Online Microcredential in Business & Management

Circular Cities: Building Sustainable Business Models

Adopt circular economy practices into your business to help cities thrive through smart design and sustainable strategy.

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Deakin UniversityDeakin University

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Create value for your company – and career – with sustainable solutions

As the world embraces greater environmental responsibility and corporate sustainability, having the knowledge and skills to integrate sustainable business practices into your work can set you apart in your career.

On this online microcredential from Deakin University, you’ll practically explore micro-level strategies essential for the circular economy (CE). You’ll learn how businesses can create, capture, and deliver value by aligning their models with CE principles.

With this knowledge, you’ll be able to drive innovation, optimise resource efficiency, and implement sustainable practices that not only reduce environmental impact and support long-term business success, but also grow resilient, eco-friendly urban systems.

Understand the circular economy

You’ll start the course with an introduction into the circular economy. You’ll grasp its core principles and how these add value when applied to business strategies, product design, and organisational operations.

Through real-world examples, you’ll see how these concepts can be practically implemented in business settings to create tangible, sustainable outcomes.

Apply circular design principles

You’ll then explore how to design circular business models that align with sustainability goals. You’ll develop strategies for value creation, waste reduction, and resource efficiency, focusing on business processes that support long-term sustainability.

The aim of applying circular design principles such as product attachment, durability, modularity, adaptability, and disassembly, is to help you create products that are both sustainable and adaptable to circular economy practices.

Master circular production practices

Next, you’ll delve into production processes that allow businesses to minimise waste and optimise resource use.

You’ll learn how businesses can rethink production cycles to integrate closed-loop systems, ensuring that resources are kept in use for as long as possible. These strategies play a crucial role in driving efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

Sustainably manage circular supply chains

Supply chain optimisation, from material sourcing to end-of-life management, is central to creating sustainable business practices.

At this point in the course, you’ll develop a critical understanding of supply chain management within the circular economy framework. You’ll practise managing resources that support circular models, ensuring products and materials are sourced, used, and reused with minimal waste.

Study online with the experts at Deakin University

Throughout this course, you’ll deepen your expertise in the practical implementation of circular economy strategies, seamlessly integrating sustainability into your organisation.

With the help of your course leaders, you’ll feel empowered to solve complex, real-world challenges and drive meaningful change in your field – all while balancing your other commitments.

Gain more sustainable strategies and get closer to completing your degree

When this microcredential ends, your learning doesn’t have to stop. You can build more university-level credit and expand your skillset by joining another microcredential from Deakin University, like Circular Cities: Implementing Circular Economy Strategies for Sustainable Urban Systems.

How will the skills you learn help in your career?

This online microcredential will equip you with the essential skills to drive sustainable change and advance your career in the circular economy. As you learn, you’ll be able to apply key concepts – such as circular design and strategy, problem-solving, systems thinking, and sustainability assessment – immediately in your work.

Additionally, you’ll develop expertise in business model innovation, supply chain optimisation, stakeholder engagement, and resource efficiency, preparing you to grow in:

  • Circular product design and manufacturing
  • Supply chain sustainability
  • Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ESG
  • Innovation and product development
  • Public policy and advocacy

How will you be assessed?

As part of this microcredential, you’ll act as a sustainability consultant. You’ll apply what you’ve learned throughout the course to design and present a business case that outlines how a specific urban sector could transition towards circularity.

What will you receive?

Beyond advanced skills in sustainable business practices, by completing this online microcredential, you’ll also earn 0.5 credit points that can be applied towards a full postgraduate degree at Deakin University and gain a digital certificate of completion to share with prospective recruiters.

Are you eligible for this microcredential?

There are no entry requirements to join this microcredential, but a background in business, environmental science, or sustainability, and strong English language skills will be useful.

Is this microcredential right for you?

This microcredential is for anyone interested in integrating circular economy principles into their business models and organisational practices – design professionals, entrepreneurs, and sustainability managers alike.

Syllabus

What happens before, during, and after your microcredential

  • Before learning

    You’ll get early access to the welcome area, where you can introduce yourself and explore the microcredential structure and course materials.

  • Course

    From 3 Mar 2025

    Circular Cities: Building Sustainable Business Models

    Transform your business models with circular economy and smart design practices. Learn online and earn credit towards a degree.

    6 weeks

    10 hours per week

  • After learning

    You’ll earn a Credly badge worth 0.5 credit points at the postgraduate level. With these points, you can build towards a degree at Deakin University. Additionally, you’ll receive a digital certificate of completion to showcase your learning to recruiters.

What you will receive

0.5 Deakin Credits at Postgraduate level from AQF

Receive a Credly badge verifying your learning and assessment. This badge is worth 0.5 postgraduate credit points and can be applied towards a Deakin University degree.

Find out how credits work and where you can use them in our FAQs.

A Certificate of Completion from Deakin University and FutureLearn

Earn a digital certificate of completion and use this credential to showcase your expertise to prospective recruiters.

Learn more about this organisation

Additional benefits

Complete this online microcredential within six weeks or take extra time and use one of the four regular assessment windows to complete within 20–26 weeks of your enrolment.

What is a microcredential?

Microcredentials are designed to upskill you for work in rapidly-growing industries, without the time and cost commitment of a full degree. Your microcredential can stand alone as an independent credential, and some also offer academic credit to use towards a degree.

Learn online with expert instructors

Complete online courses led by experts over multiple weeks with a dedicated group of professionals.

Complete project-based assessments

Test your understanding with online tutor-marked assessments and exercises.

Earn a professional credential

Finish your learning and pass your assessments to gain an accredited credential.

Advance further in your career

Use your microcredential as evidence of your specialised skills and progress further in your industry.

Deakin University

Career-focused learning by Deakin University

Deakin University is one of Australia’s largest universities with more than 61,000 students and over 15,000 online.

  • Established

    1974
  • Location

    Melbourne, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 280Source: QS World University Rankings 2021

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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When would you like to start?

We aim to run our microcredentials every few months. Join on the date that suits you or register to hear about future runs and updates.

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FAQ

We can accept payments made by card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) or PayPal via our online system.

You will have 14 days from the day the course starts to apply for a refund. If this Microcredential has any non-refundable costs they will be stated in the ‘Overview’ section above. You can find more information in our cancellation and refund policy.

Microcredentials are designed to fit around your life and timezone.

There may be live events as part of your studies, but these will be recorded and can be watched afterwards if you aren’t online for the live broadcast.

No, microcredentials are designed to be taken anywhere in the world. You won’t need the right to study in the country where the university offering the microcredential is based.

Want to know more? Read the microcredential FAQs, or contact us.