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.
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.
Travel and mobility
Over the course of 18 months (3 semesters), you have the opportunity to study at up to three of our partner universities, learning from leading academics and innovative researchers. The program is self-directed, and in the second phase, you will select a focus area that aligns with your interests.
Students
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. Through the core modules and final project, you will gain essential skills, offering a seamless integration of both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to support your future career.
Our graduates have taken up roles in sustainability policy, consultancy, business transformation, communications and academia.
Objectives and competences
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.
Mobility
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.
Inclusivity
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!
Accreditation
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:
- Agència per a la Qualitat del Sistema Universitari de Catalunya (AQU) Ex-Ante Accreditation of Joint Programmes External Assessment Report Following the European Approach, and accompanying Certificate
- Information on accredited and evaluated joint programmes: MSc CHARM-EU, from the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR).
- Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports registry of official titles (RUCT) listing for the MSc, and an accompanying Official Title Report.
- Accreditation documentation listed on the Official Journal of the French Republic
- Décret n° 2021-377 du 1er avril 2021 relatif aux diplômes conférant grade de master et modifiant l’article D. 612-34 du code de l’éducation
- Arrêté du 1er avril 2021 relatif à l’attribution du grade de master aux titulaires du diplôme en partenariat international «Défis globaux pour le développement durable» de l’université de Montpellier
- Décret n° 2021-377 du 1er avril 2021 relatif aux diplômes conférant grade de master et modifiant l’article D. 612-34 du code de l’éducation
- According to current Hungarian legislation, there is no obligation to obtain an expert opinion when setting up or launching an international joint programme with European funding. In cases where such an obligation is necessary by law, the higher education institution – in accordance with Paragraph 67 (4b) of Act CCIV. of 2011 on National Higher Education – is not obliged to request the Hungarian accreditation body (i.e., the Hungarian Accreditation Committee, MAB) but may decide to obtain instead the expert opinion of an accreditation body that is a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and is registered in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education. In such a case and under the legislation, the expert opinion given by the ENQA–EQAR accreditation body is equivalent to the expert opinion of the MAB and thus fully replaces it. The Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability is an EU-funded international joint programme, therefore there was no obligation to obtain an accreditation expert opinion. However, ELTE has submitted the positive expert opinion of AQU Catalunya as an annex to our application for registration of the MSc. Find more information in Hungarian at this link.
- Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) listing for the MSc and registration from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
Career opportunities
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?
‘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
2025 Edition
EDITION STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2025
The applications for the edition of the programme starting from September 2025 will open in February 2025.
The CHARM-EU team is improving the master’s programme, with more information coming in the upcoming months. If you are interested in the master’s and want to be updated with details and the application opening date, please contact us!
2024 Edition
Mobility 2024/2026 - 4th Edition
The Master’s takes place in three phases of six months. You spend Phase 1 in one university, Phase 2 in another university and can choose to spend Phase 3 in a third university or to return to one of your first two universities.
Tuition fees
2025 tuition fees for the full programme (18 months) are:
- EU students: €3,000 (TBC)
- Non-EU students: €19,000 (TBC)
*Due to national legislation, students starting phase 1 at Utrecht University must pay an expected additional top-up of €530 in academic year 2024/2025 and an additional fee for registration in year 2025/2026 (total TBC).
*Applicants who were enrolled in a French higher education institution in 2023/2024 will be exempted from registration fees.
See more details in the Registration and enrolment rules and regulations.
CHARM-EU Grant
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Scholarships & grants
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
- Social Inclusion Policies in Higher Education: Evidence from the EU
- Erasmus+ Supplementary Grant:Students and staff with physical, mental or health-related conditions
- Higher Education: Latest update on fees and financial support to students in Europe: National Student Fee and Support Systems in European Higher Education 2020/21 Published: 2020-12-07 | EU Commission Press
- European Funding Guide
Spain
Ireland
The Netherlands
Hungary
Ministry/Higher Education Authorities:
- https://www.tka.hu/nemzetkozi/6403/osztondijak-felsooktatasi-intezmenyeken-kivul#%C3%BÚt
- https://tka.hu/nemzetkozi/6398/szocialis-alapu-osztondijak
ELTE
ELTE EHÖK
France
- For students living or working in France, or with one of the parents paying taxes in France, or with the status of refugee or subsidiary protected person:CROUS scholarship
- For international students, scholarships are listed here
- For more information, get in touch with the Campus France office in your country.
CHARM-EU Open Day
The CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability ONLINE OPEN DAY for the 2024 edition was already held.
It lasted 1 hour and kicked things off with a brief 10-minute introduction. The next 20 minutes was dedicated to addressing pre-submitted questions. Following that, we dived into a dynamic 30-minute Q&A session, offering an opportunity for real-time interaction with professors and administrative staff from the master.
Before the Q&A session:
- Please watch the short videos from the below sections in order to have an overview of what we offer in the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability.
- If you have any questions after watching the videos, please register to the Q&A session and your questions in the pre-Q&A survey.
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.
Admissions calendar
The applications for the edition of the programme starting from September 2025 will open in February 2025.
Access requirements
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.
How to apply step by step
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:
- Phase 1 will be only offered in UB, TCD and UU.
- 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.
- The resolution of acceptance in the master’s will include your firm allocation for Phase 1 in UB, TCD or UU.
- 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.
- 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.
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).
Documents to be submitted
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).
- Valid ID card
For EU students, national ID or passport can be used. For non-EU students, only passport is accepted. - 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. - For Applicants with a French Licence
certificate with additional 30 ECTS. - 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. - 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). - 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).
- 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.
- Video/audio presentation
Download the video/audio instructions.
In English. PDF format with the link to the video/audio recording. - 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.
Selection criteria
The admissions rubric is based on the competencies identified for selection in the CHARM-EU Rules and Regulations: Admissions.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Admissions regulations
For more detailed information, please consult the “CHARM-EU Rules and regulations: Admissions“
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE & CURRICULUM
The information below is valid for the 4th edition of the master, which starts September 2024 and will end in January 2026.
For the edition starting in September 2025, the programme structure and the curriculum of the master’s programme is being improved and will be communicated later.
The 90 credits (ECTS) Master’s degree consists of seven modules in total divided between three consecutive phases. This innovative three-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.
Phase 1 – Preparatory phase
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: 2024-2025
Start date: September 2024
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:
- Have the knowledge, skills and tools to turn ideas into action
- Have an advanced understanding of the creative, communicative and innovation processes that drive sustainability transformations
The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:
- Social innovation and intra/entrepreneurship
- 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
- 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:
- Critically discuss the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development as they are constructed and represented within multiple disciplines and by different societal actors.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Have an advanced understanding of transdisciplinarity which enables them to work in transdisciplinary / multidisciplinary / interdisciplinary teams
- Be able to demonstrate a critical appreciation of the challenges of integrating different disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches and research methodologies
- 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.
- 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.
Phase 2 – Flexible phase
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 – July 2025
ECTS: 30 ECTS
Themes: Food, Water, Life & Health
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 3 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:
- Food and diets: the importance of culture
- Diets, nutritional requirements and health
- Interactions between food and other sectors, in particular health, environment and social justice Food related nexus
- 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).
- Food waste
- Nutritionism
- Food and children
- Obesity and fatness
- Microbiome, Health and Dietary manipulation (including implication in disease development); the gut-brain axis (Microbiome and Behavioural modifications; CNS disorders)
- Food hygiene and safety, food traceability, food allergens
- The concept of health, both physical and mental (spiritual) and how it is shaped by food, including a gender perspective
- Religious perspectives and food consumption: an honest mind in a (healthy?) body
- Cooking and eating as characteristics of human identity, taking into account anthropology and religion
- Food as pleasure and civilisation: European gastronomy, an historical perspective
Module 2 – Food Systems and their Transformations
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 3 – Socially Just and Sustainable Food Systems
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:
- History of food and nutrition insecurity, hunger and famine from a systems perspective
- Food system: definition and approaches
- 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 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 – Health Challenges
Develop sustainable interventions from fundamental science discoveries to clinical and societal issues to address Global Health challenges and translate them into innovative 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
- Planetary health
- Health technology
Module 2 – Health Systems and Policies
Strategies, approaches, functioning and performance of people-centred, sustainable, accessible and resilient health systems and health policymaking at international, national and local community levels.
The aims of this module are:
- To enable students to develop and apply effective bespoke health system strategies and approaches in the context of diverse health and disease management requirements.
- To equip students with knowledge for analysing and assessing the functioning and performance of health systems and health policy making.
- To equip students with a complex, problem-oriented approach and knowledge required for developing strategies and interventions towards people-centred sustainable, accessible and resilient health systems at international, national and local community levels.
The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:
- health and illness as biological, psychological and social phenomena people-centred, sustainable and resilient health systems
- the role of health systems in improving health and reducing health inequalities socio-economic and political context of health policies and “health in all policies” assessment of the performance of health systems and health policies
- safety and quality in health systems
Module 3 – Healthy Lives and Wellbeing
Healthy lifestyles, health promotion, disease prevention, risk factors and social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health and health inequalities
This module’s aims are:
- To provide students with knowledge of the concepts of healthy lives and wellbeing: healthy lifestyles, health promotion, disease prevention, and risk factors and for students to explain the value of inter-/ transdisciplinary perspectives to these concepts.
- To provide students with knowledge of healthy lives and wellbeing as social phenomena, discourse on health and social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health and health inequalities and for students to explain the value of inter-/ transdisciplinary perspectives to these concepts.
- To enable student to recognise challenges associated with maintaining healthy lifestyles and wellbeing within a sustainable environment and devise and implement solutions for these challenges.
The module will include workshops, lectures and seminars on:
- Healthy lifestyle
- Wellbeing
- Social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health
- Health risk factors
- Health interventions
- Lifespan perspective across healthy lifestyle
- Health promotion
- Health protection and disease prevention
Phase 3 - Capstone Phase
Students will, in collaboration with extra-academic actors, investigate and evaluate complex societal challenges from a variety of intercultural and transdisciplinary perspectives. They will creatively devise, implement and evaluate robust, adaptable, ethical and sustainable solutions for complex societal challenges.
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 1 coordinator
Academic Year: 2025-2026
Start date and end date: September 2025 – January 2026
Modules: Social innovation, Sustainability, Transdisciplinary research
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 and prior learning gained during the previous modules of the Master programme. Students will, in collaboration with extra-academic actors, investigate and evaluate complex societal challenges from a variety of intercultural and transdisciplinary perspectives. They will 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
Below is an overview of the challenges that have been selected by the 2nd cohort of CHARM-EU students for their Capstone phase. Between September 2023 and February 2024, 13 teams across four universities are working on 13 authentic sustainability challenges within and beyond Europe. Discover the challenges and the external stakeholders (including partners from business and society and Higher Education institutions) who made collaboration possible.
Examining the role of technology in advancing climate change adaptation through the water-energy-food nexus in Europe
Stakeholder: UNFCCC
The Water-Energy-food nexus has been hailed as a novel approach that allows the consideration of synergies and trade revolving around the complex and interlinked uses of water, energy and food as well as facilitating co-benefits. In the face of climate change, this project seeks to explore the prospects of climate change adaptation through this nexus approach within Europe. We invite interested students to think about the future of Europe, existing policies and initiatives as well as advancements in technology and relate this to climate change adaptation from the water-energy-food nexus viewpoint. This project will complement a similar project in Africa and will collectively contribute to the work of the Technology Executive Committee – a constituted body within the UN Climate Change Secretariat.
Gender Sensitive Peacebuilding: Does it Help with the Sustainability of Peace Processes?
Stakeholder: Trinity College Dublin
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 brought a new approach to gender-sensitive peacebuilding. It affirmed that gender-sensitive peacebuilding brings out a newer perspective and increases the chance of sustainability in peace processes by 23%. Gender-sensitive peacebuilding counterbalances peace processes and policies by focusing on gender-based factors such as masculinity militarization, gender-based violence and women’s approach to peacebuilding. In this challenge, we will explore innovative ways of understanding this peacebuilding approach. This challenge will contribute towards UN sustainability goal 5 by becoming a platform through which gender inequality in peace processes can be questioned. There will be a balance of theoretical and practical experience in this challenge. The theoretical part of this challenge will introduce students to the importance of gender-sensitive peacebuilding. And practical learning will take place through virtually collaborating with external stakeholders like civil society organizations, and think tanks in various conflicts. Students will be encouraged to use qualitative methods like semi-structured interviews and discourse analysis of policy briefs which will contribute towards UN sustainability goal 16 by putting forth practical examples of making the peace processes more sustainable.
Environmental monitoring for reconciling humanity and the planet: human-livestock-wildlife
Stakeholder: University of Pretoria
The challenge for CHARM-EU students will be to analyse and provide solutions through both Western and African value and indigenous knowledge systems, to challenges at this human-livestock-wildlife ecosystem interface. This should be done in close consultation and in partnership with the local community and should be broad-based, and participatory. This implies that resources should meet needs in an equitable and sustainable manner, addressing environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. These lessons are also transferable to other parts of society and will be communicable for the greater good through the production of scientific-, policy-, business-, or communication-oriented products by student teams. This challenge proposes 3 months mobility to The Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station in South Africa for which an Erasmus funding is available to cover air travel (to and back from South Africa), on site accommodation and living expenses. The Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station (HHWRS) is based in a rural setting in the Kruger National Park and functions as a field-based research facility where multidisciplinary approaches to address complex challenges and develop sustainable solutions for the problems associated with human-livestock-wildlife ecosystem interface through an existing partnership with the Mnisi Community Programme of the University of Pretoria. Requirement: even number of men and even number of women (due to shared accommodation).
Boosting Gender-related Financing to achieve SDG15
Stakeholder: UNCCD
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is promoting financing for gender equality by liaising between funding sources and parties through technical support, but more efforts are needed in evidence-based advocacy and technical support. Gender mainstreaming in projects related to desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD) is a priority for countries to achieve their Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and contribute to the SDGs. UNCCD proposes to the CHARM-EU students to pick up the challenge by developing a framework that focuses on green/climate financing for gender equality. The framework should include opportunities for funding for women-led projects on DLDD issues, policy analysis, challenges and recommendations, tools/guidance for policy and programming for gender, analysis of funds allocation, and successful cases.
Reduce the environmental impact of a small company
Stakeholder: Andromède océanologie
Andromède océanologie, a French company specialized in the study, development and restoration of the marine environment, has 12 employees. Its activities are shared between seabed cartography, scientific expeditions, method development, ecological monitoring, restoration projects, quantification of human activities… The company wishes to increase its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. It therefore asks the group of students for a diagnosis, proposals for concrete actions (action sheets) and communication materials (internal use + external use during commercial proposals).
Study on the trade and climate nexus in the agri-food sector globally
Stakeholder: Institute for European Environmental Policy
International trade poses both opportunities and challenges to the EU’s ambitions to reduce GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, including for the agri-food sector which is notoriously resistant to climate efforts. The reduction of trade barriers for example, can facilitate the expansion of markets and spur economic growth, increasing the risk for the persistence of high levels of emissions. Economic integration, however, also presents opportunities such as the development and/or dissemination of climate-mitigating technologies and services for sustainable agri-food practices or incentivise changes in standards and practices among less climate friendly legal frameworks, thus scaling up efforts to reduce GHG emissions, while supporting access to essential resources for food security globally. With this project, we aim to analyse the current trends and propose realistic trade policy options that could support lowering the GHG emissions associated with the agri-food sector in the EU and beyond.
Ecocide as an international crime in the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court
Stakeholder: Utrecht University
Should the destruction of ecosystems be treated as an international crime? An increasing movement of activists, researchers, lawyers and political leaders calls for ‘Ecocide’ to be added as a fifth core crime in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), next to the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. This challenge will assess to what extent including Ecocide in international criminal law could contribute to preventing severe ecological damage, and what challenges remain in its conceptualization. How do we determine who is responsible and how do we hold them accountable? How do we acknowledge and represent non-human perspectives? How could Indigenous perspectives be strengthened in this debate? And how do we, or should we, balance ecological and socio-economic considerations? How do we make visible and understandable to a broader public what ecocide is? What role can the cultural arena play and how can artists, writers, and filmmakers raise public awareness about ecocide? Students will collaborate with the interdisciplinary research project Conceptualizing Ecocide at Utrecht University and relevant stakeholders such as the foundation Stop Ecocide to address this challenge. The challenge benefits from reflections from various perspectives including its legal, ecological, political, sociocultural, criminological, philosophical, and historical dimensions. A goal and concrete output of this challenge is to set up a mock trial at Utrecht University in collaboration with the project team and relevant stakeholders. During this mock trial (a simulation of a real trial, a performance carried out “as if” ecocide had been criminalized), the goal is to address and reflect on the challenges described above by using a realistic example of ecocide. Conceptualizing ecocide by means of inter- and transdisciplinary research contributes to various SDGs, including 15 Life on Land, 13 Climate Action and 16 Peace, Justice and strong institutions.
Boosting sustainable circular economy in the peri-urban farming system of Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park (Barcelona Metopolitan Area)
Stakeholder: Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park / Consorci del Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat
The Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park (PABLL) is a peri-urban faming area located next to Barcelona with 3.473 ha and around 300 farmers that produce local and quality fresh fruit and vegetables. Challenge: in front of increasing prices of inputs and the need to reduce the ecological footprint of farms in line with EU goals, farmers require to better manage inputs and outputs of agriculture processes. To face this challenge, research is needed to improve circular economy of farming in this agricultural park, increasing sustainability with efficiency of inputs (energy, soil, water) and reduction and reuse of waste (plastics, phytosanitary containers, food waste). Governance is crucial to make progress in this field, so the research requires to deep into different stakeholders involved on boosting sustainable circular economy of farming system in PABLL.
True Climate Platform
Stakeholder: WWF
As the urgency to achieve zero emissions increases, multiple initiatives are emerging to boost climate leadership among different sectors. However, with most of them focusing only on pledges, the accountability and measurement of the real impacts of climate objectives and actions turns into a big challenge. Pledges are failing to ignite real transformations, and, in some cases, they could derive in greenwashing. Recent studies show that greenwashing has never been stronger, highlighting the shortcomings in the climate pledges of leading companies. This highlights the necessity of tracking the real contribution of non-state actors to recognize credible climate actions that are leading to 1.5° scenarios. Taking Facebook and Spotify as inspiration, we aim to collectively build a system that can host information around 500 climate actions and build a community of climate leaders from cities, organizations, and companies around the world to help catalogue, track, and measure climate action. The goal of this Capstone Project is to validate and refine this idea together with a wide network of global stakeholders. You will i) map the ecosystem and identify key actors; ii) suggest functionality, operative, and visual features for the platform based on stakeholder needs and feedback; iii) develop a strategy to ensure stakeholder participation in the platform; and lastly iv) provide recommendations to ensure the economic viability of such initiative. The project will be realized in the context of the Alliances for Climate Action, a WWF-led initiative dedicated to drive ambitious climate action, increase public support, and engage national governments to decarbonize faster. The alliances include a diversity of voices representing over 6000 climate leaders from nearly every sector of society across 10 countries, located mostly in the Global South.
Creating from scratch a socially responsible company whose mission is greening Barcelona and other towns
Stakeholder: Enverdim Barcelona
Enverdim Barcelona is the ecological dream of an individual who believes in the power of every single person to change the world. The dream aims at greening our cities and towns to reverse the climate crisis. As a project, it stands on three pillars, two of which have been already in motion since 2019: 1.Citizen engagement; 2. Primary and Secondary School action. Both of them have been growing since then. Now, here goes the 3rd pillar and challenge: would you be able to create from scratch a socially responsible and economically sustainable company which: a. transforms seeds into plants; b. shares the green it creates; c. gives employment to harder employable people or at risk of social exclusion? For instance, a system similar to a plant nursery. Selling the plants and other products (including SCR-related training) to companies. For further info (in Catalan), please visit www.enverdimbarcelona.cat; TW: @enverdim; IG: @enverdimbarcelona. Don’t hesitate to contact me directly at hola@enverdimbarcelona.cat for more details in English.
Sustainability of Spanish food production / consumption
Stakeholder: International groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC)
24% of the total groundwater body area in EU was reported to be of poor chemical status and 9% to be of poor quantitative status. Failure to achieve a good qualitative status and a good chemical status are largely attributed to diffuse pollution from agriculture and water abstraction for irrigation. The case of Spain is illustrative. It is a major food producer in Europe, whose groundwater resources are under stress. Some aquifers are depleted due to irrigation, while others are heavily contaminated due to the use of fertilizers. Since a significant part of food produced in Spain is exported, responsibilities for these groundwater issues are shared. The challenge is to determine to what extent food production in Spain is sustainable with respect to groundwater resources. The challenge could be structured in 4 components, which could be addressed through one or several case studies:
- Component 1: What is the current status of groundwater resources in Spain? How does the status of groundwater resources correlate with food production? What are the consequences of the bad status of groundwater resources on the people and the ecosystems?
- Component 2: Who benefits from the food production in Spain? – producers How much profit does food production create and who shares these profits? What is the structure of the food production sector in Spain?
- Component 3: Who benefits from food production in Spain? – consumers Where is the food produced in Spain consumed? What products are exported, to which countries, and in what quantity? What is the trend of exports over the last decades?
- Component 4: How can food production be made sustainable? What measures have been implemented? Is it possible to achieve a good status of groundwater resources without reducing food production? Only 1 of 3 IGRAC challenges can be executed
Science from Africa to the world in the context of the decolonizing global health movement
Stakeholder: Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)
In response to the “Black lives matter” movement, global inequities in the response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and growing voices calling to decolonize global health there have been different initiatives and reports which have highlighted the structural racism embedded in humanitarian development, international aid, and global health agencies. As Abimbola S. et al remark, those organizations “are opening doors for uncomfortable but important conversations” as they are revealing “serious asymmetries of power and privilege that permeate all aspects of global health”. One of those asymmetries is the impact of racism. In fact, “a growing body of work underscores the need to consider multiple dimensions of race – the social construction of race as a function of appearance, societal interactions, institutional dynamics, stereotypes, and social norms”. Two of the main institutions working for global health, Liverpool school of tropical medicine (LSTM) and London school of tropical medicine & hygiene (LSHTM), have developed two reports addressing this issue. Both reviews have revealed “uncovered instances of racism and inequalities which cannot be attributed to a select few individuals, but rather point to deeper, more structural issues”. This can be explained because “cultural systems, such as cultural racism, undergird the social conditions that shape racial inequities in health, including social and health policy decision making, governance, practice, and public reception”. In summary, the Global health research community is becoming aware of those voices asking to decolonize global health, a process which is only just beginning but which is unavoidable. In this project we aim to review the current situation by investigating the available literature (scientific publications, opinion pieces, commentaries) explore possible trends of north-south and south-south scientific collaborations, and produce a best practice set of recommendations for such collaborations.
Reducing the climate and environmental impact of a local street food market
Stakeholder: Samudra.world
Street food markets are a vibrant part of the community, but they have a sizeable waste footprint – food waste, single use cutlery, cups and food boxes. The challenge is to reduce the climate and environmental impact of a local street food market by mapping out the different waste streams, identifying the relevant stakeholders and determining how the system for managing market waste can be improved and/or how the waste streams can be changed. With the growing awareness of climate and environmental impact of waste, the changes are already happening. For example, many stalls are offering food in eco-boxes, “green” boxes, “good for the planet” boxes, recyclable boxes or boxes made from recycled material. But are the recyclable food boxes actually being recycled, and are the compostable cutlery sets actually being composted? As part of the challenge, the students will explore both upstream (for example, switching to a different type of cutlery) and downstream (for example, introducing a new type of bins or identifying a more suitable facility for processing the waste) opportunities to reduce the climate and environmental impact of market waste. Amongst other things, the students will learn about the differences between a waste management system as it is officially described on paper and as it works in practice, and about the trade-offs between solutions favouring either climate or environment. The first part of the challenge is to identify what will be a suitable output for this project. Co-designing this part of the project together with the students will ensure that they can develop the skills they want to have while also tackling the challenge in an impactful way. This project requires a transdisciplinary team, with at least one team member proficient in the local language.
The CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability programme is proud to announce some capstone publications by its recent graduates! These capstone projects tackled real-world sustainability issues, and the students’ outcomes are now available for your exploration. Dive into CHARM-EU student publications to discover innovative approaches to sustainability!
Conservation Conversations
Publication year: 2024
Resource type: Magazine
Authors: Tijs Bergmans, Eloïse Ferreira, Sophie Groenewegen, Ipo Kok, Miisa Rantala, and Yasmijn Wakker.
A group of CHARM-EU students spent three months at the University of Pretoria’s Hans Hobeisen Wildlife Research Station. While there, they explored the transition from imposed to engaged conservation and researched topics including the co-management of wildlife fencing, food security, benefit-sharing, foot-and-mouth disease, eco-art education and alternatives to militarised anti-poaching. Their findings are presented in this interactive, digital magazine which is open to all. The magazine outlines the students’ experience at the research station, the stories of local stakeholders with whom they engaged, and their own personal stories and suggestions for visitors to the region.
Understanding Agricultural Systems Vulnerability to Climate Change - The Case of Botswana in the Lompopo River Basin
Publication year: 2024
Resource type: Magazine
Authors: Maryan Blas Lobo, Jordan Eustace, Robert Fitzgerald, Migle Labeikyte, Aneta Nerguti, Femke van der Zaag.
Agriculture remains the backbone of many economies in Africa. With most of the population dependent on rainfed agriculture, the impacts of climate change are ravaging many agricultural systems on the continent – manifesting through among other phenomena, droughts and floods. In Botswana, the agriculture sector is the second-largest employer of the labour force (after the diamond industry), yet the country is prone to droughts given its location in the Kalahari Desert. It was against this background that Botswana was spotlighted to address a knowledge gap (lack of knowledge on the sensitivity of agroecological zones across the sub-region to historic and future climate change) identified through the Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative for the Southern Africa sub-region.
The replication of Tolou Keur food forests across the Great Green Wall in Senegal
Publication year: 2023
Resource type: Brief
Authors: Linda Bovo, Limi Kalapurackal, Lisa Kranz, Diana Laborda Jou, Lena Sauer, and Cèlia Valls Rodriquez.
The policy brief was prepared by a group of students of the CHARM-EU university who worked in collaboration with the UNCCD on their capstone project. They researched the replication of the Tolou Keur agroecological initiative, which is a part of the Great Green Wall initiative in Senegal. Based on the findings of their research, which also involved a field visit to Senegal, they produced several recommendations. The audience for this policy brief includes decision-makers, national and global financial and political partners, national GGW agencies and Senegalese ministries of environment and agriculture.
Circular Agri-Plastics | Solution Package
Publication year: 2024
Resource type: Policy Brief | Booklet | Recommendations
Authors: Jacqueline Kantor, Anouk Kelhout, Andras Kovaloczy, Amy O’Leary, and Sophia Wallraff.
Many industries worldwide are increasingly faced with the challenge of proper usage and disposal of plastic products, given increasing plastic pollution as well as environmental and health concerns. Plastic is now ubiquitous in the agriculture industry, and this presents a significant challenge for farmers in Spain, one of Europe’s largest agricultural producers. Agricultural plastic waste poses risks to food safety, soil quality, the water cycle, and ultimately, human health. An international, transdisciplinary team of five researchers approached this challenge by focusing on the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park as a case study (Barcelona, Catalunya). They explored potential solutions to increase circularity in agricultural plastic usage within the park. After speaking to many farmers, experts and other stakeholders, they created a ‘Circular Solution Package’ with recommendations on how to implement circularity to solve issues around agricultural plastic waste. The package targets solutions implementable at every level and includes three main elements: Recommendations for the park management; A Policy brief for European decision-makers; and a Booklet of technical guidelines for farmers and technicians.
Teaching staff
CHARM-EU is updating the information on the teaching staff for the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability – 4th Edition.
Dr. Viktor Gábor Mihucz
Associate professor
Eötvös Loránd University
Education
MSc in Chemistry, ELTE, 1998 (No. 85/1998)
MEd in Chemistry, ELTE, 1999 (insert to 85/1998)
PhD in Chemistry, ELTE, 2002 (P-918/2002)
Habilitation, ELTE, 2014 (No. 896/2014)
DSc degree from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (2022)
Castilian Spanish – Hungarian interpreter and translator certificate (PT B 000070/355) issued by Technical University, Budapest, Hungary, 2006
Biography
Teaching experience:
- Laboratory practices in field of Chemical Technology for Chemistry MEd students (1999 – 2002)
- General and Inorganic Chemistry & Qualitative and Quantitative Analytical Chemistry laboratory practices for Pharmacy students (2007 – current)
- Instrumental Analysis for BSc in Chemistry (2007 – 2009)
- Food Analysis laboratory practices for Environmental MSc and Chemistry MSc students (2009 – current)
- Seminar on Analytical Chemistry Calculations for Chemistry BSc students (2007 – 2017)
- Lectures: Hyphenated techniques for elemental speciation in environmental samples for MSc and PhD students (2009 – current)
- Introduction to Food analysis lecture for MSc students (2009 – current)
- Analytical Chemistry 1 for Chemistry BSc (2017 – 2023)
- Head of the Analytical Chemistry Department at the Institute of Chemistry, ELTE (2022-current)
- Instrumental Analysis at ELTE (2023 – current)
Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships:
- Pungor Ernő Award issued by Hungarian Academy of Sciences (2017)
- Preisich Miklós Award issued by the Hungarian Chemical Society (2020)
- Erasmus Fellowship (6 months) at UCM, Madrid in 2000/2001
- MASHAV Fellowship (3 weeks) in 2002
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri Fellowship (1 month) at Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome in 2004
Others:
- Member of the editorial board of Applied Spectroscopy Reviews and editor for Central and Eastern European (2023 – current)
- Co-editor of the Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry (2020 – current)
Dr. Ana Moragues Faus
Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitat de Barcelona
Education
- European PhD in Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology and Food Policy, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Valencia, 2011, With Honours Cum Laude
- Master in Science, Agri-food and Environmental Economics, Expert on Agrarian Policies and Rural Development, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Valencia, 2006-2008
- Master of Agricultural Engineering, Expertise on Environment Valencia, 2004-2006
- Bachelor of Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Valencia, 2001-2004
Biography
Teaching experience:
- University of Barcelona
- CHARM.EU Masters in Global Sustainability (2022 – current)
- MSc Nutrition y Metabolism (2019 – current)
- BSc International Business (2020 – current)
- MSc Economic History (2020 – 2021)
- BSc Business and Management (2020 – 2021)
- School of Planning and Geography, Cardiff University
- MSc (Optional module for different Master courses) (2012 – 2018)
- BSc Human Geography (2013 – 2017)
- MSc Food, Space and Society (2015-2018)
- Department of Economics and Social Sciences, UPV
- MSc Agricultural Engineering (2009 -2011)
- BSc Bussiness, Administration & Management (2009-2011)
- MSc Forestry Engineering (2009 – 2010)
Positions and fellowships:
- Senior Research Fellow (Ramon y Cajal), Universitat de Barcelona (October 2019- present)
- Research Fellow Ser Cymru, Sustainable Places Institute Cardiff University (30/06/2017 – October 2019)
- Research Associate School of Planning and Geography, Cardiff University (01/09/2012 – 30/06/2017)
- Freelance researcher (December 2011-August 2012): Working on Participatory-Action Research Project with solidarity purchasing groups in Valencia.
- Research associate in Universidad Politècnica de Valencia, European Project SUSTAINMED (May 2011 – November 2011).
- PhD Fellowship funded by The Ministry of Education and Science of Spain, Programme for Training University Teachers FPU (May 2007-May 2011).
- Grant for pre-doctoral visit to the School of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University. Funded by The Ministry of Education of Spain (20/09/09 – 14/12/09)
- Grant for pre-doctoral visit to the School of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University. Funded by The Ministry of Education of Spain (04/09/08 – 21/12/08)
- Grant to attend VI Conference of the Spanish Association of Agricultural Economics (September 2007)
- PROMOE Fellowship of Academic interchange, funded by Universidad Politècnica de Valencia. Based on Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo Nitlapán, Universidad Centroamericana de Nicaragua (06/07/06 – 30/08/06)
- Studentship to collaborate on Research Project “Analysis of Rural Development Policies in Latin America”. Department of Engineering Projects, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (01/05/05 – 30/09/05, 12/12/05 – 30/09/06). Main duties:
- Participant of Ruta Quetzal Expedition 2000: “Expediciones carolinas a las tierras de América del Norte”. Funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared as activity of universal interest by UNESCO and supported by the European Union (01/07/00- 30/08/00)
Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships:
- Winner of the “ Doctoral dissertation Award” (Premio Extraordinario de Tesis Doctoral), granted by Universidad Politecnica de Valencia to the best thesis defended across the University in a particular academic year (May 2013)
- Winner of the prize for “Best Novel Contribution” – VI Conference of the Spanish Association of Agrarian Economics (September 2007)
Dr. Enric Tello Aragay
Full professor, University of Barcelona
Education
- PhD in History and Geography, UB, 1987
- BA and MA in History and Geography, UB, 1981 (with honours)
Research:
- Agricultural and environmental historian of the Department of Economic History, Institutions, Policy and World Economy at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Barcelona, ORCID researcher number 0000-0002-4970-1524 with 63 publications in the Web of Science (1,398 cites, JCR h-index 21), 65 in Scopus (1,583 cites, h-index 23), 140 in ResearchGate (2,729 cites, h-index 30), and 323 in Google Scholar (4,571 cites, h-index 37).
- Principal Investigator of the Spanish research projects Agroecological Landscapes and Food Systems: Past, Present and Future Transitions (AGROLAND, PID2021-123129NB-C41 for 2022-2025); and Boosting Ecological Transition: Scaling Up Best Agroecological Practices from Farms to Landscapes and Agri-food Chains (AGROLAND, TED2021-130333B-C32 for 2022-2024).
- Researcher in the European projects Mediterranean Agroecosystems for Sustainability and Resilience under Climate Change (MA4SURE, EU PRIMA S2 2020, 2021-2024); Co-designing food sharing innovations for resilience (CULTIVATE Horizon Europe 101083377, 2023-2025); Towards a sustainable wellbeing economy: integrated policies & transformative indicators (ToBe Horizon Europe 101094211, 2023-2025).
- Former co-Principal Investigator of the Catalan Team in the international research project on Sustainable Farm Systems: Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research in Western Agriculture, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SFS- SSHRC895-2011-1020, 2012-218).
Teaching experience:
- Teacher in undergraduate courses on Sustainable Development, and on Economic History and Social & Political Contemporary History in the degrees of Economics, Business, Sociology and Law & Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business; and teacher with serving-learning methodology on Sustainable Development in the degree on Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona
- Teacher on Sustainability & Development in the Master’s in Economic History at the Faculty of Economics and Business, and teacher in the Professional Master’s on Organic Farming in the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona; teacher on Agroecology in the international Maser’s in Agricultural Heritage taught in Pisa (Italy) by the University of Florence on behalf of the FAO’s Programme on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIHAS); teacher on Ecology, Landscape & Metropolitan Metabolism in the module on Sustainability of the Master’s in Metropolis—Urban and Metropolitan Studies of the Institut Metròpoli at the Autonomous University of Barcelona; and teacher and module coordinator on Agrifood System Transformation in the Master’s CHARM-EU
Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships:
- Award of the Joan Lluís Vives Prize to the best Science & Technology book edited by the Catalan universities
- Award the Ramon Garrabou Prize to the best article of the year on Agricultural History by the Ibero-American Society for Agricultural History (SEHA) (2019)
- Award of the Bernstein & Byres Prize of the best article of the year published in the Journal of Agrarian Change (2018)
- Spanish Fellowship (6 months) at the Vienna Institute of Social Ecology (SEC at Böku University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences)
- Spanish PhD Scholarship (4 years) in 1981-1985
Others:
- Member of the Agroecology Working Group of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research of the European Commission (SCAR-AE, 2021-2023)
- Member of the editorial board of the JCR journal Regional Environmental Change (2024)
- Member of the board of the Ibero-American Society for Agricultural History (SEHA, 2010-2023)
- Member of the European Society for Environmental History (ESEH, 2003-2024)
- Member of the Iberian New Water Culture Foundation (FNCA, 2002-2024)
- Member of the Spanish alimentta think tank for the food transition funded by the Carasso Foundation
Dr. Hélène Charreire
Researcher
INRAE
Education
- Researcher INRAE (2021- )
- Assistant Professor in Geography, Université Paris-Est (2010-2021)
- Postdoctoral researcher in Health Geography, INRAE (2008-2010)
- PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology, Université Paris Sud (2007)
- Master’s in health Geography, Université Paris Nanterre (2004)
Biography
Research:
- Relations between urban environment (built, social and food) and health-related behaviors (eg. food, physical activity), social and spatial inequalities at INRAE, MOISA (Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on sustainable agri-food system, social and nutritional sciences). ORCID researcher number 0000-0002-1260-9812
- Principal Investigator of French research project UrbASanté (Relations between urban transformations and health-related behaviors in a deprived neighorhood). Researcher in the European projects YAHEE (Young Adults in Health-enhancing Equitable Environments ERA4HEALTH partnership); SPOTLIGHT (Sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies FP7)
Teaching experience:
- Assistant professor (2010-2022) in geography in courses on health geography, spatial analysis, cartography, and geographic information system (GIS)
Dr. Oriol Comas Basté
Assistant professor and post-doctoral researcher, Universitat de Barcelona
Education:
PhD in Food and Nutrition (University of Barcelona, 2020)
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology (University of Barcelona, 2017)
Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy (University of Barcelona, 2014)
Experimental Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences, specializing in Nutrition and Food Sciences (University of Barcelona, 2015)
Master of University Teaching for New Professors (Professional Development Institute of the University of Barcelona, 2023)
Biography
Teaching Experience
Since 2015, Dr Comas-Basté has taught at the Food and Nutrition Campus of the University of Barcelona, first as a pre-doctoral researcher and currently as a lecturer.
He participates in teaching activities in the following university programs:
BSc Food Science and Technology (UB)
BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics (UB)
MSc in Food Safety (UB, UAB, UPF)
MSc in Nutrition and Metabolism (UB, URV)
MSc in Food Development and Innovation (UB)
MSc in Global Challenges for Sustainability (CHARM-EU)
Research
His main line of research is focused on the study of histamine intolerance, specifically the development of new strategies for its diagnosis and dietary management. With the other members of the research group, he has participated in pioneering studies on the role of the intestinal microbiota in the etiopathology of histamine intolerance, and developed clinical intervention studies to evaluate the effectiveness of dietary treatments for histamine intolerance and improve the quality of life of those who suffer this condition. Dr Comas-Basté has also participated in other lines of research focused on the study of the impact of polyamine intake on human health or the characterization of meat substitute products based on vegetable protein. Finally, in the field of food sustainability, he has worked on the valorization of food industry by-products to improve the quality and safety of fermented foods.
Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships
LXXXVII Sant Jordi Award from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC) granted by the Catalan Association of Food Sciences (ACCA)
Others
Since the end of 2022, he has been the coordinator of the scientific dissemination project “Feed Yourself with Science” (www.alimentatambciencia.cat), a joint initiative of the University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona to combat the spread of fake news and misinformation in the field of food science.
President of the Catalan Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (2018- present)
Board member of the Catalan Association of Food Sciences (ACCA-IEC) (2021- present)
Member of the Institute for Research in Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA·UB)
Member of the Spanish Society for Food Safety and Quality (SESAL)
Member of the Spanish Nutrition Society (SEÑ)
Programme board
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.
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.
Live in...
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:
- Learn more about the city
- Find out more about Barcelona tourism
- Information about the urban transport
- Find out what to do in case of emergency
- Information about the weather
- Check out Barcelona’s cultural activities and Sportive Activities and Events
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:
- Information about the public transport network
- Learn more about the affordable living costs
- Find out more about safety in Budapest
- Check out the city’s famous sights
- Learn more about Hungary’s climate
- Read about the Hungary’s currency
- Learn a few useful Hungarian phrases
- Find out what to do in case of emergency
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:
- Irish Tourism: www.visitdublin.com/
- Visit Dublin: www.dublinvisitorcentre.ie/
- Map of Dublin
- College maps: www.tcd.ie/Maps/
- Public transport in Dublin: www.dublinpublictransport.ie/
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:
- Montpellier Tourism Office
- Public transport in Montpellier
- Practical information
- Accommodation
- Student Life
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:
- Arriving and living in Utrecht
- Read about Utrecht University
Academic Rules and Regulations
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:
Academic Calendar
Please find the academic calendar here.
Enrolment and registration
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)
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:
- Certified copy of the degree diploma (bachelor’s or master’s) that provided access to the master’s programme(*)
- Certified copy of the academic transcript (*)
- English language test scores with a LEVEL C1 in all skills
- French students: national service situation certificate (attestation JDC ou JAPD).
- Applicants with a French Licence: certificate with additional 30 ECTS.
- Civil liability insurance certificate
- 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.
Services, Practical information & Accomodation
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
- Trinity College Dublin Supports & Services
- Trinity College Dublin Jargon Buster
- Living in Dublin Practical Information
Utrecht University
Eötvös Loránd University
University of Montpellier
Counselling Services
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
Teaching, Learning & Assessment
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:
- Phase 1 & 2 students: “Teaching, Learning and assessment”
- Phase 3 students: “Teaching and Learning: CHARM-EU Educational Experience”.
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:
- Phase 1 & 2 students: “Teaching, Learning and assessment”
- Phase 3 students: “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.
More details about the PLO Domains can be found in the following documents:
- Phase 1 & 2 students: “Teaching, Learning and assessment”
- Phase 3 students: “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.
Technology in CHARM-EU Teaching and Learning
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.
Inclusion and Diversity
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.
Joint Virtual Administrative Office
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.
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.
Live in...
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:
- Learn more about the city
- Find out more about Barcelona tourism
- Information about the urban transport
- Find out what to do in case of emergency
- Information about the weather
- Check out Barcelona’s cultural activities and Sportive Activities and Events
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:
- Irish Tourism: www.visitdublin.com/
- Visit Dublin: www.dublinvisitorcentre.ie/
- Map of Dublin
- College maps: www.tcd.ie/Maps/
- Public transport in Dublin: www.dublinpublictransport.ie/
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:
- Information about the public transport network
- Learn more about the affordable living costs
- Find out more about safety in Budapest
- Check out the city’s famous sights
- Learn more about Hungary’s climate
- Read about the Hungary’s currency
- Learn a few useful Hungarian phrases
- Find out what to do in case of emergency
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:
- Montpellier Tourism Office
- Public transport in Montpellier
- Practical information
- Accommodation
- Student Life
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:
- Arriving and living in Utrecht
- Read about Utrecht University
Academic Rules and Regulations
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.
Academic Calendar
Please find the academic calendar here.
Enrolment and registration
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Services, Practical information & Accomodation
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
Counselling Services
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
Teaching, Learning & Assessment
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 document “Teaching and Learning: CHARM-EU Educational Experience”.
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.
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.
Technology in CHARM-EU Teaching and Learning
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.
Inclusion and Diversity
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.
