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Master of Sustainable Development (Leuven et al)

Master of Science
The Master of Science in Sustainable Development contains two different tracks: the Erasmus Mundus joint
Master in Sustainable Territorial Development and the ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development.
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ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development (120 ECTS)

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Sustainable Territorial Development (120
ECTS)
International Joint Master of Science in Sustainable Territorial Development (No
new enrollments as from the academic year 2017-2018) (120 ECTS)

Education
Key information
What is the Master of Science in Sustainable Development all about? Location
The Master of Science in Sustainable Development contains two different tracks: the Erasmus Mundus joint Master in
Leuven et al.
Sustainable Territorial Development and the ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development.
Ects + duration
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Sustainable Territorial Development (STEDE) 120 ECTS (2 years full-time)
STeDe IJM aims to create experts in the area of sustainable territorial development. More concretely it trains professionals
Educational level
to be able to help organisations acting in the territory (enterprises, local communities, civil society organisations) to draft
sustainable development policies for economic, social, environmental, international and intercultural management.
Master’s

The programme concerns the economic competitiveness, social inclusion, environmental protection, international Academic calendar
cooperation and intercultural relation challenges of territorial development focusing not only on local communities, but also 1st semester: end of September ->
on enterprises, non-state actors and civil society organisations. It also aims to offer an example of sustainable territory end of January (exams in January)
involving all local organisations, which should have human resources available and able to promote sustainable
development. 2nd semester: half of February ->
The ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development end of June (exams in June)

An active research-driven education model with five main pillars: KU Leuven academic calendar

Pillar 1 :Research based teaching courses taught by academic experts leading research in different sustainability Applying
domains and parts of the world. Application deadline
Pillar 2 :Training in research stimulating critical learners, systemic thinking and creativity in the solution of complex
socio-ecological problems and triggering real change. 1 March (for non-EEA citizens)
Pillar 3 :A programme informed by and serving the needs of Global South regions facing economic, social and 1 June (for EEA citizens)
ecological challenges.
How to apply
Pillar 4 :The active integration of fieldwork in the South, internship, thesis and portfolio development in the professional
www.kuleuven.be/application
preparation of the students.
Pillar 5 :KU Leuven Sustainability Living Lab as the itinerant platform through which the vision and goals of this master Tuition fee 2018-2019
will be tested and implemented in a real world setting. All contents and activities in the master are connected to the €922.30 for all students
priorities of the Lab, which will be in tune with international institutions agendas and contemporary sustainability debates.
In simple words, this master's programme embraces sustainable development beyond the walls of universities and Most recent information on
classrooms to engage with real world settings and localities in their search for solutions to their most pressing problems. www.kuleuven.be/tuitionfees

Structure Chat with our students

Student Ambassadors
In this interuniversity programme, both European and non-European students study together. The EMLM STeDe-students
study each semester at a different university. First at the Università degli Studi di Padova (30 ECTS), then at KU Leuven Open days
(30 ECTS) and then at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon - Sorbonne (30 ECTS). The fourth semester is dedicated to an Meet us in Belgium
internship and a master's thesis (30 ECTS) written at the university of the student's choice from among the three
Meet us abroad
aforementioned universities and the Universidade Catolica Don Bosco in Brazil.

The students of the ICP Master of Sustainable Development study at the KU Leuven. They can choose between two Brochure
specialisations: ‘Space and Society’ and ‘Ecology’. Download the brochure
Request the brochure
This programme is offered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, in collaboration with the
Department of Biology. The main mission of the Department Earth and Environmental Sciences is to carry out state-of-the-
Faculty website
art scientific research with respect to the functioning of geo- and ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales,
including the interaction between humans and the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources. Faculty of Science
The department aims at providing attractive academic training at an international level in the fields of Bio-engineering,
Geology, Geography and Tourism.
The Department of Biology is committed to excellence in teaching and research and is comprised of four divisions with
diverse research activities ranging from molecular and physiological research at the level of cells and organisms to
ecological research on populations, communities, and ecosystems.

Our primary goal is to obtain insight into patterns and processes at different levels of biological organisation and to
understand the basis and evolution of the mechanisms that allow organisms to adapt to their constantly changing
environment.

Application deadline for 2019-2020

1 March (for non-EEA citizens)

1 June (for EEA citizens)

KU Leuven uses an online application system. You can download and submit your application form
via www.kuleuven.be/application. Students with a Flemish degree can consult www.kuleuven.be/inschrijven.

Tuition fee

The current tuition fee is €922.30. The tuition fee for the 2019-2020 academic year will be determined in the spring of 2019.
Please consult the website for the most recent information: www.kuleuven.be/tuitionfees.

Master mind

Excellent students who are eligible for a Master Mind Scholarship are invited to submit their application before 1
February 2019.

Profile

Is this the right programme for me?

Candidates are requested to have a first cycle degree of 180 ECTS (licenciatura, academic bachelor's degree, diploma di
laurea di primo livello, licence) or an equivalent degree (diplôme d'école d'ingénieurs, école de commerce etc.).

Specifically for the EMJM in Sustainable Territorial Development:

You have a broad interest in a comprehensive approach of sustainable development since the program focusses on 4 ‘Ps’
(people, planet, prosperity and policy) and on 4 ‘Ms’ (multidisciplinarity, multistakeholder, multiscalar and
multicultural). Students who graduate from this programme have a broad and to some extent even a holistic point of view,
characterised by the search for causalities, actors and stakeholders, and processes impacting on natural and cultural
environments. Due to the mobility path, the programme brings in a strong intercultural focus and a continuous concern for
the territorial dimension of sustainability.

Ideal prospective students for this programme have the following profile.

Basic knowledge in human and social science (economics, sociology, social geography, development, management,
law, etc.) or natural/life science (agriculture, environmental sciences, physical geography, engineering, etc.) is essential.
A command of English and French, both spoken and written, is required. Additional to criteria such as academic
and/or professional excellence and motivation, a check of language skills is based on a Skype interview with the pre-
selected candidates. Students who have not yet achieved a good command of the two languages are strongly advised to
take language courses before applying.
Specifically for the ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development:

This programme trains future sustainability leaders acquainted with the necessary interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and
methodologies to address and solve intertwined socio-ecological challenges hindering the construction of more
sustainable paths of development. Professionals graduated from this programme are familiar with both the societal and
ecological side of the sustainability problematic, including the dialectics between its ecological, economic, social, political
and cultural dimensions. The full programme, comprising 120 ECTS, offers a common interdisciplinary core programme
and two tracks of specialisation: Space and Society track and Ecology track. The entire programme has a genuine focus
on actions to remediate enduring unsustainabilities. It trains professionals that will support institutions from the public,
private and civil society sectors to draft and implement sustainable development programmes and policies.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements ICP Master in Sustainable Development

Admission requirements Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Sustainable Territorial Development

Objectives

General learning outcomes

* Knowledge, understanding and skills

- Be familiar with the broad interdisciplinary debate on sustainable development encompassing connected social,
economic, natural and ecological realms. (G-LO1)
- Demonstrate skills and capacity to participate in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams. (G-LO2)

* Application
- Be familiar with and have the ability to use appropriate scientific methodologies in terms of data gathering and analysis,
as to gain and integrate a variety of knowledge. (G-LO3)
- Apply concepts and methodologies to examine concrete cases and contexts, such as specific rural and urban regions,
cities, ecosystems, protected areas, forests, etc. (G-LO4)
- Show capacity to develop original recommendations for enhanced sustainable development and management in the
realms of economic, social, environmental, international and intercultural governance. (G-LO5)

* Critical (self)-reflection and abilities to communicate with relevant stakeholders and broader publics
- Demonstrate a critical attitude in the exploration of the sustainability dimensions of policy, planning and economic
strategies in interdisciplinary ways. (G- LO6)
- Think critically regarding contemporary sustainability challenges produced by the interaction between human beings and
the environment we inhabit and transform. (G-LO7)
- Show familiarity with the specific rationale, codes of communication and language to exchange and discuss clearly with
both specialist and non-specialist audiences. (G-LO8)
- Are able to reflect epistemologically on one’s own practice and to review one’s own knowledge on the basis of its internal
scientific coherence and societal relevance from the point of view of sustainability and take responsibility for it. (G-LO9)

Specific learning outcomes for the STeDe trajectory

* Knowledge, understanding and skills

- Demonstrate insights in critical conditions (e.g. peace and political stability, respect for ownership and property rights,
human and social capital) that provide a basis for developing and applying transformative planning and projects at the
different territorial levels (local, regional, national and international). (S- STeDe -LO1)
- Demonstrate understanding of complex structures that influence (in positive or negative ways) sustainable development
of a territory, such as resources, stakeholder networks, policy or entrepreneurial frameworks, power relations, intercultural
understanding versus conflict. (S- STeDe -LO2)

* Application
- Are able to handle complexity and formulate implications (e.g. mitigation, actions, organization, planning) acknowledging
the territorial scale and/or multi-scalar approaches, and the opportunities as well as the limits and constraints of the
specific territories and communities at stake. (S- STeDe -LO3)
- Can transfer/apply such knowledge and understanding, including analysis and problem solving abilities in unfamiliar
contexts taking into account the profile and resources of a variety of stakeholders and environmental and socio-economic
conditions from a multidisciplinary perspective. (S- STeDe -LO4)

* Critical (self)-reflection and abilities to communicate with relevant stakeholders and broader publics
- Can advise local communities, civil society organizations, ngos and/or policy departments and communicate with a
variety of stakeholders with an ability to bridge across cultural differences and different disciplinary languages. (S- STeDe -
LO5)
- Can attune proposals, recommendations and judgments to reflections on social and ethical responsibilities of
stakeholders in the field as well as to local development levels. (S- STeDe -LO6)

Specific learning outcomes for the ICP trajectory

* Knowledge, understanding and skills

- Acquire in depth theoretical and applied interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of socio-ecological systems and
nature-culture interactions. (S-ICP-LO1)
- Have in depth knowledge of the meaning and role of governance, the ‘social’ and all types of collective action
underpinning and intervening in the sustainable development. (S-ICP-LO2 S&S)
- Show understanding about the situation of the Global South, including critical awareness of sustainability obstacles and
enablers, through multiscalar analysis, connecting scales from the local to the global. (S-ICP-LO3)
- Understanding of the political nature of the governance of the commons, including social and environmental justice
consequences. (S-ICP-LO4 S&S)

* Application
- Ability to recognize and analyze the complex mechanisms behind the loss of biodiversity and the associated ecosystem
services, at both local and regional scales, and to propose and implement and assess mitigation measures. (S-ICP-LO5
Eco)

* Critical (self)-reflection and abilities to communicate with relevant stakeholders and broader publics
- Reach critical judgements in relation to major environmental controversies (regarding biodiversity, soils, water, food,
waste, energy, disasters, climate change,…). (S-ICP-LO6)
- Raise awareness regarding the importance of biodiversity in maintaining the crucial services that natural and semi-
natural ecosystems provide to man and society. (S-ICP-LO7)

Career perspectives

Career perspectives
Job opportunities for graduates may be found in all sectors where sustainable development actions should be
implemented, in particular at organizations responsible for the creation of sustainable territories (communities, enterprises,
non-state actors and civil society organizations, local governments), the central government and international
organizations.
Potential posts include: environmental adviser; sustainable development manager in local communities, public
administrations, civil society organizations & local governments; representative within local public institutions, national and
international institutions, enterprises, trade unions & professional bodies.

The extensive experience, international collaboration and multidisciplinary insights gained from the programmes, will open
up new perspectives on the sustainability while introducing you to various policy tools and management strategies in
divergent territorial contexts (STeDe) and ecosystems (ICP MD). Both aim at preparing the graduates to be agents of
sustainable change.

Start your career, during your studies

During your bachelor's and master's programme you can already shape your own profile by choosing a certain
 specialisation, studying abroad (Erasmus), doing a work placement, or starting your own business.

The Student Career Centre is happy to put you on the right track towards your first work experience. The centre also
coaches you in the search for an interesting job and helps you with job interviews. For students wanting to start their own
business KU Leuven also has Lcie, the KU Leuven community that encourages students with innovative and
entrepreneurial ideas.

Don’t know where to start? The Student Career Centre's databases contain offers for jobs, volunteer work, innovation
projects and student jobs. You can also visit one of the events organised by the Career Centre.

Contact

Faculty of Science Leuven

Geel Huis
Kasteelpark Arenberg 11 box 2100
3001 HEVERLEE, Belgium
tel. + 32 16 32 14 01
info.wet@kuleuven.be

Head of Education Commission

Prof. D. Vanneste
dominique.vanneste@kuleuven.be
EMJM in Sustainable Territorial Development

Consortium coordinator
Università degli Studi di Padova
Prof. Marina Bertoncin
Marina.bertoncin@unipd.it

Mattia Gusella
mattia.gusella@unipd.it
ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development

Head of Education Commission

Prof. Constanza Parra
Constanza.parra@kuleuven.be

Visit the programme’s website

General
Study Advice Service
Naamsestraat 80 box 5415
3000 LEUVEN, Belgium

To contact us, please complete the contact form on our website .

Admission requirements

ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development (Leuven)

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Sustainable Territorial Development (Leuven et al)
International Joint Master of Science in Sustainable Territorial Development (Programme being phased out as from 2017-
2018) (Leuven et al)

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