural and forest- wood production, impact and expected consequences of climate change 
1.2 interactions between social and ecological factors in the agri-food and forest-wood value chains - social ecological systems
1.3 ecosystem services of agri-food and forest-wood value chains ('hidden' value chains)
1.4 economics and policy of natural resource use (renewable and non-renewable resources; externalities and public goods; sustainability criteria and environmental goals; policies and instruments
1.5 principles and practices of sustainable management of natural resources (market and non-market approaches to the valorization of ecosystem services)
2. Conventional value chains in the bioeconomy 
2.1 Systematics, description and analysis of production systems in primary agricultural and production and forestry (inputs, outputs, technologies and technological development, microeconomic specifics) 
2.2 Technological, economic and ecological efficiency of production systems in primary agricultural production and forestry (resources, inputs, outputs, quality attributes, environomental indicators) 
2.3 Characteristics and dynamics of markets with primary products in agriculture and forestry 
2.4 Food supply chain (actors, business consolidation along the value chain, economic performance indicators, supply chain management and procurement, material and energy balance) 
2.5 The value chain of forest and wood products (sectors, actors, consolidation along the value chain, economic performance indicators, supply chain management and procurement, material and energy balance)

3. Extended value chains in the circular bioeconomy 
3.1 Principles of the circular bioeconomy: closing (material, energy, economic) loops, cascading use of resources, industrial symbiosis 
3.2 Technological and economic aspects of the transition to a circular bioeconomy (extended value chains, importance of biorefining) 
3.3 Logistical and ecological aspects of biomass supply in circular business models (balance of use of agricultural and forest-wood biomass - current use and possibilities for improvement; supply of biomass in the context of food security and provision of ecosystem services)
3.4 Exploiting the potential of the transition to a circular bioeconomy - factors and measures (market dynamics - demand, business models, enabling environment, socio-economic aspects of innovations in applied life sciences)

4. Sustainability assessment of business models in the bioeconomy according to the life cycle approach 
4.1 (environmental, social, economic) sustainability at the company level (criteria and approaches to improving the sustainability of business processes at the company level - multi-criteria optimization; risks) 
4.2 sustainability of business processes through the prism of the product life cycle (phases of the product life cycle, material and energy flows, environmental and health impacts) 
4.3 overview of standard tools for assessing the sustainability of business processes in the bioeconomy: life cycle analysis (LCA), life cycle cost assessment (LCC) and social impact assessment (SLCA) 
4.4 application of life cycle principles in decision-making (business operations, market analysis; supporting policies and instruments).

Prerequisites

Prerequisite for enrolling in the course:
- The course gives students a theoretically based insight into the specificities, associated with  the management of renewable biological resources, and the behavior of economic entities and markets in the bioeconomy sectors. The students familiarize themselves with the discussed theoretical concepts through the discussion of current cases in the socio-ecological systems and value chains of the bioeconomy.

Prerequisites for performing study obligations:
- Ongoing work (attendance and active participation in exercises and seminar work, submission of seminar assignments)
- Written exam