Governance of Sustainability (MSc)

What does this master’s programme entail?

The Governance of Sustainability programme offers a transdisciplinary approach to tackling urgent environmental challenges. Designed for students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, this programme goes beyond traditional learning. On your path to becoming a change agent, you will learn how to integrate governance and environmental science perspectives and to collaborate with non-academic actors. This will enable you to co-create solutions to real-world sustainability issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, water management, and circular economy. Our graduates are well-prepared for careers in consultancy, governance, corporate sustainability, or research, equipped with the knowledge and skill set that are highly valued in today’s job market.

Read more about our Governance of Sustainability programme

John Nordberg

Student (BSc Environmental Science at Linköping University in Sweden)

'Coming from a bachelor’s in environmental sciences, I felt we only scratched the surface of environmental issues. I realised that my primary interest lies not in the natural science dimension itself, but in how environmental challenges are shaped by human behaviour, decision-making, and interactions between different actors. I became particularly interested in understanding how these dynamics influence environmental outcomes and the ways in which competing perspectives can be navigated. Something this master's offer! Moving to The Hague has its challenges, finding accommodation, navigating bureaucracy, finding friends. But, it has all worked out in the end. I decided to join the student association board of our programme, GOSSA. Being a member of GOSSA enables you to enrichen your own and your fellow students’ experience, both socially and academically. We get to organise educational events, sporting events, galas, and much more. As a relatively new programme (just over six years) with an active community of teachers and students, MSc Governance of Sustainability is still evolving and refining its structure, allowing it to adapt and grow over time. This can be an important strength given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of environmental challenges and governance!'

Anna Börries

Student (BA International Relations at Hochschule Rhein-Waal in Germany)

"The more I encountered sustainability challenges, the more I wanted to understand their full complexity and saw that governing change without a grasp of the natural systems at stake risks well-intended but harmful governance. This programme felt like the right place to start. It has since given me deeper insights and a newfound hope by studying with students from different backgrounds, all drawn to the same questions, discussing what is going wrong and how those could be solved. Guest speakers and panel discussions keep the material concrete and the programme at the pulse of current debates. Varied assignments and group work reflect what working across sectors looks like, and tools like Python and QGIS add something practical to your portfolio. Additionally, to the programme, I am part of the Leiden Leadership Honours Programme, which is broadening my development as a leader and my ability to apply what I am learning."

Alexander van Oudenhoven

Programme director and lecturer Thematic Course 2 Biodiversity & Ecosystems

'Nature and society are closely intertwined. Biodiversity is being lost at unprecedented rates, and this is leading to increased food insecurity, flood risk and climate mitigation. In our course, students learn how to assess the state of biodiversity and ecosystems, and also consider the consequences for human wellbeing. When thinking of potential causes and solutions, the analysis of stakeholders plays a central role, with a particular focus on leadership and collaboration. In the end, students are able to succinctly summarise their findings and defend their commissioners’ interest during a UN-style plenary debate.'

Why study Governance of Sustainability at Leiden University?

• Our teaching creates a transdisciplinary environment in which you are challenged to integrate multiple perspectives, reflect on those and take ownership of your own learning process.
• You will collaborate with interdisciplinary and international students to design and execute integrative research projects, combining concepts, theories and research methods of both governance and environmental sustainability.
• We connect you to important organisations, institutions and other stakeholders through guest lectures, excursions, panel discussions and commissioned group projects.
• You will be confronted with real-life sustainability challenges, that require in-depth insights into the environmental science and governance aspects thereof and the skills to integrate different perspectives.
• Be inspired by teachers from two leading institutes, who are researchers at the forefront of environmental sustainability and public administration.
• The courses are co-designed and mostly co-taught by at least one teacher from the field of sustainability and at least one from the field of public administration, providing you the knowledge from multiple perspectives. 

Find out more reasons to choose Governance of Sustainability

Governance of Sustainability: the right master’s programme for you?

Do you want to become a change agent, driving systemic transformation towards sustainable development? Do you want to learn how to bridge scientific disciplines, and become an intermediary between policy actors, the private sector, scientific experts and citizens? Are you keen to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, to design and implement governance solutions that address complex, interconnected sustainability challenges? Are you excited at the prospect of studying and working together with students coming from different disciplinary and cultural backgrounds? Then our Governance of Sustainability programme is designed just for you.

Read more about the entry requirements

Chat with a student

Do you have a question about studying at Leiden University or student life in Leiden? Do you want more information about the Governance of Sustainability programme? Chat with a current student for answers to your questions!