As I started studying in Maastricht my previous knowledge on sustainability problems was very limited and mostly based on issues related to climate change. The master’s programme on Sustainability Science, Policy and Society is an interdisciplinary programme that offers a great insight into the different aspects related to the topic by looking at it from the environmental, social and economic side.

The course is very well organized, currently due to the pandemic as a hybrid module so for some students on campus and for some online. The online tools and platforms used are well thought through and make studying significantly easier as all information, materials, syllabuses, guidelines, assignments and zoom links are all accessible in the same place for everyone. In general, the University of Maastricht has handled the necessary shift in ways of teaching due to Covid-19 related reasons very well and has managed to stick to a similar quality level of education as before the pandemic.

The course itself is a lot of work. The teaching method of Problem Based Learning (PBL) used at the UM is engaging in a completely different way as other teaching methods I am personally more accustomed to. Basically, PBL stands for a teaching method where the theory learned is immediately used in solving a complex, real-life issue. This is carried out by small group tutorials and group assignments always related to the theory or methodology covered in the mass lectures. For people like myself who do not have previous experience on PBL or any teaching method in a Dutch University, the pace and expectations seem at times hard to cope with. On the other hand, the programme lasts only for a year, is interdisciplinary and includes not only the theoretical aspect but an internship and a thesis so it is also understandable that the pace needs to be rapid and that students are expected to learn fast and to get work done.

Although it is a lot of work, I would personally recommend the programme to anyone fully motivated and interested in deepening their knowledge on sustainability issues, and later working in the field.