Immersive Field Courses: IFCs require a firm commitment and carry a financial obligation. Financial aid is available in the form of a student loan, a need-based HBS scholarship, or a combination of both depending on your individual circumstances. The Add/Drop process at the start of the term is the mechanism for any IFC enrollment changes, and, after that point, the course fee is non-refundable. Refer to the GEO website for full details on IFCs and be sure you understand the Course Policies and Course Fee & Financial Aid. Visit IFC Financial Aid for a quick assessment to determine your eligibility and process or contact finaid@hbs.edu for more information.

Enrollment: Limited to 45 MBA students (due to the nature of IFCs , auditing is not permitted)

Career Focus

Decarbonization and sustainability are becoming an essential part of business agendas, and the Netherlands and Denmark are decades ahead of much of the rest of the world in experimention and implementation of green technologies for energy generation and storage, sustainable production, and efficient management and utilization of "waste" as inputs for other processes.

The Netherlands is home to one of the world's largest offshore wind farms, and is playing a leading role in the energy transition via LNG to sustainable fuels like hydrogen. It is a global leader in material reuse and food system sustainability. Denmark has a world-class energy system and is a leader in making buildings more energy-efficient. Danish companies are among global market leaders in efficient water and heating applications, and the Kalundborg Symbiosis is a best-in-class industrial partnership that pioneered a circular approach to production using by-products from one company's process as a feedstock for a neighboring company.

This EC Field Course offering a unique educational experience, where students will get to observe and interact with business leaders engaged in decarbonization including renewable energy production and storage, and sustainable production of industrial and consumer goods.

Group papers will be required, with preliminary work and presentations in the Fall, and refinement and final submission in January.

Educational Objectives

Students will gain insight into the opportunities and challenges associated with designing, producing, distributing, and storing renewable energy, as well as developing and implementing sustainable production technologies in industries ranging from consumer goods to food and horticulture. We will visit firms and projects that have pioneered or are experimenting with sustainable technologies.

Course Content and Organization

Fall class sessions will be discussions—based on cases, readings, and student presentations—designed to establish a grounding in basic technologies. We may also engage with guests brought in remotely.

The January 2023 trip will includes visits to a wide range of unique sites that will illustrate the breadth of opportunities. This two-minute video will give you a taste for these visits, and reflect our preliminary plan (some substitutions might occur): https://bit.ly/2022DecarbonizationIFC

Paper Preparation and Presentation

Students will be asked to work in small teams to prepare a presentation and paper on a topic related to our visits chosen from a list of options.

Prerequisites

None.

The Immersive Field Course Model

Immersive Field Courses are designed to offer second-year students an off-campus, experiential learning opportunity during the January term. A cornerstone of these courses is the expertise of faculty, who develop course content focused on teaching objectives that are met primarily through student-centered active learning opportunities including project work, site visits and participating in discussions with key contacts. As such, these courses provide students with an opportunity to apply first-hand the knowledge and skills gained from their on-campus MBA coursework in an off-campus setting.

Due to the nature of Immersive Field Courses students may be required to sign legal agreements requested by host organizations. Additional requirements and documentation may also be requested of students by organizations.

Course Credit and Fees

HBS will provide logistical support for this course (including accommodations, select meals, and local travel arrangements). Students will be charged a course fee toward defraying a portion of these costs. Students are responsible for their round-trip air travel and any costs associated with required visa documentation and immunizations. Students need to ensure adequate processing time for all visas, and travel fees will not be refundable if a student does not secure visas in time. Financial aid is available in the form of a student loan, a need-based HBS Scholarship, or a combination of both depending on the student's individual circumstances. Please review the quick self-Assessment tips to determine your eligibility. Contact finaid@hbs.edu for more information.

Though we will be in countries that have rich tourism opportunities, students who are mainly interested in a trek would be better served doing that independently from this course.

For detailed information about what the course program fee includes and excludes, as well as information about student accommodations, please visit the GEO website or email geo@hbs.edu.

Copyright © 2023 President & Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved.