The first international Master's in Sustainable Development

The first semester of this Master’s, titled TRACEE, will take place at Stockholm University and will offer a foundational curriculum covering topics such as systems thinking, natural, social, and human sciences, and transdisciplinary methods. Students will then have the opportunity to specialize by selecting a track from nine options offered by various member universities of the CIVIS alliance (in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, Athens, Brussels, Bucharest, Madrid, Rome, Stockholm, Tübingen, Glasgow, Salzburg, and Lausanne), before starting their Master’s thesis. The available specialization range from environmental chemistry and toxicology to geoscience, biology, energy, and social sciences.

Among these tracks, ULB is proud to offer two semesters within the ‘Transdisciplinary Approaches to Climate Change’ specialization. Wouter Achten, professor at the Faculty of Science and researcher at the SONYA research center, will serve as the academic lead for this innovative track.

Interdisciplinarity and a Holistic Approach

“What makes this programme unique is its ambition to take a transdisciplinary approach, seeking to explore realities that go beyond the traditional academic framework,” explains Professor Achten.

Students will develop both practical and theoretical skills while working on real-world actions, notably through the ‘Action for Change’ course, which emphasizes civic engagement with the aim of empowering students to become true agents of change. “They will work with stakeholders outside the academic world to design realistic initiatives such as hackathons, podcasts, dance choreographies, communication and awareness strategies…,” explains Pr. Wouter Achten.

Climate and Energy Challenges

ULB’s full commitment to integrating this Master’s programme into the CIVIS alliance aligns with the University’s broader strategy to strengthen its sustainability policies, including through its 2030 Climate Plan and the creation of a Vice-Rectorate for Sustainability and also reflects the need to equip students with the tools to tackle major climate challenges. As Wouter Achten points out, “It is essential to create new professions that take a more systemic view of these crucial issues, and to train students capable of stepping back to better analyze and address them.”

Diversity and Internationalization

Designed within the CIVIS European Alliance, this Master’s also offers students a unique opportunity to grow in a multicultural and international environment. Thanks to the collaboration of 11 leading universities, the programme is enriched by not only academic and scientific excellence, but also cultural diversity.

Students will benefit from the expertise of faculty and researchers from diverse disciplines and institutions, each bringing their own perspective. For Wouter Achten, this programme allows students to consider multiple viewpoints on climate-related challenges, which are perceived and experienced differently depending on geographic and socio-economic contexts. “While Southern Europe and Africa face increasingly devastating heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires, Northern Europe is experiencing milder winters and a longer growing season,” he explains. “This disparity in impacts requires a global perspective in which the well-being of all takes precedence over the well-being of a few.”

TRACEE graduates will thus become experts in ecological transition, playing key roles in public policy agencies, as researchers and innovators in the climate and energy sectors, or as consultants in organizations, NGOs, or companies focused on environmental sustainability. The programme also opens the door to doctoral studies in transdisciplinary research fields.

The full programme is available here: Master's Programme in Transdisciplinary Studies of Climate, Environment and Energy – CIVIS - A European University Alliance

For any questions about opportunities and funding within the alliance, please contact Marie Ugeux (marie.ugeux@ulb.be).