Islands and Sustainability (Erasmus Mundus)
Islands and Sustainability is an Erasmus Mundus master programme. It combines thorough training in scientific research with a specialization on Islands and Sustainability. Scholarships are available.
Please note: All applications are processed and accepted only through our own website at islandsmaster.eu. Applications made through the offical University of Groningen website will not be considered.
Islands are special cases for Sustainable Development. Within the current global economic and social system islands in many cases face economic, social, political and cultural marginalization; unless they cooperate. Cooperation is needed in research and education on the ways to manage islands and raise capacity building in island communities. Understanding the problems and finding effective ways to develop the potential of small islands requires international academic cooperation that looks beyond the specifics of individual islands. There is clearly a demand for a high quality Masters programme on sustainable development on islands that can enhance much required training and expertise in this field. This is why the University of Groningen, the University of the Aegean, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Iceland have joined forces to launch a high-level integrated study programme on islands at Master level.
The ISLANDS programme combines thorough training in scientific research with a thematic specialization on Islands and Sustainability. It also provides multi-faceted training of research skills for social science and environmental research, including Individual Research Training by senior staff and training to work in a multi- and interdisciplinary research group. ISLANDS students will study at the University of Groningen in the first semester of the first year of the programme. Then they study at one of the island-based universities of the consortium where they will undertake a Research Internship Module and other courses. After returning to Groningen for the first semester of the second year, students will return to the same island-based university to undertake their Master thesis project in the second semester of the second year. ISLANDS graduates receive a double-degree from the University of Groningen (including an acknowledgement that this is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master degree involving all partner universities) and the island-based University. The ISLANDS programme builds on the existing Research Master in Spatial Sciences programme at the University of Groningen (RUG).
For more detailed information, please visit the ISLANDS consortium website.
- Cambridge C1/C2 certificate: overall score 180.
- IELTS Academic: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
- TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 18 in Reading and Listening, 20 in Speaking, 21 for Writing)
- TOEFL iBT: overall score 4.5 (min. 4 in Reading, Listening and for Speaking, 4.5 in Writing)
Academic bachelor degree in human geography and/or urban and regional planning or comparable qualifications, including at least 10 ECTS in statistics or equivalent statistical knowledge.
Excellent study results and high grades at university level (A range, typically top 10%); Comparable to Dutch grading system: average grade of at least 7.0, for Bachelor thesis of at least 7.5.
Generally, an interview with the applicant, in which attitude, motivation, orientation and competence for a career in (scientific) research are evaluated, forms part of the admission procedure. The interview is scheduled after the required documents have been received and evaluated by the Admissions Board.
Curriculum Vitae
Motivation Letter
Two academic letters of reference
A list of relevant course descriptions: This list should include statistics courses, research methods courses and demographic content knowledge courses. The list needs to include info on the content of each course, literature used, learning outcomes, and details of how each course was assessed.
Job prospects
The graduates from the programme are well trained for academic careers, business consultants, tourism planners and managers, environmental/sustainable management consultants, environmental tourism consultants, local economic development consultants, careers in international organizations/NGOs in the fields of environment and sustainability.
The close contacts with URSI researchers and PhD students (as mentors or teachers) in the graduate school allow an easy transition to a PhD position. The Research Internship at a Research Institute is specifically introduced to let the student experience the work atmosphere at a research institute.
During the programme at the University of Groningen we offer support for your career preparation.
