Sustainable Urban Regions

Sustainable Urban Regions

Duration
5 months
Education type
Exchange programme
Field of interest
Sustainability
Field of interest
Biology
Introduction

The study programme

Developing the green and healthy urban regions of the future. Does that sound like your dream job? Our Sustainable Urban Regions minor programme will prepare you to tackle the challenges ahead. As urban populations continue to grow rapidly all over the world, how do we densify our cities by building more homes when we also need to radically green urban regions? More than ever before, tomorrow’s cities face tremendous challenges in developing climate-adaptive, biodiverse neighbourhoods where inhabitants’ access to nature starts on their doorstep, thus enhancing their health and wellbeing.

Smart Green Cities

Admission requirements

This is how you get admitted

  • Do you have any questions about admission?

    Please contact our International Office by sending an email to international.uas@aeres.nl.

Characteristics

Is this the programme for you?

  • International learning environment

    You study in an international classroom. You will study with other nationalities such as Dutch, Italian, French or German students.

    Aeres University of Applied Sciences, Dronten, students, international studies

  • University of Applied Sciences

    Study at a university of applied sciences with a long history of agriculture and specialization in agrifood and entrepreneurship. Our lecturers work in close collaboration with organizations and experts in the field.

    International Food Business Aeres University of Applied Sciences
Practical matters

What you need to know...

  • Application
    • Programme duration: 1 September –31 January
    • Application is open as of 1 October
    • Application deadline: 1 May

    The International Office will inform you via email about the application procedure as soon as your home university or university of applied sciences has informed us that you have been nominated for an exchange programme.

  • Fees and funding

    When you're going to study abroad, it's good to know what to expect finanicially. Here you can find information about tuition fees and other (study) costs.

  • Other practical matters

    Here you can find more information about:

Get to know

A student’s perspective

aeres university of applied sciences dronten
International campus Aeres University of Applied Sciences Dronten

Housing

City of almere

Study in Almere

Programme content

This is what you will learn

This programme consists of 1 minor of 30 ECTS. This sub-modules in this minor are:

  • Main assignment
  • Nature-inclusive and healthy city
  • Location intelligence
  • Urban metabolism in a changing climate
  • Storytelling and story mapping

This is what you’ll learn

  • Main assignment

    In the main assignment you and your fellow students design the healthy, green city district of the future for an external organisation. You have an advisory role on how to develop robust spatial solutions to urban challenges that promote human ecosystem health and well-being in the context of climate change. Almere is an interesting subject to investigate: built in 1975, it is a relatively new city with lots of green space and a large building task. But of course, we will also take advantage of the proximity of the city’s older neighbour, Amsterdam, with its specific characteristics such as centuries-old infrastructure, competition for space and the presence of a large business district.

  • Nature-inclusive and healthy city

    The Nature-inclusive and healthy city module addresses three main topics: nature-inclusive area development, the benefits of green for health promotion (salutogenesis), and the development of effective climate-change adaptation strategies. To investigate how urban green space affects health positively and what the underlying mechanisms are, you will examine the potential of different types of green – green facades, green roofs and the like – for enhancing physical and mental wellbeing. The benefits of urban agriculture initiatives are also dealt with in this module. An integral part of this module is learning to identify the impact of climate change on urban areas and prioritise needs so you can develop effective solutions for different user groups. When you have completed this module, you will be able to apply (eco)systemic thinking and develop up-scaling strategies to work towards sustainable urban regions.

  • Location intelligence

    During the Location Intelligence module you learn how to work with static and dynamic 2D and 3D data so you can design eye-catching maps and visualisations for professionals and citizens. You develop your skills to use GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and we delve into topics such as Social Cartography, Modifiable Area Unit Problem and asymmetric maps. If you do not have any GIS knowledge yet, please feel free to contact the minor coordinator to discuss your possibilities to take part in the minor. We try to make it accessible for a variety of backgrounds.

  • Urban metabolism in a changing climate

    In Urban metabolism in a changing climate we look at the city as one big, buzzing ‘organism’ and focus not only on people, but also on non-human species. Can cities, with their unique accumulation of people and goods, be a force for good in the transition towards a circular economy? How can we design new city districts in such a way that they provide habitats for as many plant and animal species as possible? How can city planning help us reach the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and how might climate change affect this? You will also reflect on urban planning trends and learn to describe the principles and trends of smart and circular regions. You will construct a regional urban chain analysis on raw (urban) materials as an important base for smart circular urban development, and you will enrich your professional vocabulary with terms like ‘urban heat island’, ‘ecological planning’ and ‘urban swarming’.

  • Storytelling and story mapping

    The Storytelling and story mapping module is about the power of a good narrative in communication. You learn to apply storytelling principles by designing story maps and presentations and you evaluate the communication of your message with a target audience. You also organise your own symposium, which is a synthesis of all you have learned and experienced during this minor!

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Practical information

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