Master of Science Programme

Transcription

1 Sustainable Cities Master of Science Programme Nordic countries are on the forefront regarding Sustainable Cities planning, e.g.: Renewable Energy Production and Energy Efficient Buildings Green Mobility and a Green Urban Environment Resource and water systems as well as Transition Processes for Sustainable Development As a student at the Sustainable Cities MSc programme you will: Work with real-life problems and solutions in a cross-disciplinary setting combining engineering and social science Work in groups on projects and you are afforded the opportunity to carry out an internship in e.g. a company or planning authority

2 Introduction Worldwide more and more people live in urban settings. The Master in Sustainable Cities at Aalborg University Copenhagen has a focus on handling this challenge from a climate, energy and environmental perspective. Graduates in Sustainable Cities will acquire knowledge and skills to conduct technical, economic and societal transition processes needed to find sustainable ways to lower the impact from urban planning and living. Graduates in Sustainable Cities work across disciplines, and are able to build bridges between different issues and sectors. We aim to provide both theoretical insight and practical experience preparing you for your future career. The programme in Sustainable Cities aims to equip graduates with core competences in urban resource cycles. Renewable energy systems must be developed. Low carbon infrastructure and waste systems need to be designed. Management of climate change impacts and skills to facilitate overall climate mitigation initiatives calls for a Masters in Sustainable Cities. 2

3 The Master of Science Programme Internationally cities and business pose a significant challenge to sustainable development, both environmentally, socially and economically. In the future up to 70-80% of the world population will live in cities, and thus it is important to handle the consequential. It is significant that planning is done across sectors and professions such as energy, water, waste and urban planning. Thus it is necessary to be able to think across sectors, analyse consequences in multiple areas, and include stakeholders such as citizens, companies and environmental organisations. The Master Programme covers issues of engineering such as waste, energy, water resources and transport, as well as political science, green growth and different forms of impact assessment. The graduates from this Master of Science will be educated to be capable of creating the framework for the Sustainable Cities of the future, where economic, social and environmental purposes are integrated in new ways. The degree offered is Master of Science in Engineering (Sustainable Cities). The courses and the project work are carried out in English. Therefore, the programme is open to Danish as well as international students with a relevant Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or equivalent. It is a priority for us that you have the opportunity to work with external partners for instance in your semester projects, which can be carried out in cooperation with authorities, companies, NGOs etc. This way you get to work on real life problems, preparing you for your professional carreer. 3

4 Structure Semester 1 Theme: The role of organisations and business in sustainable cities Semester 2 Theme: Sustainable cities in an institutional and societal perspective Each project group chooses a topic for their semester report within the theme of the semester. The topic can be primarily theoretical or empirical, and usually takes its point of departure in a specific policy, organisation, or an environmental problem. Semester 3 Internship, study abroad or prolonged project period 15 ECTS Each project group chooses a topic for their semester report within the theme of the semester. The topic can be primarily theoretical or empirical, and usually takes its point of departure in a specific policy, institution, or an environmental problem. 15 ECTS Semester 4 Master s thesis preparation This semester will provide the student with the option of applying the theoretical and methodological knowledge gained during the 1st and 2nd semesters into practice in real life situations in Denmark or abroad. This could be as an internship within for example a private consultancy firm, a public authority or a private NGO. The choice of internship is made on the basis of your interests. During the internship, you participate in the activities of an organisation and collect information for the project report. The project report is expected to have both a theoretical and empirical part relating to the actual experience of the internship. In the final semester the main focus is on the writing of the Master s thesis. Students work individually or in small groups, under the guidance of supervisory staff. The Master s thesis, being the highest level of work undertaken, should aim at synthesising theories and methods in order to perform a potential solution for real life problems. An alternative option is to enrol at another (Danish or foreign) university in order to undertake a semester s study there. 4 Finally there is an option for adding the 3rd and the 4th semester into a prolonged project, if for instance the research question demands more time and energy for collecting data or conducting field studies ECTS 30 ECTS

5 Courses 1st semester 2nd semester Tools and approaches to sustainable cities (5 ECTS) Politics, planning and governance (5 ECTS) The course is focussed on providing you with specific tools to further sustainable development in the cities, and the ability to critically reflect over these. Topics may include: Lifecycle assessment, carbon and environmental footprinting, corporate social responsibility and energy system analysis. The course is focussed on power, politics and policy as well as stakeholders, institutions and discourses in relation to decision-making processes. The lectures will be based on current research and aim for critical reflections on planning and decision-making processes. Challenges and planning for sustainable cities (5 ECTS) The course aims to provide a basic shared understanding of the challenges that face cities today in terms of sustainability. The topics may include: resources, climate change, growth, demography, biodiversity, environmental problems and health. Structures and systems of the city (5 ECTS) The course aims at looking closer at some of the systems that make up a city and how we can work with these in a sustainable way. The topics may include: Transport, waste, water and energy. Theories of Science and Research Designs (5 ECTS) The course gives you an understanding of the different theories of science, and how they are connected to choice of research design. It will make you capable of assessing and communicating choice of and background for research design. Economic, social and environmental assessment (5 ECTS) The course is focussed on assessing the sustainability of different solutions for handling the challenges in cities. The topics may include: Feasibility studies, risk assessment, future studies, EIA and SIA. 5

6 Why choose Aalborg University A Different Experience Project Work Both research and teaching at Aalborg University are based on inter-disciplinary and problem-oriented studies organised around group work. Furthermore project work generally accounts for 50% of the study time, while the other 50% is devoted to lectures and seminars. The projects are based on real life problems and are often prepared in conjunction with local companies, authorities or organisations. Projects are normally prepared in groups of 3 to 5 students who work together throughout the entire semester under the supervision of one or more teachers. Work Placements The entire third semester is devoted to a work placement. Each student will be assigned to a company or an organisation, where he/she will analyse specific problems that may be identified in the company/organisation, applying the theoretical knowledge from the courses. This project work provides the students with the abilities of improving their understanding of theories as well as applying theoretical insights in practical contexts. For more information about the work placement, click here. In standard university programs, students are primarily evaluated through written final exams, for which they must memorise and recall what they are taught throughout the semester. Most of the skills that this process develops are really only useful in an educational setting. Through its emphasis on group project-work, Aalborg University takes a more practical approach to learning, giving priority to students experience from addressing real-world problems, thus providing them with skills that they will use in real life. While many universities incorporate group-work and project-work into their curriculum, Aalborg University takes this a step further. With half of the time devoted to the project, and the remainder being divided between project-related courses and courses related to the theme of the semester, the project experience is an integral part of the curriculum, rather than just another course. By spending most of your time solving real-life problems, you do not just learn about the subject matter, you learn how to use the knowledge. This process makes applying skills after graduation easier, whether in doctoral studies or in an occupational setting. 6

7 Copenhagen? Student Centered Students are given a great deal of flexibility in completing their projects. This is particularly important in the context of an international program, where students come from different cultural backgrounds and may have different ways of working. Some prefer to write alone; others thrive on being surrounded by others. As the university does not specify how the projects must be completed, other than that they must be done well, students organise themselves and their work however they want, in order to achieve their goal. Thus, over the course of a semester, students not only create a project, but a way of creating a project. In completing their projects, students are provided with a number of services that facilitate their work. One or two experienced supervisors are assigned to each group, advising the group as it progresses through the project. Each group is also provided with a particular group room or work space, equipped with a computer connected to the department network and the internet. These rooms provide an ideal setting for group discussions and meetings with supervisors. Other computer rooms and printing facilities are accessible in the same building, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that students are able to complete all of their project-work at the university, if they so choose. Another useful facility on campus is the Aalborg University library, which has an extensive collection of books, journals, and electronic journals. In particular it has extensive collection of business and environmental electronic journals useful for finding information for projects. This collection is also accessible to students from off-campus. Overall, the time at Aalborg University provides a unique opportunity to develop analytical and research skills, gain experience working with people from different cultures, and explore subject areas that are of interest. The focus on group problem solving is a key to this experience, as it provides flexibility and practicality, both of which contribute to a highly enjoyable and worthwhile experience. 7

8 Advantages An interdisciplinary approach to study and research creates a stimulating and challenging academic work environment. Problem-centered group project work allows students to research on problems of interest to them. Work placements at relevant companies throughout the world give students practical work experience and insight into real problems. Denmark s welfare system, its mild winters and temperate summers, and its multilingual population make it a comfortable and interesting place to live and work. 8

9 Group Work A special feature of Aalborg University is that 40-50% of the teaching is centered around problem-oriented project work. Using this student- centered and interdisciplinary approach, the aim is to teach the students to think and write clearly, to apply theory to problems, and to master the difficult art of cooperation within a group. Project work starts at the beginning of the semester and runs continuously until the date of submission of the project. The project is assessed in a comprehensive individual oral examination at the end of the semester on the basis of a page type-written report. Projects begin with a practical problem or theoretical topic which relates to the student s course work and the theme for the semester. The topic for the project is chosen by the students themselves in cooperation with their supervisor. It must comprise a theoretical perspective and may have an empirical base as well. and review and critique drafts. They are assigned time in a group project room for their use throughout the semester. The group work in generally very intensive and the students spent a considerable amount of time on the group work and writing the semester report. The group would normally have daily meetings and group work, but this can vary dependent on the group. The project group also meets once a week or once every other week with their project supervisor to discuss theories, methodological problems, etc. These meetings are another form of teaching. The project supervisor usually helps to identify research literature, critiques drafts, and occasionally mediates differing points of view. Group project work, although sometimes difficult for foreign students to understand initially, becomes one of the most valuable experiences of the student s stay at Aalborg University. The group begins meeting early in the semester to identify and formulate the problem, discuss the methodology that will be used to solve the problem, and identify and analyze relevant theories and their application to the problem. Students also meet to plan the project work assignments 9

10 Job Profiles Anne Bach Project Officer Midttrafik, Light Rail Secretariat I work at Midttrafik in Aarhus, which is the public transport authority in the Central Denmark Region. Midttrafik is the administrative headquarter for the Light Rail Secretariat, where I m employed as a project officer. The purpose of the secretariat is to manage the collective efforts towards realisation of a light rail in Eastern Jutland. My work tasks are primarily project management oriented, i.e. to keep track of everything in relation to the organisation of the first light rail in Denmark and completion of different subtasks for the first stage and future expansions. Patrick Driscoll Research Assistant Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University I am currently part of a team working on a large research project in conjunction with DTU (Danish Technical University) investigating sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy in transport model forecasts. My doctoral work will mainly focus on examining decision making in the field of climate change adaptation and how planners and politicians make decisions in situations where there are so many uncertainties. Maren Friederike Ritter Urban Planner, Grontmij GfL GmbH, Germany One of my main fields of work is to design, guide, moderate and evaluate public participation processes for urban planning projects such as European Shared Space projects or city development plans. At Aalborg University I learned to understand the different views and interests of stakeholders in planning processes. This is a beneficial skill in managing planning processes with differing private and public interests in daily business. Working as an urban planner for Grontmij GfL I am also concerned with designing land-use plans for cities and communities, like new residential areas or shopping centres. 10 Seth Schromen-Wawrin Active Communities Program Director, Feet First Seattle, Washington, USA I am working at a pedestrian advocacy non-profit organization leading various projects to improve the walkability of Seattle. The organization s approach is to empower community groups to affect change in the area and to provide education and support on the technical elements of transportation and planning. I have worked on projects varying from developing audits and surveys of streetscape and neighborhood conditions, to advising transportation policy, to developing maps and wayfinding aids.

11 Research Environment Worldwide more and more people live in urban settings. The Master in Sustainable Cities at Aalborg University Copenhagen has a focus on handling this challenge from a climate, energy and environmental perspective. Graduates in Sustainable Cities will acquire knowledge and skills to conduct analyses research on technical, economical and societal transition processes needed to find sustainable ways to lower the impact from urban living. The programme in Sustainable Cities is connected to a broad numbers of research project connected to the Sustainable Cities Research group. All of these are aimed to develop new knowledge regarding urban sustainable planning, urban resource cycles, green mobility, and renewable energy systems. The research is conducted in a cross-disciplinary setting with and in corporation with industry, businesses, consultants, utility companies, municipalities, public authorities as well as other universities. Biorenewable Growth Well-being Sustainable HealthCare Infrastructure Public Transportation Citie Knowlegde Park Recycling Energy Management Recreation Systems Renewable Production Environment Planning 11

12 Some Staff David Connolly, Assistant Professor in Energy Planning My research is primarily focused on the technical and economic assessment of energy systems. The principal objective of my research is to evaluate how modern energy systems can be transformed into 100% renewable energy. An analysis typically analyses how energy is produced and consumed, calculates the costs of constructing and operating an energy system, and considers some specific socio-economic externalities such as job creation. Sanne Vammen Larsen, Assistant Professor in Environmental Assessment My research primarily focuses on environmental assessment of plans and projects; strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment and related planning and participation processes. I seek to evaluate and develop the use of these tools especially focussing on climate change and water issues. Theoretically I focus on sociological approaches to risk and uncertainty as a lense used to analyse some of the challenges related to impact assessment, climate change and water. Karsten Bruun Hansen, Postdoc in behavioural aspect, transition processes and education for sustainable development 12 My primarily research area deals with different kinds of behavioural aspects related to the global resource and climate crisis. It goes from institutional learning to everyday transition processes. I also look into the relations between human well-being or happiness and sustainable living. I am conducting research that focuses on why it is so hard to facilitate human behavioural change or transition processes in direction of sustainable living.

13 Brian Vad Mathiesen, Associate Professor in Energy Planning My main research interest is concentrated on energy system analyses of 100% renewable energy systems, analyses of the transition towards such systems and large-scale integration of intermittent renewable energy sources e.g. wind power. My research covers technical energy system analyses, feasibility studies as well as public regulation and technological change. Kirsten Schmidt, Assistant Professor in Sustainability and Organizational Learning My research primarily focuses on how organizations develop their approaches and activities related to sustainability. Especially how formalized structures like environmental management or CSR systems interact with social practices. My theoretical basis are theories on social practices and on organizational learning. I look at organizations from a life cycle approach including how they cooperate within the value chain and with different stakeholders. Stig Hirsbak Associate Professor in Sustainable corporate management and social responsibility My research is focused on how to create sustainability within cities by a continuous evolution of Public Private Partnership approaches. Sustainable cities requires new and experimental ways of involving all interested parties in the planning process in order to combat climate and resource challenges in order to create sustainable lifestyles within the cities. It requires tools to manage and measures the consequences of sustainable planning initiatives. 13

14 Admission To enter this master programme you must have a relevant bachelor degree. The bachelor in Urban, Energy and Environmental Planning at Aalborg University gives you direct access to the programme. Other relevant bachelor degrees could be within engineering and geography. Single semester guest student with other bachelor degrees e.g. politics or social science, are also welcome. However all applications for the master programme is evaluated individually and the relevancy of the bachelor degree is evaluated through this process. Entrance requirements You can study as a guest student on the first and/or second term or as a master student following the entire two-year degree programme. Students seeking to enrol in the programme are required to have the following qualifications: A bachelor of science degree in engineering, geography or natural sciences. Deadlines for application For the master s programme, we only have a September intake. Students seeking admission to the entire master s programme and students seeking admission to the autumn semester as a guest semester have the following deadlines: March 15th for students requiring a visa to Denmark. May 1st if not requiring a visa (primarily from the EU/EEA) or students from an institution which has an exchange agreement with Aalborg University. Students applying for the spring semester as a guest semester: August 15th if requiring a visa October 1st if not requiring a visa (primarily from the EU/EEA) or students from an institution which has an exchange agreement with Aalborg University. 14 Documented working knowledge of written and spoken English (verified IELTS score report with a minimum score of 6.5, TOEFL (paper based) 550, TOEFL (computer based) 230, TOEFL (internet based): 80 or Cambridge ESOL: C1. All applications are evaluated individually.

15 Application procedure Scholarships Find the appropriate application, fill it in, submit it electronically as well as print and mail it with the requested enclosures to the International Office. Please note, AAU has an application fee for full degree students from outside EU/EEA. The application fee will be refunded if you are admitted and start at the programme you have been admitted to. See details at Tuition Fees Full-time students at this programme who are not nationals of an EU/EEA country will be charged tuition fee of DKK per term (2010 level). Non-EU/ EEA students with a permanent residence permit for Denmark are exempted from tuition fees. Aalborg University does, however, grant a few tuition waivers and scholarships to non-eu/eea students. For the September 2009 intake, 22 tuition waivers and scholarships were granted for the entire university. As mentioned above, Aalborg University has only a very limited number of tuition waivers and scholarships available. Students cannot apply for these but will be nominated by Aalborg University when applying. The likelihood of obtaining a scholarship is far higher in other places - e.g. through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Education in the student s home country. Americans may try the Gudrun Gytel Fund. Further Information For information on admission procedure, scholarships, accommodation etc. visit the The Study Guide ( aau.dk) For more specific info and requirements please refer to: entry-admission-requirements/ To contact the masters programme secretary allis@plan.aau.dk 15

16 Practical Information Overview Denmark In selecting and applying for a graduate programme, there are numerous factors to consider and several practical steps one must take. The most relevant features of the academic program have already been discussed. However, a good university is characterized not by its qualified research and teaching alone, but also by its study environment. Information about the study environment in Copenhagen, as well as information about costs and application deadlines and procedures, is provided on: Denmark is a small country that is well-situated within central and northern Europe. the official website from the Danish Tourist Board, Will give you an accurate broad outline, and you can go from there to links that will flesh out the general picture. Copenhagen Copenhagen, with its 550,000 inhabitants, is the capital of Denmark. If you are interested in more information, click on City of Copenhagen homepage: CityOfCopenhagen/SubsiteFrontpage Denmark Aalborg Copenhagen Photo: Karsten Bruun Hansen, Mette Nielsen, Pernille Falborg Petersen Editors: Karsten Bruun Hansen, Sanne Vammen Larsen Layout: Jacob Hilmer Print: Prinfoaalborg Aalborg University Copenhagen Februar