What does this study entail?
Climate-neutral and resilient cities are essential goalposts in the quest to tackle the growing threat and impacts of climate change. But this quest must be undertaken in the framework of sustainable development goals, which strive for the proper use and management of key natural resources that safeguard the planet in the first place. This track evaluates different policies, approaches, and instruments to achieve climate resilience, climate neutrality and environmental sustainability in urban areas worldwide, focusing on the three critical natural resources and public goods of land, water and air.
Why study at Erasmus University Rotterdam
Earn your MSc degree from a top 100 university in Rotterdam
Erasmus University Rotterdam, consistently ranking in the top 3% globally, is celebrated for academic excellence while Rotterdam is known for iconic architecture, pioneering urban planning, and multicultural vibrancy.You apply everything you learn
Students engage in a diverse learning experience through lectures, case studies, debates, simulations, assignments, and field visits in Rotterdam and other Dutch cities, with the option for thesis fieldwork abroad.Our teaching methods are unique
IHS faculty members engage in real-world cases globally, integrating challenges, learnings, and questions from these experiences into our curriculum.We offer a truly international and diverse environment
The IHS classroom comprises mid-level professionals and fresh graduates with rich and varied experiences from more than 45 countries.
This programme has provided me with the opportunity to work within diverse multi-cultural teams, and to explore and develop innovative strategies for urban development while interacting with local stakeholders of Rotterdam.
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What are some of the special features of this track?
Besides earning your MSc diploma from Erasmus University Rotterdam, an institution that is consistently ranked among the top 3% of the world’s best universities, studying the Urban Environment, Sustainability & Climate Change track also means that you will be able to:
Evaluate climate change in broader perspective
During the master track, students will learn how to critically reflect upon and engage with sustainable development frameworks, such as “doughnut economics” (Kate Raworth, 2017), and their relationship with climate change.
Evaluate the multi-faceted principles of “resilience” and “risk”
With a sound understanding of climate-induced threats and risks, students will be able to apply these principles to land, water, and air using nature-based solutions.
Design and present a climate resilience strategy for a client organization
At the end of the master track, students will design and present a climate resilience adaptation and mitigation strategy for a client organisation in response to an actual development need and based on existing data, circumstances, and institutional frameworks.
Site visits to relevant projects
Students of this track will visit different examples of climate change resilience and sustainability initiatives in the Netherlands, which they will evaluate critically in the framework of theoretical concepts presented and discussed in class.
Apply tools used by practitioners to analyse the urban environment
Participants of the master track will learn to use GIS tools to analyse the natural and built environment. Insights from georeferenced data can be essential in climate adaptation and mitigation decision-making.
Theoretical and practical relevance of thesis projects
The master track encourages students to critically apply and evaluate theories presented in class to case studies in their thesis projects and (later) publications, and in so doing, to help build theory.
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worldwide for Development Studies QS World University Ranking
#99 Worldwide
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