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Master programme

Do you want to make a real difference?

You can be a force of positive, sustainable change for the future of our planet.
The Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability is a unique international learning opportunity that will help you be a change-maker.
You’ll work on real-life global challenges with national and international organisations and emerge with essential skills for the 21st century.

Applications open in February 2025.

Get notified when applications open!
Already registered? Check your student guide!

About the Master's

Our Master’s is one-of-a-kind. The world is facing an uncertain future and people with key skills in sustainability and innovation will be essential to addressing the global challenges ahead. In this course, you will work inside and outside the classroom to address real-world problems and collaborate with business, industry, policymakers and more to find new solutions.

🌍 A First-of-Its-Kind Degree
Accredited simultaneously by multiple European universities under the framework of European University Alliances. With the experience of three cohorts of students, CHARM-EU now benefits from the international reputation and expertise of nine prestigious universities.

🎓 Innovative Curriculum
Explore a transdisciplinary, challenge-based programme that addresses the urgent need for a sustainable future through innovative learning methods and real-world applications. This course is tailored for a diverse range of students, welcoming candidates from various academic and professional backgrounds. It is structured to help you acquire new skills while deepening your expertise in a chosen field. 

💡 Cutting-Edge Learning
Based in research methods and inclusive teaching practices, CHARM-EU fosters collaboration between staff and students from diverse backgrounds to strengthen the links between education, research, and innovation.

✈️ Exceptional International Exposure
Over the course of 4 semesters (2 years), you have the opportunity to study at up to three of our partner universities, enhancing their international profile, intercultural competence, and global skills.

💼 Real-World Professional Experience 
During the experiential phase, students have the opportunity to undertake an internship, while in the capstone phase, they collaborate with external stakeholders—including international organizations, NGOs, and research centers. This practical engagement fosters career networks, enhances professional development, and significantly boosts employability in the field of sustainability.Our graduates have taken up roles in sustainability policy, consultancy, business transformation, communications and academia.

👩‍🏫 Expert Guidance
Based in research methods and inclusive teaching practices, CHARM-EU fosters collaboration between staff and students from diverse backgrounds to strengthen the links between education, research, and innovation.                                              

🔗 Inclusive Environment
Experience a welcoming, equitable learning space that values diversity at every level.

Join us to redefine education and tackle global challenges! 🌟

During the programme, you will:  

  • Research and evaluate complex societal challenges from different stakeholders and intercultural perspectives. 
  • Assess and integrate different disciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge and research methodologies. 
  • Become familiar with the latest technological tools to source, analyse, handle, use and communicate complex bodies of data ethically. 
  • Learn to communicate and collaborate effectively on complex issues. 
  • Formulate an advanced understanding of transdisciplinarity and demonstrate expertise in the facilitative, communicative, reflexive and collaborative skills to support its practice. 
  • Acquire advanced transversal competencies in problem solving, entrepreneurialism, innovation, digital skills, and a life-long learning disposition.
  • Develop creative and critical thinking skills.

The programme is truly international, you’ll study with students and staff from different countries and cultures and have the opportunity to spend part of the programme in different universities. 

You’ll follow a unique learning path through Europe and participate in virtual, physical and blended mobilities.

CHARM-EU is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and aligned with the European Values, European Green Deal and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students are encouraged to use green travel options. 

In the below section about the master’s programme edition, you will find more information regarding grants and scholarships. 

CHARM-EU welcomes applications from all candidates who meet our admission requirements, regardless of background, lived experience and/or access needs. 

Inclusivity is one of our core values; a diverse learning environment enriches us all and exposes us to new ideas and perspectives.

Our admission process incoporates an inclusion points scheme whereby applicants who wish to self-disclose membership of an under-represented group may do so and receive inclusion points. Underrepresentation can relate but is not limited to age, gender, family status, disability, sexual orientation, race and ethnic origin, religion, migration status, membership of the Roma and Traveller communities, and socio-economic background. This declaration is optional. If you apply for inclusion points and upload your documents, a member of our team will be in touch. The details of individuals’ circumstances are not disclosed, all documentation will be managed according to GDPR regulations and for the purpose of the application process only.

Needs Assessment 

We are here to support you during your programme. Students enrolled in the Master’s are encouraged to disclose access needs early so that the appropriate support can be put in place. To receive a Needs Assessment, please contact fazekas.agnes.sarolta@barczi.elte.hu.

About the CHARM-EU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Office 

The CHARM-EU DEI Office supports and safeguards inclusivity at CHARM-EU. During the Master’s Programme, the CHARM-EU DEI Office acts as an expert group to advise, support and collaborate with relevant organisational units, student services and teaching staff to promote the CHARM-EU inclusive learning experience. 

Questions?

Please contact the CHARM-EU DEI with any questions, comments, or issues regarding accessibility and inclusion relating to your CHARM-EU application, admission and experience. We’re here to help!

Contact us

The 2025 edition of the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability is undergoing accreditation.
The information below is valid for previous editions only.

The CHARM-EU MSc in Global Challenges for Sustainability is accredited by the European Approach to Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (2014) together with partner Quality Agencies and Ministries approval processes.  

Read more here:  

What career opportunities are available to graduates?

CHARM-EU graduates have skills for a wide range of careers, including but not limited to:

  • Consultancy for business, government institutions and NGOs.
  • Sustainability management and business transformation.
  • Sustainability policy, advocacy, and communications.
  • Business innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Social innovation and action.
  • Academia and research.

What careers do our alumni work in? 

Our alumni work as consultants, project managers, administrators, researchers, and more, in organizations such as consultancies, educational institutions, energy firms, government bodies, urban mobility initiatives, environmental organizations, non-profits, media companies, and urban development projects.
 
What do our alumni have to say?

‘The CHARM-EU Master’s is an innovative programme that allowed us to bring our ideas and interests to the forefront of our studies through its flexibility and collaborative nature. It pushes students to critically evaluate their worldview and the system in which we live, and broadens our perspectives of what sustainability encompasses. It allowed me to work both independently and collaboratively in teams of multidisciplinary students, and to explore a broad range of areas in my projects which included consumer behaviours, sustainable food system transformation and waste reduction and management.’

Hazel Byrne, alumna

CHARM-EU alumni highlighted five core competencies they gained during their programme:

  • Sustainability perspectives: Improved understanding of sustainability in a transdisciplinary context.
  • Challenge-based problem-solving: Solutions-based problem-solving and real-world experience.
  • Collaboration: People skills and group management
  • Flexibility and adaptation: Dynamic responsiveness to multi-faceted challenges with diverse stakeholders
  • International experience: Exposure to international perspectives and experiences with multi-lingual and multi-cultural groups

programme structure & curriculum

The 120 credits (ECTS) Master’s degree consists of seven modules in total divided between four consecutive phases. This innovative four-phased structure is aligned with CHARM-EU pedagogical principles and includes gradual acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies as well as flexibility of choice.  The different phases consist of modules with a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops. Additionally, these will also be paired with self-study work, assignment preparation and project work both individually and in teams.

The aim of the preparatory phase is to provide all students with a shared foundation (regardless of location or modality) in key skills and knowledge required for the challenges ahead of them.

Modules in this phase focus on transversal skill development to prepare students for transdisciplinary learning in the following phases.

Entry requirements: In accordance with the admission requirements

Academic Year: 2025-2026

Start date: September 2025

ECTS: 30 ECTS

Modules: Social innovation, Sustainability, Transdisciplinary research

Assessment: High-stake phase-level decision at the end of the phase of the e-portfolio (0% – 100%).

Organisation of the modules: In parallel

In the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) more details about the modules can be found in the module descriptors.

Module 1 – Social Innovation

Gain advanced understanding of the creative, communicative, and innovation processes that drive sustainability transformations.

After this module, students will:

  1. Have the knowledge, skills, and tools to turn ideas into action
  2. Have an advanced understanding of the creative, communicative, and innovation processes that drive sustainability transformations

The module will include workshops, lectures, and seminars on:

  • Design Thinking
  • Practice-Led Research
  • Change Management
  • Business Modelling
  • Market Research
  • Inclusivity, Diversity, and Integration
  • Ethics
  • Citizenship and Human Rights
  • Stakeholder Engagement and Perspectives Gathering

Patterns of change in culture, identity and written, verbal, and digital communication:

  • Communication Theory and Dialogue
  • Framing
  • Gender Perspectives
  • European languages
  • Negotiation and Facilitation
  • Diplomacy

21st century skills/competencies

  • Problem Solving
  • Project management
  • Pitching
  • Critical thinking
  • Media/Digital literacy
  • Data Literacy
  • Creativity
  • Team and collaborative work
  • Entrepreneurship

Module 2 – Sustainability

Critically discuss the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development, analyse and evaluate complex sustainability challenges and develop inter- and transdisciplinary skills to design solutions for these challenges.

After this module, students will be able to:

  1. Critically discuss the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development as they are constructed and represented within multiple disciplines and by different societal actors.
  2. Acquire a systems perspective to analyse and evaluate complex sustainability challenges and develop inter- and transdisciplinary skills to design solutions for these challenges.
The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:
  • The various, sometimes contradicting, objectives and challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Relations between sustainable development, economic growth (including degrowth), poverty and inequality.
  • Scientific basis, define and articulate the critical planetary boundaries influencing Earth’s resilience and stability and evaluate the scientific methods and data used to identify and quantify these planetary boundaries.
  • Importance and challenges of cross-sectoral approaches to sustainability challenges.
  • Linkages between (post-)colonialism, development cooperation and sustainable development.
  • Governance, law and economics around sustainability.
  • Geopolitics in sustainability governance, including the role of Europe and North-South relations.
  • Ecological overshoot as the main driver of biodiversity loss and decrease in nature’s contributions to people
  • Concepts of ecological restoration and introduction to nature-based solutions
  • Economic implications of sustainability challenges, including (challenges of) the economic valuation of natural capital.
  • The role of international organizations, states, businesses, civil society, marginalized groups and scientists in sustainability challenges.
  • Explaining people’s individual and collective (un)sustainable behaviour.
  • Participation of stakeholders in addressing sustainability challenges.

Module 3 – Transdisciplinary Research

Challenges of integrating different disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches and research methodologies, of ethical and judicious data creation, discovery and utilization.

After this module, students will:

  1. Have an advanced understanding of transdisciplinarity which enables them to work in transdisciplinary / multidisciplinary / interdisciplinary teams
  2. Be able to demonstrate a critical appreciation of the challenges of integrating different disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches and research methodologies
  3. Be able to assess for specific complex challenges how to master data as a tool for problem identification and solution building

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:

  • The concepts, including the history, of epistemic dependence, inter-/transdisciplinarity, boundary work, boundary objects, trading zones, unity /plurality of science.
  • The concepts, including the history, of reproducibility, exploratory research vs theory-testing, simulation, scientific models, scientific representations.
  • Concepts and strategies for fostering stakeholder engagement for effective transdisciplinary research projects to effect change when tackling challenges framed as “wicked” problems.
  • The basic knowledge to identify and formulate research questions, critically analyse and review the bibliography and metrics, analyse and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data, and the impact and outcomes of the research study.
  • Different positivist and constructivist perspectives on science, the concept of trust in transdisciplinary research, and how success/crisis influences stakeholders.
  • Communicate research effectively for different audiences in line with Open Science frameworks.

Entry requirements: Completion of phase 1 with a minimum score of 50% or above or completion of phase 1 with a score between 35 % and 50% with a remediation plan approved by the phase 1 coordinator.  

Academic Year: 2024-2025 

Start date and end date: February 2025 – June 2025 

ECTS: 30 ECTS 

Themes: Food, Water, Life & Health, Energy & Sustainable Cities

Assessment: High-stake phase-level decision at the end of the phase of the e-portfolio at the end of the phase (0% – 100%). 

This phase consists of 4 different themes, each one consisting of 3 modules. Students are meant to choose one theme. 

Module 1 – The Food-Health-Environment Nexus 

This module explores the social, economic and environmental drivers and consequences for (human and ecosystem) health and social justice associated with food systems.  

After this module, students will be able to:  

  • Reflect on the multifaceted nature of the food-health- environment-inequality nexus taking into consideration influence from cultures, energy and society.  
  • Describe the impact of food and its interdependencies as a result of social, cultural, historical, environmental, economic, medical and political factors.  
  • Systematically analyse the connections between food and different health impacts (human health and ecosystem health); with health, poverty, and climate change; and the links with social and environmental dimensions of sustainability.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:  

  • History of food and nutrition insecurity, hunger and famine from a systems perspective
  • Food systems from farm to fork: Fundamentals.
  • Food – environment related nexus: Contribution of industrial agriculture to fast environmental change & global pollution
  • The concept of health, both physical and mental (spiritual) and how it is shaped by food, including a gender perspective.
  • Food production and link to Global Health, One health & Planetary Health.
  • Food hygiene and safety, food traceability, food allergens. Food consumer information.
  • Malnutrition and overnutrition
  • Microbiome, Health and Dietary manipulation (including implication in disease development); the gut-brain axis (Microbiome and Behavioural modifications; CNS disorders)
  • Food and diets: the importance of culture, importance of diet in every stage of life. Food and children.
  • Diets, nutritional requirements in different stage of development and health
  • Nutrient cycle, food web interaction, food production environment requirement and impact on the environment,
  • Cultural identity and food: Cooking and eating as characteristics of human identity, taking into account anthropology and religion. Religious perspectives and food consumption: an honest mind in a (healthy?) body
  • Food as pleasure and civilisation: European gastronomy, an historical perspective
  • Food waste
  • Interactions between food and other sectors, in particular health, environment and social justice
  • Food inequalities and insecurity and their causes
  • Access to resources and food insecurity
  • Special topic: the future of meat (environment, culture, technology, marketing and product development).

Module 2 – Food System Assessment 

This module facilitates students to develop the tools to explain and evaluate food systems, i.e. the way people and social groups organise themselves to access and consume food, and how their transformation may affect the future of humanity and the planet.

After this module, students will be able to

  • Describe a food systems perspective to evaluate food-related sustainability challenges and transformations.
  • Identify and evaluate food systems transformations and their consequences in terms of different dimensions of sustainable development at different levels, from local to global.
  • Analyse the public health, environmental and social consequences of food production and consumption in a transdisciplinary fashion.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Food system: definition and approaches
  • Food system mapping
  • Food processing, consumption & dietary patterns, including product development, manufacturing, nutritional and sensory quality, storage, packaging engineering, marketing, advertising and distribution
  • The role of food producers, retailers, consumers, etc. along the entire value chain
  • Sustainable agricultural practices around the world (organic agriculture, nature-inclusive agriculture, agroecology, agroforestry, permaculture, etc.)
  • Specific food industries, Big Food e.g. Nestle, Pepsi-Co, Kraft-Heinz; Danone (infant formula)
  • The banana: production, distribution and consumption
  • Food and conflict 

Module 3 – Food System Transformation

This module focuses on policies and actions that are required to transform socially just and sustainable food systems. It enables students to develop the tools to (co- and/or re-)design policy and social actions to achieve sustainable transformations of food systems.

After this module, students will be able to:

  • (Co-)design and monitor research and policy/social actions to promote socially just and sustainable food systems transformations.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Evaluate (development) interventions for food and nutrition security, hunger and famine in developing countries, including from a historical/post-colonial perspective.
  • Assess to what extent and how the water-health-food-inequality nexus is reflected in different governance systems and social actions.
  • Assess regulatory frameworks (including (legal/customary) rights) that influence the availability and access to food and related resources.
  • National and international policies and regulations around food safety, dietary recommendations and their political, economic, health and environmental implications
  • Evaluating different solutions to sustainability challenges, including government-based interventions (e.g. taxes, subsidies, regulations, etc.), market-based interventions (e.g. fair trade/eco-labelling, payment for ecosystem services, etc.), business interventions (e.g. food innovations/biotechnology), civil society interventions (e.g. food projects/programs) and social movements (e.g. veganism movements).

Module 1 – Extremes in the Water Cycle and Their Complex Consequences 

After this module, students will be able to:

  • Identify, calculate and analyse past and present extremes in the water cycle and interpret their evolution under global changes
  • Assess the social, political, economic, cultural, environmental and biophysical consequences of water hazards
  • Identify the complex challenges that impacted communities and various stakeholders face
  • Collaboratively develop and apply strategies to debate with the public or imagine and construct playful forms of civic engagement

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Nature, water, climate and earth sciences (ecology, ecophysiology, biodiversity, hydrology, cryology, climatology, meteorology, geophysics, hydrogeology, oceanology)  
  • Water economics, policy, legislation  
  • Land management and resilience of territories  
  • Water hydraulics & engineering  
  • Participatory sciences  
  • Anthropological approaches in risks management  
  • Mathematics applied in the field (handling of uncertainties, statistical analyses, models) 

Module 2 – Adaptation Measures and Strategies in Water Management 

In this module, the student will learn about the global importance of water adaptation strategies and integrated management of water in a safe, sustainable and equal manner.

After this module, students will be able to:

  • Relate natural, social, economic and legal issues to water management and formulate their interdependence
  • Creatively think about and find potential interventions and measures to water quality and quantity challenges in a trans/interdisciplinary team   

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Anthropological approaches to water sustainability  
  • Environmental earth sciences  
  • Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) techniques  
  • Virtual water (green, blue and grey water)  
  • Water chemistry & treatment  
  • Water economics and policy (including degrowth water economics) Water footprint  
  • Water hydraulics & engineering 

Module 3 – Resilient Cities: Water in Urban Environments 

After this module, students will be able to:

  • Recognise the challenges of supplying urban centres with water in different geographical and social contexts
  • Identify the main water needs of the urban populations
  • Consider the technical, ecosystem, legal, social and historical aspects to provide present and future urban communities with sustainable and safe water resources  

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Smart cities and water supply Urban inequalities  
  • Urban metabolism  
  • Water engineering  
  • Water monitoring  
  • Water rights  
  • Water sharing Water-management systems 

Module 1 – Research on Health Challenges & Solutions

The aims of this module are

  • To provide students with knowledge and skills to develop sustainable interventions that address Global Health challenges.
  • To translate knowledge and skills into innovative solutions for a specific challenge towards achieving health benefit for all.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:  

  • Burden of disease  
  • Sustainable interventions
  • Translational medicine
  • Transdisciplinary collaboration
  • Health problems  
  • Bench to bedside  
  • Global health  
  • One health  
  • Environmental and Planetary health  
  • Health technology 
  • Research skills and methodology

Module 2 – Designing policies for health and wellbeing

In the module, health and well-being topics are addressed in the context of public health, whereas “life” is understood in a full life-course perspective of people, including all the aspects, circumstances, events and decisions along one’s life that eventually impact health and well-being outcomes on individual and on population level. The social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health and well-being will be examined in detail. Students will approach life and health from a policy perspective.

The aims of this module are:  

  • To equip students with knowledge for analysing and assessing the functioning and performance of broadly defined health systems, including biological, environmental and social determinants of health, as well as the health care system
  • To equip students with a complex, problem-oriented, transdisciplinary approach, and skills and knowledge required for developing strategies and interventions towards sustainable, accessible and resilient health systems at international, national and local community levels.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Determinants and inequalities of health
  • Biological determinants (age, gender, genetics and epigenetics);
  • Social and economic determinants (including education, employment/occupation, income);
  • Environmental determinants (including physical and psychosocial determinants, human-built and natural environment)
  • Interrelations of all the above
  • The model of exposure, vulnerability and outcomes
  • Meaning, properties and performance of health systems and health care systems
  • Sustainability in a health and well-being perspective
  • Global health, issues, actors and stakeholders
  • OneHealth approach in action
  • Context of policy making – models, methods, stakeholders
  • Health needs assessment – complexity of health
  • Health impact assessment – Health in All Policies and Health for All Policies
  • Methods and means of policy formulation – problem identification, identification of policy alternatives, impact assessment of policies for health and well-being, on local, national and global scale
  • Ethics of resource allocation  

Module 3 – Behavior interventions for healthy lives and wellbeing 

This module’s aims are: 

  • To provide students with an appropriate understanding on the different health concepts, covering public health, global health, one health and planetary health perspectives.
  • To enable students to recognise challenges associated with maintaining healthy lifestyles and wellbeing within a sustainable environment and devise and implement solutions for these challenges.
  • To equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote health and wellbeing by comprehensively addressing the intricate interplay between human, animal, environmental and climate factors.
  • To equip the students with the necessary skills and concepts on how to contribute to the development of high quality sustainable complex interventions that might respond to current and foreseeable challenges related to health in the context of the SDG targets. 

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Public health, global health, one health, planetary health
  • Interconnectedness of Human, Animal and Environmental Health and the impact of climate on health
  • Health and sustainability
  • Challenges and approaches in the field of health and well-being
  • Environmental determinants of health
  • Biological determinants of health
  • Social and cultural determinants of health from a sustainability perspective
  • Behavioural determinants of health
  • Models of behaviour change
  • Basic epidemiological concepts
  • Health Through the Ages: A Historical Exploration
  • Policy and practice: the relationship between an intervention and a policy
  • The nature and features of complex interventions

Project work

  • Problem/challenge identification
  • Intervention planning tools
  • Problem tree methodology
  • Needs assessment methodology
  • Setting aims, goals and objectives
  • Evaluation of efficacy and effectiveness (Logframe, Logic model, etc.)
  • Evidence-based practice
  • Examples of complex interventions
  • Communication aspects of selling and implementing an intervention

Module 1 – Energy, Emerging technologies & Smart cities

In this module, students will learn to understand the principles and history of energy conversion and consumption and the importance of renewable energy sources for building and maintaining sustainable cities. They will learn to design practical solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies, as well as examine the ethical, social, and environmental implications of energy and technology choices in urban contexts.

After this module, students will be able to:  

  • Critically analyze the principles and history of sustainable energy, including the conversion, distribution, and consumption frameworks, with a focus on the integration and importance of renewable energy sources within urban settings/sustainable cities
  • ritically evaluate the role and impact of emerging technologies in the development of smart, sustainable cities, incorporating a critical perspective on the challenges and opportunities they present for enhancing resource efficiency and urban resilience
  • Examine the interconnections between energy production, urbanization, and economic development, critically assessing energy policies and practices for their contributions to sustainable and just global energy landscapes
  • Design innovative, practical solutions to urban energy challenges, leveraging renewable energy technologies and smart city concepts to enhance sustainability and energy security in urban planning
  • Apply cradle-to-cradle lifecycle analysis to evaluate and minimize the environmental impact of product and infrastructure projects, from design through to end-of-life, promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns
  • Discuss the ethical, social, and environmental implications of energy and technology choices in urban contexts, with a focus on equity, access, and justice in energy transition strategies
  • Communicate complex concepts related to energy, emerging technologies, and smart cities effectively to a variety of audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:  

  • Principles and history of energy conversion and consumption
  • Sustainable and renewable energy resources
  • Emerging technologies and their environmental and social impact on urban landscapes
  • Energy policies and practices in urban areas
  • Energy justice
  • Life cycle analysis

Module 2 – Sustainable urban planning, resource management & resilience

This module aims to show students the different aspects of urban planning and how to incorporate the sustainability perspective. Students will learn how resource management plays a role in urban planning and what is needed to create a resilient and sustainable city regarding urban planning.

After this module, students will be able to

  • Explain various concepts, theories and practices as central to sustainable urban planning, urban infrastructures, and resource management
  • llustrate how various urban systems of sustainable transportation, resource and waste management operate and interconnect within the context of a city
  • Investigate the diverse perspectives of stakeholders and cultural groups within urban areas to solve sustainability challenges
  • Examine how approaches to resilience are operationalised and materialised in urban planning and design processes
  • Design projects tackling resource management challenges in sustainable cities, like transforming consumption habits for the promotion of local produces and the reduction of goods arriving from large distances
  • Critically assess the different qualities of cities that make them resilient and sustainable

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Urban planning and design
  • Urban inequalities and approaches to inclusive city design and management
  • Sustainable solutions in cities
  • Resource management
  • Waste management
  • Ecosystem services
  • Transportation networks

Module 3 – Policy, climate change & the future of sustainable cities

In this module, the student will learn about the intricacies of urban policy and how that affects the global climate. Students will be involved with the future of climate resilient cities and the intermediate steps to get there.

After this module, students will be able to:  

  • Analyse the interplay between urban policy and climate change in sustainable cities, and how it shapes the development of cities action towards climate change
  • Compare current climate policies to highlight similarities or differences of cities having similar environments, showing how the environmental differences of cities across Europe lead to different frameworks of urban policies and designs
  • Explain the role and complexity of policy areas linked with climate change, that focus on urban and suburban areas
  • Propose actions cities can take based on the framework of planetary boundaries, to align better to the environment around them
  • Investigate the challenges that the planetary boundaries concept poses for different groups within an urban environment
  • Compose the necessary steps towards climate justice from a case study

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Planetary boundaries
  • Urban policy in sustainable cities
  • Sustainable transportation
  • Green urban spaces
  • Climate justice
  • Climate change in cities

Entry requirements: Completion of phase 1 with a minimum score of 50% and completion of phase 2 with a minimum score of 50% or completion of phase 2 with a score between 35 % and 50% with a remediation plan approved by the phase 2 coordinator

Academic Year: 2026-2027 

Start date and end date: September 2026 – January 2027 

Modules: Internship preparation, Internship, Capstone preparation

Assessment: High-stake decision at the end of the phase of the e-portfolio at the end of the phase (0% – 100%).

Module 1 – Internship preparation

The high-level aim of the internship preparation module is for students to create an internship proposal. The internship proposal will define the research topic of the internship project and outline a plan for the internship period. Students research the context relevant for their internship organization and research questions. They strengthen their planning skills by organizing and planning their internship project and practice their communication skills in their first contacts with the internship supervisor and academic supervisor.

The internship proposal report should be approved by both the internship supervisor and the academic supervisor.

The module will include workshops, lectures, seminars and/or online learning modules on:

  • Formulating a research question from a sustainability challenge and possibly a hypothesis
  • Literature review
  • Analysing the organizational context of the workplace
  • Qualitative methods: e.g. semi-structured interview, focus group, participant observation
  • Quantitative methods: e.g. experiment, questionnaire, analysis of secondary data
  • Intercultural competences at the workplace
  • Oral presentation
  • Personal and professional development
  • Soft-skills in non-academic structure
  • Project management
  • Academic integrity

Module 2 – Internship

The objectives of the internship should be based on the application of students’ sustainability-based expertise to a challenge relevant for the (internship) organisation.

The focus lies on gaining professional, research-based experience by:

  • analyzing the sustainability aspects of a real challenge in an institution or company
  • applying research methods to provide a response to the formulated research question
  • documenting the results in a concise report and transferring the knowledge to the host institution.

During their internship, students will gain knowledge on subjects and strengthen their research skills, such as:

  • In-depth knowledge on a particular sustainability challenge
  • Literature review
  • Data collection
  • Analysis of data
  • Reporting on research results
  • Presentation/communication skills

Module 3 – Capstone preparation

The high-level aim of the Capstone preparation module is for students to practice working on real-world challenges. Students work on existing challenges around a local area of one of the alliance cities. They collaborate in a transdisciplinary team by working together with external stakeholders related to two Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). At least SDG 11 is being addressed; make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Each team can select an additional SDG that is relevant to their specific challenge.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:

  • Challenge based learning
  • Transdisciplinary collaboration
  • Stakeholder communication
  • Sustainable and inclusive cities
  • Sustainable development goals
  • Cross thematic sessions on: Water / Food / Life and Health / Energy
  • Research design and methodology
  • Management skills (e.g. project management, conflict management)

Entry requirements: Completion of phase 2 with a minimum score of 50% and completion of phase 3 with a minimum score of 50% or completion of phase 3 with a score between 35 % and 50% with a remediation plan approved by the phase 3 coordinator  

Academic Year: 2026-2027 

Start date and end date: February 2027 – June 2027 

Modules: Capstone  

Assessment: High-stake decision at the end of the phase of the e-portfolio at the end of the phase (0% – 100%).  

More information will become available at the time in the virtual learning environment. This module is designed to build on students’ knowledge, skills, and prior learning gained during the previous modules of the Master programme. Students will, in collaboration with extra-academic actors, investigate and evaluate a complex societal challenge from a variety of intercultural and transdisciplinary perspectives. They will contribute to creatively devise, implement and evaluate robust, adaptable, ethical and sustainable solutions for complex societal challenges.

The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on: 

  • Team formation
  • Transdisciplinary collaboration
  • Transdisciplinary research  
  • Intercultural and interdisciplinary communication
  • Stakeholder engagement  
  • Sustainability  
  • Design thinking  
  • Problem solving  
  • Critical thinking  
  • Presenting  
  • Creativity  
  • Entrepreneurship  
  • Prototyping  
  • Personal development 

CHARM-EU is updating the information on the teaching staff for the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability – 5th Edition.

 

The Master’s Programme Board has representatives from each CHARM-EU partner institution and is responsible for the operation and implementation of the master’s programme, in line with the quality standards and procedures set by the Academic Council.

Discover the Programme board

2025 Edition

The applications for the edition of the programme startingfrom setpember 2025 will open in February 2025. 

The Master’s takes place in four phases of six months. The CHARM-EU team is working to provide you with detailed information of the mobility and the different itineraries for the master’s programme edition 2025. 

The tuition fees will be announced in the next few days. 

One of CHARM-EU’s core values is inclusiveness. We strongly believe in the power of diversity. Learning and growing in a diverse environment leads to the personal development and cultural enrichment of all students. We understand that diversity can take many forms, and we are aware of the potential sensitivity of disclosing the nature of the circumstances. Many structural barriers inequalities persist for students when accessing and participating in higher education. Financial support is strongly correlated with postsecondary completion, and it, even more, applies to underrepresented groups.   

The grant aims to minimise barriers that hinder the access and participation of students who meet all the admission requirements and cannot access other grants and scholarships. However, please bear in mind that in line with the capacity and resources of the CHARM-EU, the grant is limited to 5% of the total students enrolled in the edition of the Master. For that reason, we encourage you to check other grants and opportunities. 

There are two grant models: total (tuition fee waiver and phase mobility aid) or partial (tuition fee waiver or phase mobility aid). 

Once you have been admitted, you will receive information on applying for the CHARM-EU grant. 

A step-by-step application process for the CHARM-EU Grant 

We want to create an inclusive and human-centred approach according to the core values of CHARM-EU inclusiveness ethos. This application process enables us to understand better the individual’s life circumstances and eligibility for the grant. 

  1. When considering applying for the CHARM-EU grant, we require you to make sure that you meet the criteria by self-assessing your eligibility circumstances beforehand.
  2. Eligibility criteria are (non-exhaustive list): 
    • low-income/ low socioeconomic background
    • instability of income 
    • employment circumstances
    • loan 
    • geographical location 
    • civil/family circumstances  
    • health and other social needs  
    • with children/caring   
    • disability/mental health, chronical illnesses  
    • immigration status  
    • orphan status  
    • have been displaced within, or beyond, their home country due to conflict or violation of human rights, such as persecution, refugee, an asylum seeker, an individual with long residency in the EU but who is unable to access government support, a stateless individual, undocumented individuals  
    • any other hardship or experience of discrimination and emergency can be documented/justified to be eligible.
  3. We require a short explanation for any applicant to be considered for the CHARM-EU Grant. We require a short letter, a minimum of half to 1 pager, where applicants explain why they need the CHARM-EU grant.
  1. The applicant will be requested to provide justification and relevant documentation in all cases. Please, share any supplementary documentation, i.e., nationally/regionally or locally authorised/official documents (if possible with English translation) or otherwise, that you consider relevant.
  1. Disclosure: we understand that diversity can take many forms. We are aware of the potential sensitivity of disclosing the nature of your decision to request grant consideration. We want to assure you that any information you provide to us on this matter will be treated with the utmost confidence. Any information collected or related communications will be stored and managed by the Diversity-equity-inclusion Office in compliance with GDPR and confidentiality agreements between the applicant and the CHARM-EU Diversity-equity-inclusion Office.
  1. Justification of circumstances: Additionally, to document provision, we require applicants to explain their circumstances to the CHARM-EU Diversity-equity-inclusion Office. Elaborating briefly on why you are eligible for grant, we offer you a short 5-10 minute call either via phone call, any video call or any equivalent tool that is accessible. CHARM-EU Diversity-equity-inclusion Office will contact you to schedule a meeting.
  1. Questions, Queries: Please feel free to share with the CHARM-EU Diversity-equity-inclusion Office any questions, comments, or issues on your CHARM-EU application, admission process and grant request. 

The Programme Board will review all the applications and will consider the following aspects: 

  • Academic achievement. 
  • Personal background and circumstances, as demonstrated by various factors, including the educational experience. 
  • As demonstrated by extracurricular activities, community service, work experience, interpersonal skills. 
Contact DEI

We invite you to investigate different grants at the European, regional and national level, including the opportunities available in your institution. Below you will find a list of available grants and scholarships from different countries and institutions:

Europe/ European Union

Spain

Ireland

The Netherlands

Hungary
Ministry/Higher Education Authorities:

ELTE

ELTE EHÖK

France

The CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability ONLINE OPEN DAY will be announced in January 2025. 

How to apply

The applications for the edition of the programme starting from September 2025 will open in February 2025. 

Before applying, please know that all documents must be correctly submitted in the platform at once, and late requests and/or document submission will not be considered. 

Do you want to stay informed about application openings? Contact us!

The applications for the edition of the programme starting from September 2025 will open in February 2025. 

At least a Bachelor’s degree or recognised equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree. In the case of students with a French Licence they will need an additional 30 ECTS certificate for admission.  

English language certification is necessary for programme admission.
C1 is the required level. Students with B2 level will be considered in conjunction with other admission criteria but must attain C1 level before programme registration.  

Download the list of accepted English certificates

Check out the application procedure step by step: 

Specific conditions: 

  • All documents must be correctly uploaded before the deadline of the application period. 
  • Documents will be reviewed once uploaded. If there is any uncomplete or mistaken file, the student will be informed and, within a maximum of 10 days after the deadline of the corresponding period, it should be addressed. 
  • Applicant’s allocation preferences for Phase 1 will be considered, but final allocations will depend on available places in all the universities. For the 2024 edition, note that: 
    1. Phase 1 will be only offered in UB, TCD and UU. 
    2. If the final number of admitted students is higher than the capacity of these 3 institutions, ELTE or/and UM will also offer Phase 1, depending on demand. 
    3. The resolution of acceptance in the master’s will include your firm allocation for Phase 1 in UB, TCD or UU. 
    4. If new locations are finally opened, you will only be relocated in case you rank ELTE or UM in as your 1st option in this application. 
    5. Phase 2 will be offered at ELTE (Food and Life and Health), UM (Water) and UB (Food). Considering the compulsory mobility in Phase 2, please take in account the speciality and location you are interested in when you choose the university for Phase 1.  
Contact us

Note: The information given in the admission form about specialty/track for the flexible phase of the Master’s is a guideline (not binding). You will be able to confirm or change your final specialty/track when you officially register in the Master’s (binding). 

Required supporting documents for admission: 

Applications with incomplete documentation after the deadline will not take into consideration. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that the application form is complete and that all required documents are attached in the appropriate format. Any application sent after the deadline will not be processed. 

You must upload in pdf format the following documents in your application file. For admission purposes, all documents must be submitted in English with the exception of the bachelor’s degree or equivalent and the academic transcript. Both documents can be submitted in any of the official languages of the CHARM-EU Alliance institutions that provide the Master (Catalan, Spanish, English, Dutch, Hungarian or French).   

  1. Valid ID card
    For EU students, national ID or passport can be used. For non-EU students, only passport is accepted. 
  2. Bachelor’s degree diploma or recognised equivalent
    If the diploma is not available yet, up-to-date transcript will suffice. Non-EU students should submit an additional statement from the university recognising that the qualification is sufficient to apply to a Master’s level program. 
  3. For Applicants with a French Licence
    certificate with additional 30 ECTS.
  4. Academic transcript
    Acceptable transcript formats must include the mean grade updated until the last evaluation period (GPA).
    If the GPA is not included in the transcript, students should submit an additional statement from the university including the grade point average
    *In case of students with multiple degrees (Bachelor’s or Master’s), only the one uploaded will be assessed.
  5. English language test scores with a LEVEL C1
    Download the accepted English certificates here.
    English C1 is the required level and must be achieved in all skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Applicants with B2 level will be considered in conjunction with other admission criteria but must attain C1 level before programme registration. 
    Exemptions: Applicants with the Nationality of an English-speaking country and coming from Education Systems of English-speaking countries or with a previous university degree delivered in English (Bachelor level minimum) are exempt and must provide a document that proves their cause for exemption (passport, certified from the university where they studied in English, etc).
  6. Curriculum Vitae
    Include clear sections on Intercultural experience (languages, relevant international and additional cultural experiences) and Civic engagement (relevant experiences and practical examples of the candidate’s past and current engagement).  
  1. Product
    Choose a specific and local challenge related to sustainability (i.e. the challenge should not be general but specific to your surroundings, city or personal experience).
    Using this challenge, create a coherent and comprehensive product in English summarising the challenge, interrelated issues and potential solutions.
    Ensure to explain: 
    • why you have selected this challenge; 
    • your personal experience with this challenge; 
    • analyse it in a critical way 
    • through the lens of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Format: selected by the candidate, some options but not limited to essay, poster, video, booklet, pamphlet, podcast, mindmap. 

Guideline: length 500–750 words, or 6–8 minutes to listen/watch/read. 

Disclaimer: the use of artificial intelligence is discouraged for content generation. Any suspicious products may result in the rejection of the application. 

  1. Video/audio presentation
    Download the video/audio instructions.
    In English. PDF format with the link to the video/audio recording.
  2. Inclusion: If you tick the box to be considered for Inclusivity Points, and once you have correctly uploaded your application documents by the deadline, you will be contacted by a member of the DEI Team to provide a relevant rationale and, where appropriate, supporting documentation. If you wish to provide documentary evidence (e.g. medical report confirming disability / document in relation to socio-economic status), please arrange such documentation in anticipation of contact by the DEI Office. These documents will be handled with the utmost sensitivity and solely by the DEI Team for the purposes of the application process only. 
Download your checklist here
An evaluation rubric will be used to ensure maximum objectivity.
The admissions rubric is based on the competencies identified for selection in the CHARM-EU Rules and Regulations: Admissions.
Please consult the detailed admission rubrics to align with the requirements and get the highest scores.
 
  1. Academic excellence (10 points)
    10 points will be distributed according to previous degree’s finale grade mark, converted in a A-D scale, following the grading equivalence table. If the country of the candidate is not listed in this table, the CHARM-EU Programme Board will decide the conversion to be applied.
 
  1. General academic competencies (40 points)
    These competencies will be assessed through the documents and files submitted by the student.
    For more detailed information, please check out the required supporting documents for admission here.
    • Critical thinking (10 points): Quality, originality, coherence, relevance of arguments in the product in relation to the chosen challenge, given different perspectives. Originality and feasibility of ideas and plans expressed in the product. 
    • Analytical skills (10 points): The candidate’s analytical skills show the thought processes they went through to arrive at a given conclusion and discuss the implications of this, in a structured and clear way, using suitable expressions. Arguments are presented with clarity and clear reasoning. 
    • Knowledge SDGs (10 points): Relation of the selected challenge to sustainability, awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals and identified linkage to these. 
    • Personal reflection (10 points): Explaining the personal (individual/communal) relation to the selected challenge, including lived experience. 
  1. Personal competencies (40 points)
    This will be assessed through the documents presented by the student. Intercultural competence (10 points): languages, relevant international and additional cultural experiences. Oral communication (10 points): the applicant makes a convincing video/audio presentation of their commitment and expectations. The applicant makes good use of the allocated time and questions. Civic engagement (10 points): relevant experiences and practical examples of the candidate’s past and current engagement. Commitment to programme entry (10 points): clear expectations from the programme, its structure, components and design; willingness to contribute.
  1. Inclusion (10 points)
    In order to ensure access and inclusion, applicants from under-represented communities (in terms of age, gender, family status, disability, sexual orientation, race and ethnic origin, religion, migration status, membership of the Roma and Traveller  communities, and socio-economic background in all aspects of higher education, among others), that wish to be considered for these 10 additional points can indicate this on their application. Once those applicants have correctly uploaded the application documents by the deadline, they will then be contacted by a member of the DEI Team and invited to provide a relevant rationale by way of a short explanation with regards barriers in their educational journey and/or underrepresentation in Higher Education. Where appropriate, applicants can provide supporting documentation (e.g. medical report confirming disability / document in relation to socio-economic status). Ticking the box to be considered for inclusivity points is optional for the applicant.

For more detailed information, please consult the “CHARM-EU Rules and regulations: Admissions“

ADmitted students

This section provides a summary overview of the teaching, learning and assessment procedures and activities in the 2024 edition of the CHARM-EU Master’s.

Barcelona

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is an open, young, vibrant and creative city with a busy cultural, political, business and commercial life. It is a metropolis where every imaginable language can be heard, as well as a city that invites its residents and visitors alike to discover its Catalan culture and traditions. Barcelona has always attracted people from all over the world, making it even more multilingual and special. It is the people living there, with their different backgrounds and cultures, who make it so cosmopolitan, diverse and intercultural. The University of Barcelona is located all over the city of Barcelona, being present with more than 16 Faculties and affiliated centers. This provides the students with a holistic experience of the city of Barcelona, being able to enjoy all its streets and corners. (Source: https://meet.barcelona/en)  

Useful links: 

Budapest

Budapest, the capital city of Hungary is located centrally in the heart of the country. With about 1.7 million inhabitants, Budapest provides an enjoyable and vibrant atmosphere for international students during their studies. The large number of sights to visit (many of them parts of UNESCO World Heritage), vibrant cultural life, the reasonable living costs, well-developed and easy-to-use public transport network, and safety make Budapest popular among international students.  

Useful links:  

Dublin

Ireland is a member of the European Union and is located in the North Atlantic beside the UK. Ireland is an English-speaking country with a young, vibrant population. It boasts a unique combination of cosmopolitan cities, breath-taking scenery, idyllic countryside and historic sites. The country is a European hub for innovation and industry with global companies such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Intel, Pfizer and HP based here.

The Trinity campus is located in the heart of one of the most popular and safest cities in the world. Dublin is a vibrant and multicultural European capital, which ranks as the 32nd best student city in the world (QS World’s Best Student Cities 2024).  Everything the city has to offer is easily accessible to Trinity students from shops, restaurants and coffee shops to theatres, museums and clubs, ensuring that there is always something exciting for students to enjoy. If you want to take time out to relax in nature, the city’s parks (including Phoenix Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe, St. Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square), an easily accessible coastline by train (DART), beaches and the Dublin Mountains are all close by.

Useful links:  

Montpellier

Montpellier is a vibrant city of about 300 000 inhabitants located in the South of France, right nearby the Mediterranean Sea. Elected “best student city” in 2023/24 by “l’Etudiant” one of the leading French student magazines, it boasts a total of around 70 000 university students and which shape the cultural and social life of the city.  The mild climate in the region (2770 hours of sun per year on average!), a rich historical heritage, the cultural diversity due to the proximity to Africa and nearby European countries, and an outdoor-oriented lifestyle make Montpellier an enjoyable and relaxing place to live in. Since 2023, Montpellier features free transport for its inhabitants within the well-organised public transportation network making it easy to get around. 

Beyond the limits of the city, Montpellier is well connected to the rest of southern France and neighbouring countries and with easy reach of culturally interesting cities (Marseille, Arles, Avignon, Barcelona), natural parcs (Cevennes, Provence and Pyrenees) and various beaches. 

Useful links: 

Utrecht

Utrecht is a lively student city in the heart of the Netherlands. Utrecht is a beautiful and inspiring urban setting that nurtures talent and creativity. It’s a dynamic, growing city that is characterised by a personal, human scale and offers myriad opportunities to those ready to grasp them. Last, but not least, Utrecht is an intelligent city that uses innovation and sustainability to meet new challenges and achieve its ambitions.   

Thanks to the help of a young, talented workforce and a citywide programme to create a sustainable society, Utrecht was recently voted the most competitive region in Europe. Lonely Planet ranks Utrecht in their top-10 of the world’s unsung places.  

Utrecht University and the city of Utrecht offer a lively environment where students can study and live. The city has a bustling student community made up of many different student organisations and societies.   

Useful links:

The General Academic Rules and Regulations apply to the academic year and to the admissions procedure, enrolment, education, the assessment and the final review of requirement to be awarded with of the Joint Degree Master’s Programme Global Challenges for Sustainability and to all students who are registered in the Joint Degree Programme and to all those who request to be admitted. Download the documents here:

Please find the academic calendar here.

To register in the Master’s programme Global Challenges for Sustainability applicants must meet all the requirements and conditions stated in the CHARM-EU Admissions and in the Registration and Enrolment Rules and Regulations of the Master in Global Challenges for Sustainability.

All students will be  enrolled as full-time students in each of the participating universities (UB, TCD, UU, ELTE and UM), and in first instance, in the Universitat de Barcelona.

The enrolment is online and done by academic year:

  • 1st academic year (2 semesters): Phase 1 (30 ECTS) and Phase 2 (30 ECTS)
  • 2nd academic year (1 semester): Phase 3 (30 ECTS)
Enrolment timeline

Candidates should register as soon as they can provide documentary proof of the requirements in order to manage their enrolment according to the timeline below:

The specific date and slot for enrolment is communicated to the students by e-mail.

Required documents for registration and enrolment

After being admitted and once paid the reservation fee, students must submit the final registration documents legally required to access the master’s programme before the deadline established.

Documents are required in English or any official language of the countries of the universities participating in the programme: Catalan, Spanish, Dutch, Hungarian or French.

In case the documents are not in one of these languages, they must be translated into English by a sworn translator.

Candidates must have submitted the following documentation before enrolment:

  1. Certified copy of the degree diploma (bachelor’s or master’s) that provided access to the master’s programme(*)
  2. Certified copy of the academic transcript (*)
  3. English language test scores with a LEVEL C1 in all skills
  4. French students: national service situation certificate (attestation JDC ou JAPD).
  5. Applicants with a French Licence: certificate with additional 30 ECTS.
  6. Civil liability insurance certificate
  7. Bachelor’s degree and transcript simple copies

(*) Degrees issued outside the EU (including UK): before certifying documents 1 and 2, the original document must be legalised.

See and download more detailed information about documents to be submitted.

Important remarks

  • Successful enrolment is conditional upon all documents being correctly submitted and checked for validity, the fulfilment of all regulatory requirements and the full and timely payment of the fees.
  • Please see and download the Registration and enrolment rules and regulations of the Master in Global Challenges for Sustainability.

The CHARM-EU Joint Virtual Administrative Office will help you throughout the entire process. For any additional information or any doubt, please contact them.

Please remember that the university where you will start face-to-face, is indicated in the resolution sent by the CHARM-EU Office. Here you have some practical information from each university:

University of Barcelona

Trinity College Dublin

Utrecht University

Eötvös Loránd University

University of Montpellier

The Counselling Services is provided by ELTE Counselling Centre. The Counselling Centre provides online individual counselling to CHARM-EU students in English.        

Experienced psychologists at the Faculty of Education and Psychology provide a professional counselling service to all our students. They are available to help students work through their difficulties, understand themselves better and find ways of managing their situation.

The Counselling Centre staff are professionally trained and widely experienced clinical and counselling psychologists, psychotherapists, all of whom are accustomed to helping people from many different backgrounds and cultures, and with a wide range of issues.

Counsellors can help students with a wide range of difficulties:

  • Family problems and parental separations
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Work-related problems
  • Academic difficulties
  • Managing transitions
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Mood disorder
  • Problems with establishing contacts
  • Problems with self-esteem
  • Lack of motivation, doubts about the career path you have chosen
  • The loss of an important person

After scheduling an appointment, students can meet a psychologist on 1-6 occasions. The psychologist will help them to reconsider problems, provide support, and help manage change.

Counselling sessions are held in complete confidence, in accordance with the instructions laid down in the Psychological Ethical Code, and Counselling Centre employees are covered by the obligation of confidentiality. Please find our privacy notice here.

Appoints can be arranged via mail: counselling@ppk.elte.hu

This section provides a summary overview of the teaching, learning and assessment procedures and activities in the CHARM-EU Master’s.

For more detailed information about the Master’s teaching and learning  structure and assessment, links are provided.

The CHARM-EU educational experience

CHARM-EU is part of the innovative European Universities Initiative, seeking to create European universities of the future. Students, staff and researchers will be skilled in navigating the twin green and digital transition, building a resilient society, and solving global societal challenges.

You will be one of the first students in Europe to take part in a European University at postgraduate level and experience this new way of teaching and learning. Throughout the Master’s, you will be pioneers and leaders for future CHARM-EU students. Your learning matters to us, to future students, and to Europe. We are always seeking improvement in our teaching and learning approaches, and as pioneers for CHARM-EU, we encourage you to share your experiences with us.

To create a university of the future, and give you the best possible learning journey, our ways of teaching need to be innovative, transformative, and future facing. To do this, CHARM-EU teaching follows ten educational principles. These principles scaffold your educational experience. In this section we will explain what you can expect from teaching and learning in the Master’s and what will be expected from you.

More details about the CHARM-EU learning experience can be found in the following documents:

Master’s structure and learning activities

The Master’s consists of three distinct phases: Preparatory phase, Flexible phase, and Capstone phase, aligned with CHARM-EU pedagogical principles, with gradual acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies.

The preparatory phase consists of three compulsory modules: sustainability, social innovation and transdisciplinary research. It aims to ensure all students receive a common grounding in key skills and content required. 

The flexible phase has equally three modules in one theme, selected from three thematic pathways: food, water or life & health. This phase aims to provide students with multiple options for learning within CHARM-EU related themes. 

The Capstone phase consists of one 30 ECTS module. During this phase, students work collaboratively with their peers, academic staff, and extra- academic actors (e.g. business and society) on an authentic sustainability challenge which is based on the student’s original disciplinary field. This phase aims for students to practically apply their knowledge and competencies through experimental learning.  

More detailed information about the Master’s structure can be found in this section on our website and at this document.

There are different teaching and learning methods that you will be engaged in including group work, workshops, lectures, coaching sessions, meet-the-expert sessions, tutorials, field trips and more. Every Module Coordinator has designed the module in a way that it matches the intended learning outcomes, content, and educational principles.  

Roles in education, teaching and learning 

CHARM-EU participants can take different roles in the master’s programme:

  • Teaching:
    • Module coordinator: Organize different kinds of learning activities such as lectures, tutorials or workshops. They overlook the modules as part of the programme and establish the learning materials as well as any guest members such as guest teachers.  
    • Teacher: Deliver the learning activities and content during class through hybrid teaching 
    • Teaching Assistant: Supports the teacher and the students throughout the modules. Especially in the classroom regarding its technological aspect, questions and group work on side of the students and facilitates the communication with the teacher and module coordinators.  
    • Experts / External stakeholders: Delivers specific expertise as (external) professional with the aim to provide new perspectives to the challenges. 
  • Advice:
    • Mentor: Guides you in your learning journey throughout the whole master’s programme by having student-mentor meetings. Monitors your progression in relation to the Programme Learning Outcomes and provides a Mentor advice based on the insight gained. 
    • Supervisor/coach: During the Capstone phase they monitor the overall progress of the group work and/or your professional development.  

As a student you are in the lead of your learning experience. We provide you with the resources to become the professional you want, but at the end you are in the driver’s seat to make this happen. This means that you as a student also have a role within the education programme. Your role as a student is to actively engage in module activities, pro-actively communicate with the mentor and teachers and you are responsible for getting the Module assessments into your E-portfolio in time.

More details about the CHARM-EU learning experience can be found in the following documents:

CHARM-EU Assessment

In CHARM-EU we are using an innovative approach of assessment. The main goal is to support students in their learning process by moving away from a traditional approach and instead, assessing student development across the whole master’s programme. The assessment of each module does not entail a pass or fail decision. 

What are the assessment indicators?

There are several Programme Learning outcomes (PLO) Domains in the master’s which are the core of all module assessments and connected to the outcomes of each module (Module Learning Outcomes). During the master’s programme you will develop yourself based on these PLO Domains and will be assessed on these. 

CHARM-EU PLO Domains

More details about the PLO Domains can be found in the following documents:

How will you be assessed? 

Throughout the master’s, you will be assessed through different learning formats that have a different impact on your assessment. Throughout each phase your work, the assessments and feedback combined make your Phase portfolio. 

1. Module assessments (low stakes): 

  • All assessment activities within modules result in performance relevant information or feedback to the student about their progression. Assessment activities can include: knowledge test, presentation, essay, role play among others.   

  • Module assessments encourage students to develop themselves rather than just learning for the test. This means that a student will not be ‘punished’ for underperforming on a module assessment, but rather feels encouraged to work on a knowledge or skill gap and demonstrate later on that he/she/they managed to fill the gap.

  • Module assessments do not lead to a pass or fail decision in itself, but provide meaningful feedback to the student.     

2. Mentor advice (intermediate stakes):  

  • The mentor will provide you with feedback on its overall growth and progression in the programme.  

  • To monitor how the student is doing and to make sure that the student stays on track, a mentor provides an advice.   

  • The mentor reviews the feedback the student receives during the Module assessments and how the student enacted on this.  

3. Phase decision (high stakes):  

  • The combination of multiple module assessments and feedback by your mentor will lead to a Phase decision. The assessment procedure for the Phase decision will commence after all module assessments and mentor advices have been completed.  

  • Phase decisions are assessed by a group of examiners known as the Portfolio Assessment Committee (PAC). 

  • A phase decision is a high-stake decision that is based on multiple low and intermediate stake assessments 

  • The Phases will be graded during the high-stakes Phase decision from 0-100. A pass mark on each Phase (thus all Modules related to that Phase) is 50 and above. The mark of the Modules of the Phase will be the overall mark obtained in the Phase itself.  

Who assesses students? 

  • Module assessments are assessed by teachers, other relevant stakeholders, peers, and in some cases the student (self-assessment).   

  • Mentors provide advice to students about growth and progression throughout the Master’s. 

  • Phase decisions are assessed by a group of examiners known as the Portfolio Assessment Committee 

What is the pass grade for assessments? 

  • The Phases will be graded during the high-stakes Phase decision from 0-100. A pass mark on each Phase (thus all Modules related to that Phase) is 50 and above. The mark of the Modules of the Phase will be the overall mark obtained in the Phase itself. 

How can you monitor your progress and use your portfolio? 

  • Each student will use Scorion, an E-Portfolio system, that collects all assessments and feedback in one place.  Please review the section “Technology in CHARM-EU Teaching and Learning” for more information about the Virtual Learning Environment. 

  • Scorion provides assessment data visualizations (e.g. Spider Charts) so students can monitor how they are performing in Programme Learning Objectives. It is important that all students keep track of their E-Porfolio throughout the Master’s to help them reflect and build on their learning experiences.  

  • Assessors will endeavour to provide feedback on assignments within 15 working days.

CHARM-EU Mentors

CHARM-EU mentors will be mentoring students and are a key part of our teaching and learning programme. They meet regularly with students to help them progress and reach CHARM-EU Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs). Mentoring in CHARM-EU is different than being a teacher; rather than teaching students module content or guiding activities, mentors listen and ask questions. They help students with forming learning goals, and support them in the plan of action their need to achieve these.

Our mentors have previous experience in teaching and assessing undergraduate or postgraduate students, and are trustworthy, empathetic, and enthusiastic individuals. Each mentor will commit 3 contact hours per phase per student (September to February; February to July; September to the following February).

During the Master’s induction week, students are allocated one CHARM-EU mentor from our alliance institutions. The same mentor and student meet throughout the three phases of the Master’s and are both committed to maintaining a two-way supportive relationship. 

What does a CHARM-EU mentor do? 

The mentor guides, supports, and provides feedback to students across the three phases of the Master’s. 

A CHARM-EU mentor meets regularly with students to:

  • Share practical advice, insights, and guidance,  
  • Develop student learning goals,  
  • Support student achievement of CHARM-EU Programme Learning Outcomes,  
  • Provide a knowledgeable, empathetic sounding board, 
  • Serve as a positive role model,  
  • Discuss feedback students receive for their module assessments, 
  • Informally advise students on future career development. 

Mentors also identify when a student is in difficulty and liaises with CHARM-EU support services when necessary.  

Who are CHARM-EU mentors? 

Mentors are academic teachers and researchers from a CHARM-EU partner institution. Many have worked with CHARM-EU on developing the Master’s content, and all have previous experience with mentoring university students. 

How often do students meet with their mentor? 

Students have dedicated meetings with mentors for a total of 3 hours across each Phase of the module (9 hours total). This would mean up to 18 30-minute meetings in the Master’s.    

What are the responsibilities of students in the mentoring relationship? 

Students are responsible for meeting and communicating with their mentor, being considerate, reliable, and committed to the mentoring relationship throughout the entire Master’s programme.

In the image below, you can find the student assessment journey in CHARM-EU Master’s Global Challenges for Sustainability.

Mentors scheme 2022

CHARM-EU enhances learning and teaching in higher education through the use of technology, also known as ‘technology enhanced learning’. Technology is a fundamental part of the CHARM-EU programme.

Virtual learning environment

CHARM-EU uses three core platforms in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): 

  • Moodle: This is the learning management system that is used to organize modules and course content for the master’s programme. Here you can find all the class material of the different courses. 
  • Scorion: This is the platform that holds the E-portfolio CHARM-EU students use to collect their programmatic assessments. It is used to review and evaluate progress, as well as to provide and receive feedback. Scorion facilitates a student-led approach meaning that it makes you responsible for filling it with the relevant data. The main benefits of this system are the flexibility that it provides as well as a powerful set of dashboards for students and instructors that show student progress across a large, customizable set of criteria.  
  • Microsoft Teams: This is the main collaboration platform for CHARM-EU students. Teams combines chat and video meeting functionality with document management and collaborative editing features. You will use Teams for almost all collaboration tasks, both for in-class activites and teamwork, as well as during the Capstone phase. The hybrid teaching of the courses also takes place on MS Teams. 

You will be using all three platforms throughout the master’s programme to support your learning and to become one virtual learning environment together with the students in the other partner universities. To access all three platforms, you need a SolisID which is secured through a password and 2-factor-authentication.  

If you need assistance with these platforms during the programme, you can receive support via the email: CHARM-VLEsupport@uu.nl.

Hybrid classrooms

Each CHARM-EU location has a hybrid classroom. These hybrid classrooms allow students at the different locations to follow the same class in real time and engage with the students that are located in the other universities. The hybrid classrooms are equipped with screens, cameras and microphones so that you can participate in different types of teaching activities with your peers.

Student equipment

Students (and teachers) should bring their own devices to the classroom including headphones with a microphone, and a personal computer with an integrated camera and HDMI or USB-C output. Student devices should have a minimum of 8GB of RAM, in addition to the minimum requirements for Microsoft Teams.

Do you need support to buy a device or do you have special needs on technology? Please contact your local university student services.

For full details of technology in CHARM-EU teaching and learning please read this document.

Inclusiveness is one of CHARM EU’s Core Values

One of CHARM-EU’s core values is inclusive. We strongly believe in the power of diversity to enrich the learning experience and to advance academic debate and knowledge creation and production. We see it as our social responsibility to foster an open, welcoming and safe environment grounded in inclusivity, compassion, and mutual respect, where individuals from all backgrounds, lived experiences, circumstances and access needs can collaboratively learn, work, and serve. We are committed to creating excellence in teaching and learning by providing the appropriate structures and services that both remove barriers to success and support the access and participation needs of students and staff.

How we interact with one another affects the integrity of the CHARM-EU’s academic and workplace environments. Through our core value of inclusiveness, we help support a climate of respect, accountability, honesty, and integrity in the community. CHARM-EU prohibits any discrimination on any grounds and does not tolerate any form of bullying and harassment. This approach is warranted because violations of a person’s dignity and respect can lead to a culture that disrespects, undermines, and belittles people, violating our Masters’ programme publicly stated values, mission, and purpose.

About CHARM-EU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team

The CHARM-EU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Team work to ensure inclusion and diversity sit at the heart of the CHARM EU organisational culture and operation, particularly the CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability programme. The CHARM-EU DEI Team act as an expert group that advises, supports and collaborates with relevant CHARM-EU organisational units, student services and modules to safeguard our commitment to creating an inclusive CHARM-EU experience.

Needs Assessment

Students with access and participation needs shall be provided with additional supports, where needed, and in line with capacity and resources of CHARM-EU and the participating institutions. Reasonable accommodations and other flexibilities are available for students with a variety of backgrounds and circumstances according to national and international equality and non-discrimination legislation including in relation to individuals with disabilities. 

Students seeking to avail of reasonable accommodations are encouraged to seek an Individual Needs Assessment in a timely manner, preferably at the beginning of their studies. If you would like to request an Individual Needs Assessment or have any access and participation needs to be considered during the Master’s Programme, please contact the CHARM-EU DEI Team Leader, Agnes Sarolta Fazekas (fazekas.agnes.sarolta@barczi.elte.hu), who will be happy to guide you.

The JVAO is composed of six Officers, each working in different universities, and each responsible for coordinating one of the 5 main responsibilities: Registration (UB), Education (UU), Mobility (ELTE), Boards (TCD) and Services (UM). Even though each of these five main tasks is the responsibility of a different university, all 6 officers work on all 5 tasks hand-in-hand, as a unique and united office.  

The JVAO is the contact point for each university and the main contact point for the students and the teaching staff. They assist them for any of their needs (services, assistance, logistics, etc.). If required, they redirect them towards the appropriate service inside the university (medical support, sport facilities, student counselling, etc.), or bring the issue to the other Officers. 

If you need any information, you can contact the JVAO by email or by phone and if necessary request an appointment. The contact information is available here.

JVAO contacts

This section provides a summary overview of the teaching, learning and assessment procedures and activities in the 2024 edition of the CHARM-EU Master’s.

Barcelona

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is an open, young, vibrant and creative city with a busy cultural, political, business and commercial life. It is a metropolis where every imaginable language can be heard, as well as a city that invites its residents and visitors alike to discover its Catalan culture and traditions. Barcelona has always attracted people from all over the world, making it even more multilingual and special. It is the people living there, with their different backgrounds and cultures, who make it so cosmopolitan, diverse and intercultural. The University of Barcelona is located all over the city of Barcelona, being present with more than 16 Faculties and affiliated centers. This provides the students with a holistic experience of the city of Barcelona, being able to enjoy all its streets and corners. (Source: https://meet.barcelona/en)  

Useful links: 

Dublin

Ireland is a member of the European Union and is located in the North Atlantic beside the UK. Ireland is an English-speaking country with a young, vibrant population. It boasts a unique combination of cosmopolitan cities, breath-taking scenery, idyllic countryside and historic sites. The country is a European hub for innovation and industry with global companies such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Intel, Pfizer and HP based here.

The Trinity campus is located in the heart of one of the most popular and safest cities in the world. Dublin is a vibrant and multicultural European capital, which ranks as the 32nd best student city in the world (QS World’s Best Student Cities 2024).  Everything the city has to offer is easily accessible to Trinity students from shops, restaurants and coffee shops to theatres, museums and clubs, ensuring that there is always something exciting for students to enjoy. If you want to take time out to relax in nature, the city’s parks (including Phoenix Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe, St. Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square), an easily accessible coastline by train (DART), beaches and the Dublin Mountains are all close by.

Useful links:  

Budapest

Budapest, the capital city of Hungary is located centrally in the heart of the country. With about 1.7 million inhabitants, Budapest provides an enjoyable and vibrant atmosphere for international students during their studies. The large number of sights to visit (many of them parts of UNESCO World Heritage), vibrant cultural life, the reasonable living costs, well-developed and easy-to-use public transport network, and safety make Budapest popular among international students.  

Useful links:  

Montpellier

Montpellier is a vibrant city of about 300 000 inhabitants located in the South of France, right nearby the Mediterranean Sea. Elected “best student city” in 2023/24 by “l’Etudiant” one of the leading French student magazines, it boasts a total of around 70 000 university students and which shape the cultural and social life of the city.  The mild climate in the region (2770 hours of sun per year on average!), a rich historical heritage, the cultural diversity due to the proximity to Africa and nearby European countries, and an outdoor-oriented lifestyle make Montpellier an enjoyable and relaxing place to live in. Since 2023, Montpellier features free transport for its inhabitants within the well-organised public transportation network making it easy to get around. 

Beyond the limits of the city, Montpellier is well connected to the rest of southern France and neighbouring countries and with easy reach of culturally interesting cities (Marseille, Arles, Avignon, Barcelona), natural parcs (Cevennes, Provence and Pyrenees) and various beaches. 

Useful links: 

Utrecht

Utrecht is a lively student city in the heart of the Netherlands. Utrecht is a beautiful and inspiring urban setting that nurtures talent and creativity. It’s a dynamic, growing city that is characterised by a personal, human scale and offers myriad opportunities to those ready to grasp them. Last, but not least, Utrecht is an intelligent city that uses innovation and sustainability to meet new challenges and achieve its ambitions.   

Thanks to the help of a young, talented workforce and a citywide programme to create a sustainable society, Utrecht was recently voted the most competitive region in Europe. Lonely Planet ranks Utrecht in their top-10 of the world’s unsung places.  

Utrecht University and the city of Utrecht offer a lively environment where students can study and live. The city has a bustling student community made up of many different student organisations and societies.   

Useful links:

The Academic rules and regulations apply to the academic year and apply to the admissions procedure, enrollment, education, the assessment and the final review of requirement to be awarded with of the Joint Degree Master’s Programme Global Challenges for Sustainability and to all students who are registered in the Joint Degree Programme and to all those who request to be admitted. 

Download it here.

Please find the academic calendar here.

How to register to the Master’s programme?

Document to be submitted and how to present them

Although we are able to approve your eligibility based on the digital version of the documents, in case you are admitted, we will need to verify the authenticity of the documents submitted in digital format. Please find below two options to submit the documents for verification. You can choose the one that suits you best. 

  1. If you are living in one of the cities of CHARM-EU partner Universities (Barcelona, Dublin, Utrecht, Budapest, or Montpellier) you can schedule a personal meeting with the CHARM-EU officer at the corresponding University.
  2. If you are not living in one of these cities, we would kindly ask you to send certified copies to the CHARM-EU Barcelona Office in charge of registration at the following address:

Att. Ms. Miriam Gasol

CHARM-EU Office

University of Barcelona

Carrer Balmes, 7  2do A

08007 Barcelona

SPAIN

What is a certified copy? A certified copy of an original document (for example, your degree certificate or transcript) is a copy that bears an endorsement or certification that it is a true copy of the original. We can accept both physical (hard) copy and digital documents, as long as their authenticity can be verified.

Certified hard copy

The most common way to arrange a certified hard copy is by visiting the relevant department of your university (such as student services or the academic registry) with your original documents. You should ask them to make a photocopy of your original documents, and then to stamp and sign the photocopy. Please note, all documents you send to us become the property of CHARM-EU University and will not be returned to you.

Certified copies can be obtained from:

  • Any office of the 5 CHARM-EU partner Universities.
  • A notary public registered in any of the countries of the CHARM-EU Universities.
  • The Spanish/Irish/Dutch/Hungarian/French diplomatic or consular authorities outside these countries.

The certified photocopies can then be sent to us by post as described above.

In the case of documents requiring legalization, the corresponding certification or apostille must be attached to the original document, and the interested party must submit a certified copy of the complete document, including all text relating to the legalization procedure.

Digitally certified document

Instead of certifying a photocopy, you can also submit a digitally certified document. We can accept these documents if they meet the following requirements:

  • Satisfy the certification guidelines of the issuing university.
  • Can be verified electronically on the website of the issuing university, a document verification platform, or by means of a digital certificate.

The CHARM-EU Joint Virtual Administrative Office will help you throughout the entire process. For any additional information or any doubt, please contact them.

Please remember that the university where you will start face-to-face, is indicated in the resolution sent by the CHARM-EU Office. Here you have some practical information from each university:

University of Barcelona

Trinity College Dublin

Utrecht University

Eötvös Loránd University

University of Montpellier

The Counselling Services is provided by ELTE Counselling Centre. The Counselling Centre provides online individual counselling to CHARM-EU students in English.        

Experienced psychologists at the Faculty of Education and Psychology provide a professional counselling service to all our students. They are available to help students work through their difficulties, understand themselves better and find ways of managing their situation.

The Counselling Centre staff are professionally trained and widely experienced clinical and counselling psychologists, psychotherapists, all of whom are accustomed to helping people from many different backgrounds and cultures, and with a wide range of issues.

Counsellors can help students with a wide range of difficulties:

  • Family problems and parental separations
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Work-related problems
  • Academic difficulties
  • Managing transitions
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Mood disorder
  • Problems with establishing contacts
  • Problems with self-esteem
  • Lack of motivation, doubts about the career path you have chosen
  • The loss of an important person

After scheduling an appointment, students can meet a psychologist on 1-6 occasions. The psychologist will help them to reconsider problems, provide support, and help manage change.

Counselling sessions are held in complete confidence, in accordance with the instructions laid down in the Psychological Ethical Code, and Counselling Centre employees are covered by the obligation of confidentiality. Please find our privacy notice here.

Appoints can be arranged via mail: counselling@ppk.elte.hu

This section provides a summary overview of the teaching, learning and assessment procedures and activities in the CHARM-EU Master’s.

For more detailed information about the Master’s teaching and learning  structure and assessment, links are provided.

The CHARM-EU educational experience

CHARM-EU is part of the innovative European Universities Initiative, seeking to create European universities of the future. Students, staff and researchers will be skilled in navigating the twin green and digital transition, building a resilient society, and solving global societal challenges.

You will be one of the first students in Europe to take part in a European University at postgraduate level and experience this new way of teaching and learning. Throughout the Master’s, you will be pioneers and leaders for future CHARM-EU students. Your learning matters to us, to future students, and to Europe. We are always seeking improvement in our teaching and learning approaches, and as pioneers for CHARM-EU, we encourage you to share your experiences with us.

To create a university of the future, and give you the best possible learning journey, our ways of teaching need to be innovative, transformative, and future facing. To do this, CHARM-EU teaching follows ten educational principles. These principles scaffold your educational experience. In this section we will explain what you can expect from teaching and learning in the Master’s and what will be expected from you.

Master’s structure and learning activities

The Master’s consists of three distinct phases: Preparatory phase, Flexible phase, and Capstone phase, aligned with CHARM-EU pedagogical principles, with gradual acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies.

The preparatory phase consists of three compulsory modules: sustainability, social innovation and transdisciplinary research. It aims to ensure all students receive a common grounding in key skills and content required. 

The flexible phase has equally three modules in one theme, selected from three thematic pathways: food, water or life & health. This phase aims to provide students with multiple options for learning within CHARM-EU related themes. 

The Capstone phase consists of one 30 ECTS module. During this phase, students work collaboratively with their peers, academic staff, and extra- academic actors (e.g. business and society) on an authentic sustainability challenge which is based on the student’s original disciplinary field. This phase aims for students to practically apply their knowledge and competencies through experimental learning.  

More detailed information about the Master’s structure can be found in this section on our website and at this document.

There are different teaching and learning methods that you will be engaged in including group work, workshops, lectures, coaching sessions, meet-the-expert sessions, tutorials, field trips and more. Every Module Coordinator has designed the module in a way that it matches the intended learning outcomes, content, and educational principles.  

Roles in education, teaching and learning 

CHARM-EU participants can take different roles in the master’s programme:

  • Teaching:
    • Module coordinator: Organize different kinds of learning activities such as lectures, tutorials or workshops. They overlook the modules as part of the programme and establish the learning materials as well as any guest members such as guest teachers.  
    • Teacher: Deliver the learning activities and content during class through hybrid teaching 
    • Teaching Assistant: Supports the teacher and the students throughout the modules. Especially in the classroom regarding its technological aspect, questions and group work on side of the students and facilitates the communication with the teacher and module coordinators.  
    • Experts / External stakeholders: Delivers specific expertise as (external) professional with the aim to provide new perspectives to the challenges. 
  • Advice:
    • Mentor: Guides you in your learning journey throughout the whole master’s programme by having student-mentor meetings. Monitors your progression in relation to the Programme Learning Outcomes and provides a Mentor advice based on the insight gained. 
    • Supervisor/coach: During the Capstone phase they monitor the overall progress of the group work and/or your professional development.  

As a student you are in the lead of your learning experience. We provide you with the resources to become the professional you want, but at the end you are in the driver’s seat to make this happen. This means that you as a student also have a role within the education programme. Your role as a student is to actively engage in module activities, pro-actively communicate with the mentor and teachers and you are responsible for getting the Module assessments into your E-portfolio in time.

More details about the CHARM-EU learning experience can be found in the document “Teaching and Learning: CHARM-EU Educational Experience“. 

CHARM-EU Assessment

In CHARM-EU we are using an innovative approach of assessment. The main goal is to support students in their learning process by moving away from a traditional approach and instead, assessing student development across the whole master’s programme. The assessment of each module does not entail a pass or fail decision. 

What are the assessment indicators?

There are several Programme Learning outcomes (PLO) Domains in the master’s which are the core of all module assessments and connected to the outcomes of each module (Module Learning Outcomes). During the master’s programme you will develop yourself based on these PLO Domains and will be assessed on these. 

CHARM-EU PLO Domains

More details about the PLO Domains can be found in the document “Teaching and Learning: CHARM-EU Educational Experience”

How will you be assessed? 

Throughout the master’s, you will be assessed through different learning formats that have a different impact on your assessment. Throughout each phase your work, the assessments and feedback combined make your Phase portfolio. 

1. Module assessments (low stakes): 

  • All assessment activities within modules result in performance relevant information or feedback to the student about their progression. Assessment activities can include: knowledge test, presentation, essay, role play among others.   

  • Module assessments encourage students to develop themselves rather than just learning for the test. This means that a student will not be ‘punished’ for underperforming on a module assessment, but rather feels encouraged to work on a knowledge or skill gap and demonstrate later on that he/she/they managed to fill the gap.

  • Module assessments do not lead to a pass or fail decision in itself, but provide meaningful feedback to the student.     

2. Mentor advice (intermediate stakes):  

  • The mentor will provide you with feedback on its overall growth and progression in the programme.  

  • To monitor how the student is doing and to make sure that the student stays on track, a mentor provides an advice.   

  • The mentor reviews the feedback the student receives during the Module assessments and how the student enacted on this.  

3. Phase decision (high stakes):  

  • The combination of multiple module assessments and feedback by your mentor will lead to a Phase decision. The assessment procedure for the Phase decision will commence after all module assessments and mentor advices have been completed.  

  • Phase decisions are assessed by a group of examiners known as the Portfolio Assessment Committee (PAC). 

  • A phase decision is a high-stake decision that is based on multiple low and intermediate stake assessments 

  • The Phases will be graded during the high-stakes Phase decision from 0-100. A pass mark on each Phase (thus all Modules related to that Phase) is 50 and above. The mark of the Modules of the Phase will be the overall mark obtained in the Phase itself.  

Who assesses students? 

  • Module assessments are assessed by teachers, other relevant stakeholders, peers, and in some cases the student (self-assessment).   

  • Mentors provide advice to students about growth and progression throughout the Master’s. 

  • Phase decisions are assessed by a group of examiners known as the Portfolio Assessment Committee 

What is the pass grade for assessments? 

  • The Phases will be graded during the high-stakes Phase decision from 0-100. A pass mark on each Phase (thus all Modules related to that Phase) is 50 and above. The mark of the Modules of the Phase will be the overall mark obtained in the Phase itself. 

How can you monitor your progress and use your portfolio? 

  • Each student will use Scorion, an E-Portfolio system, that collects all assessments and feedback in one place.  Please review the section “Technology in CHARM-EU Teaching and Learning” for more information about the Virtual Learning Environment. 

  • Scorion provides assessment data visualizations (e.g. Spider Charts) so students can monitor how they are performing in Programme Learning Objectives. It is important that all students keep track of their E-Porfolio throughout the Master’s to help them reflect and build on their learning experiences.  

  • Assessors will endeavour to provide feedback on assignments within 15 working days.

CHARM-EU Mentors

CHARM-EU mentors will be mentoring students and are a key part of our teaching and learning programme. They meet regularly with students to help them progress and reach CHARM-EU Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs). Mentoring in CHARM-EU is different than being a teacher; rather than teaching students module content or guiding activities, mentors listen and ask questions. They help students with forming learning goals, and support them in the plan of action their need to achieve these.

Our mentors have previous experience in teaching and assessing undergraduate or postgraduate students, and are trustworthy, empathetic, and enthusiastic individuals. Each mentor will commit 3 contact hours per phase per student (September to February; February to July; September to the following February).

During the Master’s induction week, students are allocated one CHARM-EU mentor from our alliance institutions. The same mentor and student meet throughout the three phases of the Master’s and are both committed to maintaining a two-way supportive relationship. 

What does a CHARM-EU mentor do? 

The mentor guides, supports, and provides feedback to students across the three phases of the Master’s. 

A CHARM-EU mentor meets regularly with students to:

  • Share practical advice, insights, and guidance,  
  • Develop student learning goals,  
  • Support student achievement of CHARM-EU Programme Learning Outcomes,  
  • Provide a knowledgeable, empathetic sounding board, 
  • Serve as a positive role model,  
  • Discuss feedback students receive for their module assessments, 
  • Informally advise students on future career development. 

Mentors also identify when a student is in difficulty and liaises with CHARM-EU support services when necessary.  

Who are CHARM-EU mentors? 

Mentors are academic teachers and researchers from a CHARM-EU partner institution. Many have worked with CHARM-EU on developing the Master’s content, and all have previous experience with mentoring university students. 

How often do students meet with their mentor? 

Students have dedicated meetings with mentors for a total of 3 hours across each Phase of the module (9 hours total). This would mean up to 18 30-minute meetings in the Master’s.    

What are the responsibilities of students in the mentoring relationship? 

Students are responsible for meeting and communicating with their mentor, being considerate, reliable, and committed to the mentoring relationship throughout the entire Master’s programme.

In the image below, you can find the student assessment journey in CHARM-EU Master’s Global Challenges for Sustainability.

Mentors scheme 2022

Technology enhanced learning means enhancing learning and teaching in higher education through the use of technology. Rather than technology as an isolated component, within CHARM technology is a fundamental part of the programme.

Virtual learning environment

CHARM-EU uses three core platforms in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): 

  • Moodle: This is the learning management system that is used to organize modules and course content for the master’s programme. Here you can find all the class material of the different courses. 
  • Scorion: This is the platform that holds the E-portfolio CHARM-EU students use to collect their programmatic assessments. It is used to review and evaluate progress, as well as to provide and receive feedback. Scorion facilitates a student-led approach meaning that it makes you responsible for filling it with the relevant data. The main benefits of this system are the flexibility that it provides as well as a powerful set of dashboards for students and instructors that show student progress across a large, customizable set of criteria.  
  • Microsoft Teams: This is the main collaboration platform for CHARM-EU students. Teams combines chat and video meeting functionality with document management and collaborative editing features. You will use Teams for almost all collaboration tasks, both for in-class activites and teamwork, as well as during the Capstone phase. The hybrid teaching of the courses also takes place on MS Teams. 

You will be using all three platforms throughout the master’s programme to support your learning and to become one virtual learning environment together with the students in the other partner universities. To access all three platforms, you need a SolisID which is secured through a password and 2-factor-authentication.  

If you need assistance with these platforms during the programme, you can receive support via the email: CHARM-VLEsupport@uu.nl.

Hybrid classrooms

Each partner university has a hybrid classroom. The hybrid classrooms allow students at the different universities to follow the same class in real time. Engaging with the other students and teachers that are in the different locations. The hybrid classrooms are equipped with a screen participate in work group activities with your peer students

Student equipment

Students (and teachers) should bring their own devices to the classroom including headphones with a microphone, and a personal computer with an integrated camera and HDMI or USB-C output. Student devices should have a minimum of 8GB of RAM, in addition to the minimum requirements for Microsoft Teams.

Do you need support to buy a device or do you have special needs on technology? Please contact your local university student services.

For full details of technology in CHARM-EU teaching and learning please read this document.

Inclusiveness is one of CHARM EU’s Core Values

One of CHARM-EU’s core values is inclusive. We strongly believe in the power of diversity to enrich the learning experience and to advance academic debate and knowledge creation and production. We see it as our social responsibility to foster an open, welcoming and safe environment grounded in inclusivity, compassion, and mutual respect, where individuals from all backgrounds, lived experiences, circumstances and access needs can collaboratively learn, work, and serve. We are committed to creating excellence in teaching and learning by providing the appropriate structures and services that both remove barriers to success and support the access and participation needs of students and staff.

How we interact with one another affects the integrity of the CHARM-EU’s academic and workplace environments. Through our core value of inclusiveness, we help support a climate of respect, accountability, honesty, and integrity in the community. CHARM-EU prohibits any discrimination on any grounds and does not tolerate any form of bullying and harassment. This approach is warranted because violations of a person’s dignity and respect can lead to a culture that disrespects, undermines, and belittles people, violating our Masters’ programme publicly stated values, mission, and purpose.

About CHARM-EU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team

The CHARM-EU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Team work to ensure inclusion and diversity sit at the heart of the CHARM EU organisational culture and operation, particularly the CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability programme. The CHARM-EU DEI Team act as an expert group that advises, supports and collaborates with relevant CHARM-EU organisational units, student services and modules to safeguard our commitment to creating an inclusive CHARM-EU experience.

Needs Assessment

Students with access and participation needs shall be provided with additional supports, where needed, and in line with capacity and resources of CHARM-EU and the participating institutions. Reasonable accommodations and other flexibilities are available for students with a variety of backgrounds and circumstances according to national and international equality and non-discrimination legislation including in relation to individuals with disabilities. 

Students seeking to avail of reasonable accommodations are encouraged to seek an Individual Needs Assessment in a timely manner, preferably at the beginning of their studies. If you would like to request an Individual Needs Assessment or have any access and participation needs to be considered during the Master’s Programme, please contact the CHARM-EU DEI Team Leader, Agnes Sarolta Fazekas (fazekas.agnes.sarolta@barczi.elte.hu), who will be happy to guide you.

The JVAO is composed of six Officers, each working in different universities, and each responsible for coordinating one of the 5 main responsibilities: Registration (UB), Education (UU), Mobility (ELTE), Boards (TCD) and Services (UM). Even though each of these five main tasks is the responsibility of a different university, all 6 officers work on all 5 tasks hand-in-hand, as a unique and united office. The JVAO is the contact point for each university and the main contact point for the students and the teaching staff. They assist them for any of their needs (services, assistance, logistics, etc.). If required, they redirect them towards the appropriate service inside the university (medical support, sport facilities, student counselling, etc.), or bring the issue to the other Officers. If you need any information, you can contact the JVAO by email or by phone and if necessary request an appointment. The contact information is available here.
JVAO contacts

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