Education: Master programme Metropolitan Analysis, Design and Engineering
Living labs play a central role in masterâs degree programme
By: Jurjen Slump
Students can obtain a masterâs degree in Metropolitan Analysis, Design and Engineering (MSc MADE). They are taught right in the heart of the city, and living labs have an important role to play here.
We educate urban engineers who, in the complex and confusing world of major
cities, are capable of contributing to changes, have the courage to make decisions and are aware these often have unexpected consequencesâ, explains Arjen Zegwaard from Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Together with Maurice Harteveld, his counterpart from Delft University of Technology, he leads the MADE education programme. âAll of the students share the same drive: a commitment to improve the city and make it more sustainable.â
Living lab
The masterâs programme is an alliance between WUR and Delft University of Technology and focuses on the topics of the AMS Institute. Students attend courses on metropolitan challenges and metropolitan solutions. The living lab plays a central role. âWhereas an internship is compulsory on many degree programmes, we rather like to focus on living labsâ, says Zegwaard. âIt enables us to get to a feasible solution more quicklyâ, says Harteveld. Students work with all stakeholders on a problem with lots of unanswered questions. The keyword here is âco-creationâ: collaboration is key at all stages of learning. âNo single actor can make metropoles move in a specific directionâ, Harteveld explains. âMetropolitan solutions require cooperation between knowledge experts, as well as between city, citizens and civil society.â This approach does justice to the interconnected nature and complexity of todayâs problems, Zegwaard states. âIt is 21st-century engineering at its best.â
Metropolitan solutions require cooperation between knowledge experts, as well as between city, citizens and civil society
Generalist specialists
Students who have completed the masterâs programme are âgeneralist specialistsâ and are able to pursue a wide range of careers. From advising municipalities, to running a business in the field of sustainable applications for metropolitan regions, explains Zegwaard. Harteveld calls them âmetropolitan innovatorsâ: experts able to build bridges between different stakeholders.
Synergy
The alliance between WUR and Delft University of Technology results in âamazing synergyâ, say both Zegwaard and Harteveld. The lecturers who teach the programme courses come from different backgrounds, which results
in a very creative and innovative style of teaching. Zegwaard: âThey clearly enjoy what they are doing and that rubs off on the students.â
MOOCs, Summer Schools, and more
In addition to the MSc MADE, Delft University of Technology and WUR also develop MOOCs and Summer Schools for AMS Institute, while courses for business community and government professionals are also in the pipeline.