Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Sustainable Territorial Development (Programme being phased out as from 2016-2017) (Leuven et al)

Students will reach the following outcomes:

Knowledge, skills and understanding
- Be familiar with the broad interdisciplinary debate on sustainable development encompassing connected social, economic, natural and ecological realms.
- 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).
- Demonstrate skills and capacity to participate in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams
- demonstrate understanding of complex structures that influence (in positive or negative ways) sustainable development of a territory, such as resources, stakeholder networks, power relations, intercultural understanding versus conflict.

Application
- Have the ability to use the appropriate scientific methodologies in terms of data gathering and analysis, to integrate a variety of knowledge.
- are able to handle complexity and formulate policies, proposals and solutions 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.
- Apply concepts and methodologies to examine concrete cases and contexts, such as specific rural and urban regions, cities, ecosystems, protected areas, forests, etc.
- 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.
- Show capacity to develop original recommendations for enhanced sustainable development and management in the realms of economic, social, environmental, international and intercultural governance.

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.
- Think critically regarding contemporary sustainability challenges produced by the interaction between human beings and the environment we inhabit and transform.
- Show familiarity with the specific rationale, codes of communication and language to exchange and discuss clearly with both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- can advice local communities, civil society organisations, ngos and/or policy departments and communicate with a variety of stakeholders with an ability to bridge across cultural differences and different disciplinary languages.
- 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.
- - can attune proposals, recommendations and judgements to reflections on social and ethical responsibilities of stakeholders in the field as well as to local development levels.