Why this programme?

Sustainability Science, Policy and Society

The world needs professionals who are able to recognise, analyse and respond to sustainability challenges. This requires the ability to design, conduct and evaluate sustainability assessments in collaboration with stakeholders while operating at the interface of science, policy, business and society. In the Sustainability Science, Policy and Society programme, you'll learn to do just that. You'll be familiarised with the complexity and normativity of sustainable development for policy or business. This master's offers you the opportunity to specialise in Policy for Sustainability or Business for Sustainability

Interdisciplinary approach

The courses approach sustainability from a number of different angles, such as business, innovation and governance. The students and staff you’ll encounter will also have diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. This means you will learn to bridge both disciplinary and cultural boundaries, a skill that will be a great asset later on in your career.

What will you learn?

Recognise, analyse, and respond to sustainability challenges
Design, conduct and evaluate sustainability assessments, mostly in an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary context
Operate at the interface of science, policy, business and society

Real projects, real problems

One of the key features of this programme is its educational format. It is problem-driven rather than theory-driven, and it requires the student to be an active participant. During the programme, the students will get to work on an actual case for a real-life client. This will provide the student with first-hand experience in handling sustainability challenges. Upon graduation, the student will also be completely up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. The client the student will meet during the programme may also become a valuable connection later on when looking for a job.

2019

Topic	Client
Sustainable Assessment for policy development municipality Valkenburg	Gemeente Valkenburg
Trees for Urban Sustainability	Gemeente Maastricht
The potential of biogas as renewable energy at the local level	Duurzaam Roerdalen (NGO)
Circular Building in Parkstad	Stadsregio Parkstad Limburg
Towards a campus greening vision and strategy	Maastricht University
Circular agrofood supply	UrbanPonics bv
Role of Hydrogen in the energy transition in Limburg	Stichting WéL
Consumer willingness to use reusable take-away containers (RTCs)	Searious Business bv
Accelerating the energy retrofitting bandwagon	Volta Limburg bv
Exploring DSM’s strategies in the Dutch nitrogen crisis	DSM nv
GEM Energy – New models of energy supply	Gemeentelijk Energievoorziening Maastricht
Flexible homes for flexible lives	Zonnige Kempen (Social Housing)
The role of lower income groups in a (just) energy transition	In de tussentijd bv
Sustainable Mobility in South Limburg	Maastricht Bereikbaar

2018

Project title	Client
Circular Economy: A Case Study of Venlo	Gemeente Venlo
Transformation of the ENCI mining area	Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij ENCI-gebied
What role can small scale cooperatives play in the Dutch Energy Transition and how can Beekse Energy Cooperation fulfil this role?	Beekse Energie Coöperatie
Indicator-Based Urban Sustainability Policy for Heerlen	Gemeente Heerlen
Maastricht University: mitigating CO2 emissions from academic flying	Maastricht University
Participatory Approach for “natural gas-free districts” in Brunssum-Noord	Mijnwater BV
Transitioning towards circularity in the building industry: the case of Royal Mosa	Royal Mosa NV
Towards a Sustainable Supply and Delivery System in Maastricht	Maastricht Bereikbaar
Towards a more sustainable socio-spatial approach in Limburg- Exploring the role of the Provincial Spatial Planning Department in narrowing spatial disparities	Province of Limburg

2017

Topic	Client
Sustainable energy in primary schools in Maastricht	Suringar School
Nature-based solutions for sustainable cities	DuneWorks
The potential contribution of the UN Volunteers to the Sustainable Development Goals	United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
Towards a more sustainable energy system by stimulating self-organisation	Servicepunt Energie Lokaal Limburg (SELL)
Assessment of new public transport approach around Maastricht	Maastricht Bereikbaar
Towards animal-friendly, sustainable food in the hospitality sector of South-Limburg	International Institute for Animal Ethics (IIAE)
Sustainable management of litter in Maastricht	Municipality of Maastricht
Towards a sustainable built infrastructure	Watermaatschappij Limburg (WML)
Locally produced sustainable energy as a means of value creation	In de Tussentijd

2016

Topic	Client
Biobased Economy	Deltares/Rijkswaterstaat
Sustainable degrowth	Province of Limburg
Sustainable river management	City of Maastricht
Urban Nature Vision	IVN-Maastricht
Maastricht Smart City?	City of Maastricht
Award for accessibility	Maastricht Bereikbaar
Energy agreements	SER

2015

Topic	Client
Biobased economy Leudal	Municipality Leudal
Circular Economy	City of Maastricht
Meat Alternatives	Netherlands Nutrition Centre

2014

Topic	Client
Repurposing Tapijnkazerne	Green Office (UM)
Agglomeration Agriculture	Province of Limburg
Maastricht Accessible	Maastricht Bereikbaar
Sustainable Tourism in Leudal	Municipality Leudal

2013

Topic	Client
Car use, parking, and air quality in Maastricht	Q-Park
Philips: Roadmap for conflict-free minerals	Philips
Sustainable River Basin Management	Deltares
Towards Sustainable Waste Management at UM	Green Office (UM)
Moving towards Climate Neutrality in Maastricht	Platform COOL

2012

Topic	Client
Sustainable Housing in South Limburg Region	Province of Limburg
Energy efficiency of UM buildings	Green Office (UM)

2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012

Skills training

The master’s programme Sustainability Science, Policy and Society includes several skills courses. Some of these courses focus on academic skills, such as presenting and writing skills. However, the key skill you'll obtain during the programme is designing, conducting and evaluating sustainability assessments. This entails training in participatory methods, basic modelling, scenario analysis and multi-criteria analysis. Students from both specialisations will use these skills when they come together at the end of the programme to work on their interdisciplinary sustainability group project.

Teaching staff

At Maastricht University, our teaching staff work hard to bring out the best in all of our students. They contribute their knowledge and know-how to education as tutors, experts and skills trainers. Sustainability Science, Policy and Society is coordinated and taught by the Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI) at Maastricht University. At MSI, researchers conduct theoretical, empirical and policy-relevant research into the solutions to sustainability problems. They study the causes, effects, and interdependencies of different processes associated with sustainable development issues. These processes can be economic, environmental, institutional or socio-cultural. You can learn more about MSI on their website.

More information

Maastricht Sustainability Institute

World-class education

It's never business as usual at Maastricht University. Not only do our academic programmes incorporate the latest developments in each field, but we also focus on research and innovation in education itself. One of our three university-wide research themes is Learning & Innovation. With the creation of EdLab and the continuing improvement of our education strategies, you can be confident that not only will you know your chosen discipline inside and out, but you will also have the best learning experience possible.

Small groups = big advantages

Problem-Based Learning

As with most UM programmes, the School of Business and Economics uses Problem-Based Learning (PBL). In small tutorial groups of no more than 15 students, you seek solutions to ‘problems’ taken from real-world situations. Instructors only give help as needed, allowing you to develop independence and problem-solving skills useful to your career. This dynamic, collaborative system has one of the highest knowledge retention rates of any teaching method.

Maastricht University students on Problem-Based Learning

Amazing education opportunities @ SBE

Excellence programmes

To help students to excel, we developed the following excellence programmes:

International Triangle Programme
Dual Degree Programmes
Global Innovation Challenge
MARBLE Programme
PREMIUM Honours Programme

Learn more about our excellence programmes

Internships Office & TIP

The Internship Office has an extensive database of internship opportunities and is on hand for guidance and counselling. Students also have the option of combining their thesis and internship. During the Thesis-Internship Programme (TIP), your thesis will be written on a topic relevant to a company or organisation during a part-time internship.

More about internships

Career development & Maastricht Business Days

We believe that partnerships, networking and Problem-Based Learning are crucial to connect our students to the business world. Together with our partners and alumni, we organise events to support students in their development and expand their networks.

International experience

Maastricht University is among the top 15 most international universities in the world. We encourage our students to see themselves as world citizens, and our educational programmes encourage study abroad, multilingualism, cultural exchange and sensitivity, and international career goals.

The International Classroom

UM embraces the International Classroom, an environment where our differences become our strengths. From day one, you’ll be challenged with differing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over the world. This kind of interaction brings you closer to the programme’s goal of teaching you not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. SBE is one of the most international faculties at Maastricht University, with over 60% of students and 55% of the academic staff coming from abroad, representing roughly 60 different nationalities.

Study abroad and get to know new people

Students from every one-year, full-time SBE master’s programme can apply for a master’s exchange semester. However, a master's exchange is only possible if you have 100% study progress. Students who will be doing their exchange in a third, extended, semester will take priority over students who will run into more of a study delay. Competition for exchange positions is high, and applying for a semester abroad does not guarantee a spot or that you will be allocated to your preferred choice. SBE will consider your study progress, motivation, academic achievements and curriculum vitae in the selection process.

For more information, please contact the International Relations Office.
If you are already an SBE student, you can find more information in the student portal.

Triple Crown Accreditation School of Business and Economics Maastricht University

Take your degree anywhere!

The SBE has the ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditations: from the American AASCB, the British AMBA and the European-wide EQUIS. This means your degree is recognised in many places throughout the world: perfect for an international career or postgraduate studies abroad.

One master, TWO degrees! - Double Degree programme

The Dual Degree programme at the School of Business and Economics lets you study at two universities and earn two master’s degrees.

You can participate at the beginning of the academic year in September, completing part of your master's programme at an institution abroad and part at SBE. After completing all the requirements of both master's programmes, you will be awarded a degree from each university. Almost all Dual Degree programmes can be completed with little or no delay in your studies and with minimal extra fees. The Dual Degree programme has carefully selected partner universities that are high-profile, research-oriented and preferably accredited by both EQUIS and AACSB.

dual_degree_sbe_v2.jpg

Learn more about all of our Dual Degree programmes

Master theses

2020

Author		Title
Agne	Vaicaityte	Ecotourism or Greenwashing: Analysis and Evaluation of Ecotourism Marketing Campaigns - A Case study of Slovenia
Akhil	Singhal	Energy Communities – A sustainable way forward?
Alberto	Arca'	Stakeholders Frames shaping Bioenergy Development: the Case of Advanced Biomethane in Emilia Romagna
Alex	Camacho	The European Music Festival Sustainability Network: Transformative Capacity Development and The Roles of Network Leadership
Anna-Lena	Henke	Understanding the interactions of organisational boundaries in circular business model innovation: The case of a reusable food container scheme in Rabat, Morocco
Anne-Laurien	Extra	Greenmarketing or Greenwashing?
Ann-Kathrin	Bonengel	The upscaling of Agrophotovoltaics – a sustainable innovation within the Water-Energy-Food nexus? Analysis of two pilot projects in Austria and German
Carl-Linus	Aue	Green Mobility – how consistent is Germany’s policy mix for the dissemination of eletric propulsion technologies in car mobility?
Caro	Scheele	Fostering a sustainable food-water-energy nexus in the agricultural sector - Potentials of Open Source Knowledge and Co-creation within the Agricultural European Innovation Partnership
Carolina	Bentley	The role of framing in adaptation decision-making at the local level. Case study: Porto, Portugal
Cassie	Bodin	The role of the European Union in the pangolin illegal trade, a case study of Belgium and France
Catharine	Hayward	Maastricht heat stress and air quality case study: model validation and comparison
Chiara	Tufarelli	Online media coverage, airlines info, public awareness and opinion on climate impact and offsetting of international aviation emissions
Christina Joyce	Benjamin	Changes in roles and strategies of Voluntary Sustainability Standards: The living income debates
Christopher	Marsh	The impact of zoo laws on sustainable population managament in the EU. A study of Dutch EAZA zoos
Clara	Saia-Bélanger	Overcoming the collective action problem in food cooperatives: An analysis of the CAPÉ its and mirror cases institutional statements from an Ostromian perspective
Clemens	Rückert	Framing Sustainability – How the Kenya Coffee Platform aims to revive the Kenyan coffee sector
Dagmar	Croes	Conservation of Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Sea
Danique	van Veen	Towards a Shared Vision on Sustainable Agricultural Development in the ‘Heuvelland’ Region of South-Limburg, the Netherlands. Exploring actors’ perspectives and opportunities for change
Elena	Knispel	Empowering Smallholders in Global Value Chains: A Comparative Case Study of Producer Empowerment Concepts in Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
Emily	Bogen	Towards Sustainable Cattle Farming in the EU: How CAP Greening Measures Impact Sustainable Cattle Farming in the Belgian Ardennes
Emma	Morren	Towards healthy lives and wellbeing for all at all ages: accounting for the interactions between SDG 3 and other SDGs in NGO policy and practice
Estelle	Paquay	The difference in perception of climate change and climate justice between young people in the Global North and South: An analysis of the framing by Fridays for Future protesters in Belgium and South Africa
Giulia	Houston	Civil society and labour rights in the garment sector: pathways of influence by civil society actors on governance for fair labour in Bangladesh since the Rana Plaza disaster
Gozde	Ertemir	Improving Wind Energy Policies in Turkey for a Sustainable Future
Grant	Davis	Sustainable Value Network Governance_a business perspective
Guillaume	Morauw	The photovoltaic closed loop supply chain
Helena	Schneider-Reuter	Innovation in Circular Fashion: An integrated look on the promotion of textile-to-textile chemical recycling technologies through voluntary sustainability standards
Ilian	De Meersman	Creating an enabling environment to support co-owners towards deep energy retrofit of condominiums in the Region of Brussels-Capital
Isabel	Weitzel	Boundary work in the Kenyan coffee sector – A qualitative case study approach analysing the role of the Kenya Coffee Platform as a Southern multi-stakeholder initiative
Jessica	Loew	The Potential of Blockchain for More Sustainable Supply Chains: A Hype or an Enabler to Transform Global Supply Chains Towards Sustainability?
Jo Chiao	Lee	A roadmap towards successful boundary work in sustainability: Rearranging the wood for the trees and criteria for success
Johanna	Volz	Sustainability Assessment in Local Policymaking: Towards a Useful Tool for Practitioners in Medium-sized Municipalities in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Jonas	Posset	FWE-nexus: Insight on the usefulness of nexus tools for end users
Julieanne	Viana	What drives the decision-making processes in adaptation planning at the local level? A case study of Zaragoza, Spain
Kate	Smethills	How a Pioneering Climate Leader is Being Criticised in its Own Courts: the Use of Climate Change Litigation in the United Kingdom
Katja	Wachter	Towards Ecotourism Resilience. An investigation of ecotourism businesses during COVID-19 and recommendations for ecotourism resilience-building
Kimberly	Kozlovsky	Circular Phosphorus – From Wastewater to Fertilizer. Socio-Ecological-Technological System scenarios for Phosphorus recycling routes in the Netherlands
Kimmy	Boyle	The role of modal shift in creating a more sustainable transportation sector: A case study of Bristol, United Kingdom from 2005-2020
Kyra	Van de Valk	Housing shortage and tiny. Evaluating Tiny Houses as a sustainable answer to relieve the housing crisis in the Netherlands
Laure	Bouillon	Assessing the Sustainability of a Diet: A Multidimensional Framework
Lorenzo	Manca	Green Capitals “in the Hearts and Minds of the People”. A qualitative enquiry into the perception of the influence of the European Green Capital Award among municipal officials
Lucia	Seresova	Sustainable business model analysis of energy cooperatives specialized in the solar energy generation and situated in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands
Lucia Rua	Saez	Understanding the European private organic standards from a cohesion and fragmentation perspective
Maarten	Westerlaken, Van der	A framework for organisational boundary change in sustainable business model innovation for small and medium enterprises in the Netherlands
Mai	Shafei	Health Justifications in Climate Negotiations
Maïté	Kolp	The role of reverse logistics in circular economy business models in the fashion industry
Margaux	Huth	Participatory Modelling as a Learning Tool in Integrated Sustainability Assessments
Maria Luisa	Espinel Ramos	Animal rights and the sustainable development goals
Mariana	Rito Dias	Understanding homeowners’ intentions to purchase PV panels in Lisbon
Marie	von Kempis	Towards European policies stimulating Water-Food-Energy Nexus Integration: Lessons from urban demonstration projects
Marielena	Toni	The Role of Framing in Climate Change Adaptation Planning Processes in the Municipality of Bologna: a Case Study
Marko	Houdijk	What can be learned from a student-based approach to Sustainability Assessment? An impact evaluation of the Sustainability Assessment Project course
Naomi	Kamer	Transformative capacity development through inner transformation and network leadership: the case of Transition Network
Nathalie	Brink	Recycling Behavior Of Dutch Consumers: A Comparative Analysis Of Households In Maastricht And Zwolle
Nicolas	Noël	Sustainable Development within Dutch third part logistics providers CSR strategies, a case study of Top-Group International
Ningna	Xie	Game-based learning for sustainability: The role of serious gaming in breaking barriers and identifying future directions for CSR in logistics SMEs
Okhwa	Cho	Transformative Capacity of Social Innovation: Analysing Narratives Surrounding Different Social Innovation Networks
Romy	Zeitlinger	The Impact of Climate Anxiety on University Students: How Climate Change Education Affects Mental Health and Climate Action
Roxanna	Noll	Design Thinking for Sustainability. How Might We… Make Design Thinking useful for Sustainability Science and Education?
Ruben	Hage	The Sustainable Zoo - Finding the Optimal Balance Between Objectives
Schadi	Sadeh	Multiple Value Creation and Design Thinking for the Circular Economy: An exploratory case study of consumer goods companies
Sohal	Hoseini	Cross-sector value creation with multi-stakeholder initiatives in the Thai fishing industry
Theresa	Wenning	Circular innovation ecosystems for multiple value creation and the role of design thinking and partnerships – The case of the Upcycle Center in Almere
Tiago Pestilla	Fabbri	The right to be sustainable: A case study of the Portuguese law that compels public canteens to provide vegan options in their menus
Willow	Schoo	Environmental Harm as a Reason for Humanitarian Intervention
Yassine	Zayou	Justice in the energy transition: An analysis of the factors influencing the decision-making process of social tenants in North-Brabant, The Netherlands concerning to the adoption of solar panels

2019

Auhtor	Title
Abu Swaray	Towards a more Sustainable Drinking Water Supply in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Alexia Ghem	Analyzing resource efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of Mosa Meat cultured beef patty production by means of a Life Cycle Assessment
Ane Wikeland	The public debate on environmentally sustainable meat consumption in Norway
Ann-Cathrin Jöst	Practice-based perspective on bamboo as potential alternative renewable resource to timber in the Netherlands
Arianna Cecchin	What business models can be developed within the building supply chain to increase the energy retrofitting rate of privately owned existing buildings? Case study of ENLEB project
Bernice Kuijpers	Cooling/aerodynamic effects and desirability of urban vegetation in Maastricht
Catalina Villaro Dixon	Tiny forests and food production
Chris de Haas	The tension between individual approaches and the urgency for energy retrofitting of houses
Christiane Voigtlaender	Biodiversity offsetting: an evaluation of the German Impact Mitigation Regulation
Ciara Barry	The Talanoa Dialogue as a means of civil society participation in global climate governance
Cindy Prager	Value creation within urban living labs for sustainable development; a case study in the context of the food-water-energy nexus
Donatienne Istas	Expansion of the local, organic and zero-packaging food concept
Donné Wagemans	Governance of Local Renewable Energy Cooperatives (LREC"s) in Limburg for Facilitating the Energy Transition
Eoghan Casy	Smart Cities for Sustainability: An Institutional Shift?
Eugenia Bueno Martinez	Review of Life Cycle Assessment Possibilities for the Industry Sector – A Case Study on Filter Elements in a German GmbH
Francisca Batalha Lemos	The Relation Between Women’s Education and Population Growth case study Mozambique
Gaétane Charlier	Tensions in the Climate Justice movement about the Sign for my Future campaign in Belgium
Gerjan den Hertog	Tackling environmental issues at the interface of govermnent, business, and civil society. The case of microfiberpollution in the outdoor industry
Goma Karki	How the Uganda Coffee Platform aims to revive the Ugandan coffee sector - national standard
Gosia Suroz	Examining the Ecological Paw Print of Two Species and a Movement Toward a Virtual Future at Gaia Zoo
Hélène Hajek	The future of nuclear energy and its role in the energy transition in France, Germany and Sweden
Henry Ayamba	PES in Ghana: assessing the determinants of Farmers’ Willingness to protect ecosystem services in exchange for payment in the Kassena Nankana West and Talensi Districts
Iain Holliday	A guidance principle for policy makers, or a toothless paper tiger. A comparative study of the UK and the Netherlands national policy making and SDG achievement
Joëlle Bosten	How greenhouse gas emissions (carbon impact) of one specific flight can be calculated
Johanna Kliegel	Addressing behaviors leading to rebound effects in energy retrofitting: recommendations to home owners, professionals and policymakers
Jonathan Pillen	Socio-technical urban transitions towards individual car mobility in the city of Hangzhou from a social practice-based perspective
Juanita Valdivieso Camacho	Experimenting for circularity: experiences from the clothing industry in the attempt to become circular business models
Kalkidan Melesee	Energy Transition and Consumer Behaviour on Household Level
Klara Strecker	Post-harvest food loss and waste in the nutritional value chain of nightshade and field peas in Uganda
Larry Flaig	Animal attitudes association to Sustainable Development in teens: An exploratory survey
Lisa Niesten	Implementation of partnerships as a new form of multi-level governance: a comparison of the European Urban Agenda and the Dutch Urban Agenda
Mara Midieri	Sustainable Urban Mobility in Maastricht: An Analysis for Social Indicators
Marleen Vollriede	Analysing policy instruments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: an (economic) comparison of taxes and tradable rights
Mary-Kate Burns	Putting consumer engagement at the centre of Northern Ireland’s Energy Transition: Lessons from ENERGISE
Max de Graef	In-depth analysis of the barriers to the High-speed rail expansion/popularity and opportunities on medium-distance journeys in Europe
Myriam Seiter	Countering rhino poaching in South-Africa: a comparative analysis of community based initiatives
Naële Marti	Actors and their roles in the governance of a potential plastics transition. A case study of plastic packaging of fruit and vegetables in the Belgian retail sector
Nataliya Atanasova	Transition to sustainable business model: barriers and enablers for Bulgarian companies in the mining industry
Nikki Kluskens	Acceptance of wind energy projects in Limburg
Patrick Markus	Biodiversity certification in aquacultures – the case of seabass farming and its impacts on the wider ecosystem
Pranvera Selimi	The perspective of internal and external actors on building a new coal plant in the era of worldwide debate on climate change and sustainable development —'Kosova e Re' case study
Ruben Hamburger	Self-management of public urban green by citizen groups: an integrated assessment of costs and benefits. The case study of Maastricht
Saniye Keser	Effectiveness of energy efficiency financial support programmes in the industry sector in Turkey
Sarah Martin	Marine environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour: A case study of participants to coatsline cleaning actions in Monemvasia, Greece
Sofia van Holsteijn	Back to the future: Regional foresight projects revisited' twee scenarios analyseren/evalueren (Parkstad en Provincie Limburg)
Sunanda Poduwal	Potential of and barriers to women’s enhanced market participation in nutrient-sensitive agriculture value chain in Eastern Uganda - a comparative study of two nutritional crops
Zrinka Dresar	Cann frequent interaction with therapy dogs increase biophilia and promote pro-environmental behaviour and relatedness to sustainability issue?

2018

Author	Title
Andries Metz	Criteria for energy transitions from combining transition approaches: the case of Ameland
Anne Auweiler	Changing Consumer Practices Towards Sustainable Consumption. An explorative study on enabling and constraining factors of Zero Waste lifecycles
Bethan Davie	Viability and Prospects of Circular Economy Approaches and Policy Applied to Polypropylene Packaging Compared to Biodegradable Alternatives in the UK
Birgit Lastdrager	Meta-governance in the cotton-textile value chain: a case study of public, private and tripartite meta-governors
Carolina Arias van Oordt	Aruba's governance approach to SDG7: addressing the energy challenges of a small island developing state
Celine Sottovia	Accelerating the energy retrofit of condominiums in Liege and Paris via behavioral change analysis: recommendations at the attention of the local authorities and the INTERREG program ACE-Retrofitting based on the theory of planned behavior
Christian Kopp	Energy Efficiency in Europe. Relations between European energy efficiency measures and citizen behavior
Devan Burke	Investigating forms of participation and governance in local renewable energy initiatives: Exploring case studies in The Province of Limburg, Netherlands
Diego Santos	Towards sustainable urban mobility in the city of Belo Horizonte? The cycling movement and its political opportunity structure
Dirk-Jan Smelt	Sustainable Value Creation in the Dutch Transport and Logistics Sector. An Explorative Research on the use of Value Network Analysis Tools for Sustainable Value Creation within the Dutch Transport and Logistics Sector
Emily Humphreys	A case study analysis on empowerment of Colombian smallholder coffee producer organisations: Fairtrade International (FLO) versus El Símbolo de Pequeños Productores (SPP)
Florian Goldschmeding	Selling Sustainability: The role of market values in environmental policy and its instruments
Franziska Hoube	Network Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Giordana Fabiani	Pathways to New Competitive Strategies: CSR as a Strategic Direction and Driving Force for Sustainable Development. The Case Study of A2A
Gloria Kraus	Sustainability in the Digital Transformation: Perceptions of the Lake Constance automotive and engineering industry
GraceAnne Casto	Health benefits of urban green space: spatial modeling to quantify green exercise space and accessibility for elderly residents
Hannah Welsh	The Role of Autonomy, Relatedness and Competence in Transformative Social Innovation Initiatives: Exploring motivation within Transition Towns
Ida Tange	The Production of Reusable Plastic Food Packaging in Denmark: The Web of Constraints and Policy Options for overcoming it
Igor Agea Blanco	Feasibility and desirability of the wolf at Oostvaardersplassen
Ilse van Ipenburg	A sustainability wake-up call. An exploratory study on whether the implementation of a sustainability component in the tourist tax can stimulate sustainable development of the hotel industry in the Netherlands
Innocent Chitsiku	Standards and policies for sustainable artisanal gold mining in Zimbabwe
Jana Moritz	Cultured Meat: Foresight analysis
Julie Englebert	Anticipating constraints to upscaling of sustainable innovations: the case of urban aquaponics
Keith Williams	Success and Failure: Public versus Stakeholder Participation in Coastal Resilience
Khadijah Siab	Ecofeminsm as a tool to achieve sustainability
Laura Smit	Stress, Fear and Disease in Maastricht: A GIS approach to Ecosystem Services and Disservices of Urban Green Space
Lily Ouyang	The role of participatory visioning in urban transportation planning. A case study on the SmarterLab experimental workshop in Maastricht
Maaike Drok	The future of mental health. Mental health of students and its relation to the living environment
Maria Lode	Analysis of Experiences with the NEXUS approach of the Water Sector. Stocktaking of Challenges and Opportunities for Water Companies
Marija Dabrisiute	Strategies used by European Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations for participating in the decision-making on energy infrastructure Projects of Common Interest
Matt Morbin	The Homeowner, Sustainability, and the Quest for Uptake of Energy-Efficiency Retrofitting
Melanie Kersten	Sustainable Innovation and the Aviation Sector. Exploring ICAO's efforts in reducing emissions
Nadja Taeger	Energy saving behavior of households in developing versus industrialised countries. Emperical evidence from a case study comparison between urban China and Western Europe
Natalia Morales	The impact of different perspectives about sustainability on the just transition of coal mining: The Colombian Case
Nelly Eysholdt	Kenyan Standard Initiatives for Sustainable Flowers: Coming of Age or Dying a Silent Death?
Olga Coretcaia	Social movement organizations destabilizing regimes in sustainability transitions: a case study of the “Economy for the Common Good”
Petra Holeckova	The Potential Emergence of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in Prague: a Multi-actor Analysis
Rebecca Woods	Pass or fail: which data provider should be used when deciding which companies are sustainable enough to produce a profit when invested in?
Rosan Koops	Differences in uptake of sustainable palm oil. An exploratary study on the purchasing behavior of food manufacturers in the Netherlands and China
Sabine Jobsen	Adoption of big investments in energy-efficiency measures by urban households in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and China. A statistical analysis of survey results on the drivers and barriers for the adoption of insulation, solar PV and energy-efficient boilers/air-conditioners
Sven Reil	Business models of Social Enterprises and their challenges in applying the Shared Value Concept
Tom Bosma	Implementing Agenda 2030 - A Nexus-approach to promote goal achievement of the SDGs in the Netherlands
Ujjvala Britto	Perspectives of key stakeholders on a Circular Economy for Sustainable Healthcare in the Netherlands. A case study on the Dutch Healthcare Sector
Valentina Vieri	Recycling plastic: local governance configurations and their responses to the Chinese Ban on plastic waste. Comparing the plastic waste management system in the cities of Capannori and Maastricht
Viola Schlegel	Making Towns Fairer: An Explorative Analysis of the Fair Trade Towns’ Transformation, Their Potential Future Development, and Their Knowledge Transfer Processes
Vincent Esposto	Sustainability, the Energy Transition, and the Province of Limburg. How possible key players view the role of the Limburg Province in facilitating the energy transition
Viviane Hilger	Collaboration in Start-ups for Sustainable Value Creation

2017

Author	Title
Wybe-Jan van Coberen	The Influence of Art Education on Inclusive Education
Rizwan Razak	Happiness and wealth among the poorest
Karen Diederiks	Understanding the relation of policy mixes and modal shift in urban mobility
Alican Yildizalp	Additive Manufacturing Technologies’ Sustainability Contributions in the Aerospace and Medical Industries
Joséphine de Viron	Energy transition: the study of exchanging energy in Ghent and Rotterdam
Laureen Missaire	Decision-making in sustainable business models. The Case of Pocheco & Interface
Tim Tabak	Urban green/blue space and mental health outcomes - Quality as mediator
Simon Cripps	The EU ETS after Brexit: Motivations and barriers regarding future UK involvement in the EU ETS and the potential regulatory design options
George Triggs	The role of access to information obligations in the (Kyoto Protocol) Clean Development Mechanism – a review of binding and voluntary legal provisions
Valérie Lammerant	True pricing and its contribution to the business case for sustainability. An exploratory study on true pricing in three case study companies
Nina Freund	Changing Energy-Related Behaviour: Design, Implementation and Assessment of a Sustainable Energy Consumption Intervention
Claire Gérard	Exploring attitudes towards the animal welfare of intensive farming practices of the ethical ideologies and dietary choices for the international student population of Maastricht
Julie Detrixhe	Starting urban zero was transition. A comparative case-study of zero waste initiatives in Maastricht, La Hulpe and Roubaix
Zoé Turcot	The need for resilience indicators: case studies of six transition towns
Colin Laviolette	Exploring Organic Agriculture and Agroecology: potential approaches towards a more sustainable agriculture for small scale farmers in the Pays de Herve?
Tzu-Rihn Yahn	Consumers' attitude and acceptance of free-floating car sharing in Taiwan
Hee Eun Ahn	The Media and Consumer Perception on Meat: A Worldview Analysis
Diane Colson	Sustainable development of shrinking cities (IBA Parkstad)
Eva Louwerenburg	Transforming household energy practices. The contribution of in-home displays
Helena Schmitz-Peiffer	Collaboration between intermediary organisations and farmers aiming at reducing agricultural food waste. On chances and challenges
Hilma Immonen	Collective wardrobes. An Investigation of apparel renting in Europe
Ashlyn Benn	Scenarios for the Future of Urban Green Space in Maastricht
Judit Gali	Influence of sustainability coffee certifications on smallholder farmers’ food security in Colombia. Exploring impact pathways based on a review of the literature
Alessia Marazzi	The Inclusiveness Paradigm within the Legitimization Process of Southern Standards
Lehlohonolo Kalele	Embedding the Wine and Agricultural Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) in the South African Wine Industry: Strategies and stakeholder perceptions since 2002
Erinda Pubill Panen	Sustainability in Ethiopian Smallholder Coffee Agriculture: can vulnerable farmers’ livelihoods be improved by going beyond conventional certification?
Sudhan Balakrishan	Challenges and strategies of integrating sustainability competencies as part of organization's culture
François Parsy	Sustainable rice production in the Senegal river valley
Domien Vangenechten	Climate change frames and the role of health at COP21 in Paris. A framing analysis of speeches made by key political stakeholders during the High-Level Segment and Leaders Event
Elisa Kollenda	Health as a driver for urban climate mitigation policies. At the example of Chinese cities
Rawan Mlih	Farmers’ perceptions on oasis agrosystems degradation. A case study from Fatnassa oasis, Tunisia
Maximilian Kromer	Transition in the European Build Environment Sector: The Cradle to Cradle approach
Katerina Antoniadi	Urban labs as a new form of urban governance: public value creation and its measurement
Andres Rueda Cardenas	Wind Energy Transition in Latin America. Financial Perspective on Brazil and Mexico
Samantha Deblomme	Ecological paw print of pets. A small-scale study of the environmental impact of Brussels’ cats and dogs
Daniëlle Drost	Grounding Dutch Social and Environmental Enterprises in Context: Dutch entrepreneurs’ perception of growth of their business, and obstacles to overcome
Leonel Kome	Bioenergy transitions in developing countries: hurdles for the development of biogas niches in Cameroon
Bente van Vliet	Evaluation of Impact Measurement and Investing for Social Enterprises and their effects on Value Commodification
Diederik van Duuren	Potential transformative changes in water provision systems. Historical and future transition analysis of decentralised water systems in Limburg, the Netherlands
Jochem Pennkamp	Mapping the social impacts and potential demonstration effects of local energy cooperatives: A case study
Sarah Burki	Governance and knowledge production through the lens of boundary work and transdisciplinary research. A casestudy of M-LAB Stadsnatuur Maastricht
Christie Christianti	How can banks contribute to SDG Goal 12 through co-creation? Case Studies on Four Dutch Banks
Pauline Dessard	Sustainability science in the court. A case-study based analysis on the role and use of scientific information in dispute settlement about wind-energy

2016

Author	Title
Amelie Schmidt	Effectiveness of Private Sustainability Standards – An Evaluation of the ISEAL Alliance’s Sustainability Standards Comparison Tool
Deniz Aydemir	Innovation Effects of the EU Accession Process on the Waste Sector in Turkey
Maria Tziva	The TILOS Projects & the Aegean Sea Islands
Guadalupe Amésquita	Are certified hotels more sustainable? An assessment of environmental practices of Green Key certified hotels in the Limburg Region
Denyse van Opbergen	From conflict to collaboration in the Great Bear Rainforest: variables affecting joint knowledge production in multi-stakeholder governance
Ruth Heimann	Internal corporate sustainability - Do sustainability activities pave the way towards more sustainable SMEs?
Stan Ehr-kang Fu	Land Use-based Quantification of the Ecosystem Service “Air Purification” and “Urban Cooling”, and the Impacts of Land Use Change – A case study of the Auckland Region, New Zealand
Thaïssa Heuschen	Cultural perspectives on the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef
Paula Hansen	The mental illness mitigation potential of London's greenspaces - a monetary estimate
Marta Torner	The creation, communication, celebration and critique of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato'Si
Myrthe Velther	Strategic management for shared value creation: an exploratory case study on using value mapping for sustainable business model innovation in a multinational enterprise
Helena Wejmelka	On the potential of carpooling between Maastricht and Aachen: a cluster analysis of travellers
Rowan Benning	Downstream Quality - A case study about improving the circularity of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Flip van Woerkom	Making use of Stakeholders, the Key for an MNC to Improve Local Implementation of a Global CSR Strategy
Liard Kranen	An evaluation of intra-governmental cooperation for successful Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan development in European cities
Juliette Mille	Participation and community resilience in urban regeneration projects
Stefan van Waarden	Sustainable development in a neighbourhood through co-creation
Marieke Wijnands	“What do we want?! Climate justice!” The impact of environmental non-governmental organizations on the Paris Agreement
Andrea Roxin	Consumer acceptance and use of smart meters to achieve energy saving in households in Limburg, the Netherlands
Daniel McCusker	The roles of actors in the implementation of sustainable energy technologies
Luciana Bernardes de Abreu	Shaping For-Benefit Organizations: a Systematic Literature Review
Lenny Hoffmeister	Identifying the Challenges of Social Entrepreneurs in Applying the Shared Value Concept in Practice
Carina Skropke	Timebanking to meet integration challenges of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the context of urban poverty in the UK
Sarah Bentall	How and to what extent do NGO-led partnerships operating with purposeful businesses contribute to sustainability?
Darja Larionov	Investigating the Effectiveness of Sustainability Standards and Certification Systems in the Textile and Clothing Industry
Camille Hansart	A Sustainable Perspective on the Subject: Human – Animal Relationships

2015

Author	Title
Rachel Brochado	Understanding the Development of Global Action Networks. ICLEI’s Development and its Complex Adaptive System
Soo-Kyung Shin	Voluntary Sustainability Standard Schemes. Disparities and Governance Challenges
Alexander Göbler	Enhanced weathering and mineral carbonation for CO2 sequestration in the Netherlands: a comparative assessment
Melissa Hayes	Private Actor Contribution to Urban Development in Enabler-Driven Living Labs. The Case of Maastricht and Antwerp
James Elliot	The sustainability of globalisation. Cultural perspectives and the social robustness criterion
Paulo Batistic	Agroforestry as a solution for the dual challenge of food security and climate change
Ami Golland	Shapes in the Sand: Exploring the Potential Impacts of Debt-money Systems on SES Resilience
Antje Blankemeyer	The innovation effects of the EU Directive on End-of-life Vehicles and the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment on the Dutch waste management sector
Dingena Verkerk	Design for Sustainable Development. Participation as social practice in the Maastricht A2 project
Christian Twiehaus	The effects of innovativeness in organisational structures on mission drift in social enterprises
Momo Chen	Consumer’s perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility in China. A case study of Chinese melamine milk formula

2014

Author	Title
Anna Bower	Beyond certification: sustainable climate change adaptation analysis and recommendations for agricultural production
Anika de la Flor Finetti	Water-related Ecosystem Services in the Environmental Impact Assessments of the Peruvian mining industry. A case study of the Conga project.
Vanessa Hofeditz	Redemption: Exploring the Diversity of Glass Recycling Systems in the EU
Iva Horejsi	Large combustion plants: Development of legislation in the Czech Republic between the communist fall and EU accession
Lucy Hunt	Throwing caution to the wind: Assessing and countering obstacles to community-level wind farms in the UK
Chiara Lissandrello	The role of Participation in Initiatives towards Sustainability – functions and typology
Michael Matuszak	Sustainable urban development – Towards a framework for participation
Max Menkenhagen	Discrimination in the European Higher Education Area Area and its Impact on the Sustainability of Micro-Level Student Mobility
Bienfaiteur Mutara	The relationship between armed conflict, environmental degradation and peace building processes in the central African region. A case study of the South-Kivu region in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Basil Oswald	Toward an Understanding of the Variation Between Deposit-Refund Systems for Glass Containers in Contemporary Europe
Jacopo Peirano	Is C2C certification successfully driving the shift of innovation for sustainability from eco-labelling to competitive advantages for companies? A case-studies analysis in the pulp and paper industry sector
Melanie Stralka	What are the merits of the Agonistic and Nudging Approach for the governance of urban greening – Case Frontenpark Maastricht?
Lise Swartz	Assessing the factors impacting the potential of water partnerships to contribute to water resources management for sustainable development
Joe Thomas	Making Maastricht’s Monumental Housing Stock Ecofriendly by 2030 – Municipality, Developer and Homeowner Perspectives
Juan David Guevara	Multilateral Environmental Agreement CITES as potential facilitator for effective articulation of initiatives aimed at combating illegal logging at a global scale
Michael Veale	Exploring eco-innovation systems and their boundaries through multi-level modelling
Tinsley Wolfs	Accountability mechanisms in the governance of climate change mitigation – The case of the European Covenant of Mayors
Liza Wood	An analysis of certification and NGO strategies for climate change adaptation among agricultural smallholders

2013

Author	Title
Leia Achampong	Sustainable Maritime Governance of the North Sea. A sustainability analysis of EU maritime policies to determine theirs sustainability, using an MCA and Perspectives Analysis
Laura Bechthold	Managing the Quest for Corporate Sustainability. Sustainability Maturity Models as Tools for Corporate Sustainability Assessment
Cecile Capo	Ecovillages as models for making the transition to sustainable lifestyles?
Joaquim Demeyer	Encouraging Private Corporations to Adopt Sustainable Practices: the theory and practice behind European Union policy incentives
Sophie von Gagern	Improving the Sustainability in Value Chains through Private Meta-Governance. An Exploratory Research on the Structuring Capacity of the Common Code for the Coffee Community and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Verena Hilgers	Urban Agriculture as Growing Trend in Developed Countries. An Investigation of the Underlying Motives
Mischa Horning	Sustainable Tourism Development at Destination Level. The case of Zuid-Limburg region, the Netherlands
Aishling McGrath	Synergies between Education for Sustainable Development and Green Economy? An analysis of their relationship in Ireland
Floortje Mennen	People, Planet & the Profitable Zoo: a boundary trilemma of the role of zoos as centers for sustainability and sustainability education. A case study of GaiaZOO, Kerkrade, the Netherlands
Jeffrey Ngari	Points of intervention for poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability in the sub-Saharan Africa: A case study of Kenya
Kay Oebels	Globalization and the Environment
Anneri Pretorius	A Shift towards Sustainable Transportation in Cape Town, South-Africa?
Franziska Rieck	What are the underlying principles, motives and claims of city planners when striving for sustainable urban development? On the role and beliefs of urban planners in Freiburg and Wuhan
Rebecca Scholten	Sustainability Reporting. A Case Study Perspective on using the GRI Guidelines as Accountability Mechanism for NGOs
Hendrik Smid	Towards systemic evaluation approaches in German development cooperation? Perspectives from science, clients and practitioners of evaluations
Mike Sporck	Possible ways to improve the Ecological Footprint calculator as a learning tool for sustainable living
Yvette Sweringa	How to become a Sustainability Professional. Sustainability Traineeship: necessity or luxury?
Camille Vandenkerckhove	Moving towards sustainability in the event sector. Application in the context of Brussels
Franzis Wimmer	Pathways of Transitions Towards more Sustainable Lifestyles in Germany. The Role of Cohousing
Ursula Zampieri	Environmental NGOs pursuing access to justice in Brazil: Legal avenues and obstacles to implementation, inspired by the Aarhus Convention

2012

Author	Title
Stefano Boi	Measuring what? A Discourse Analysis of the adequacy of the GDP as an indicator of societal progress
Lieuwe Dragt	Is Microfinance Shaking the Financial System? Developing an evolutionary perspective on microfinance to explore its potential impact on the incumbent financial regime
Savina Istas	The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe. The underlying dynamics
Silke Jenssen	Sustainability at Universities. An Explorative Research on Assessment Methods and Tools for Sustainability Implementation at Universities
Laura Kurth	Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria – A Sinking Ship or the Gateway to Sustainable Tourism
Thijs Maartens	The contribution of a transition experiment to a transition towards a sustainable system: a case study of the INZET project
Jane Prieto	Communication for Sustainable Development. Role of communication strategies for sustainable development projects
Sofie Spijkers	Together we can make it? The potential of local governance projects in energy transitions
Tassilo Stiller	An Energising Drama – On the influence of policy interventions to stimulate energy efficiency in the residential housing sector

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Why this programme?

Interdisciplinary approach

What will you learn?

Real projects, real problems

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Skills training

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Problem-Based Learning

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Study abroad and get to know new people

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One master, TWO degrees! - Double Degree programme

The Dual Degree programme at the School of Business and Economics lets you study at two universities and earn two master’s degrees.

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Master theses

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