Skills and Competencies
What skills and competences do you gain from the LUMES programme?
Learning outcomes
- Knowledge of the interaction between cultural, economic, environmental, political, and social dimensions of sustainability
- Understanding global sustainability challenges at different scales and levels including their complex interactions
- Understanding natural and social dimensions of sustainability and their interlinkages
- Knowledge of the domains or sectors of agriculture, economy, energy, health, land, and water, and their implications for sustainability
- Insights into social and economic theory and methodology and their relevance for sustainability
- Knowledge of sustainability science tools such as assessment of scientific (un)certainty, DPSIR, GIS, scenario exploration, stakeholder analysis, and systems analysis
- Knowledge of governance systems and theories and their relevance for sustainability
Overall competencies
- Ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines
- Ability to comprehend and analyse sustainability challenges and problems from different perspectives including a systems/holistic approach and appropriate tools
- Ability to critically assess and evaluate fundamental assumptions underlying various processes, policies and projects
- Ability to maintain rigour, theoretical grounding, and epistemological/ontological orientation in research
- Flexibility in working in cross-cultural and interdisciplinary teams
- Ability to work on a strategic as well as operational level
- Ability to successfully communicate with and disseminate knowledge and research to both specialised and non-specialised audiences
The practical knowledge provided by the excellent faculty and engaging course work coupled with the day to day interactions with classmates and friends from around the world makes the LUMES program one of a kind. The environmental and sustainability challenges addressed through this program are very real and sometimes seem insurmountable, but the knowledge and tools gained through LUMES are exactly what students need to equip themselves with the power to provide long-lasting change through thoughtful analysis and meaningful action.
“LUMES is so much more than a masters program, it's an experience! When I look at my classmates, past and present, I see the future of sustainability and know there is hope for the planet and future generations; I am proud to be a LUMESian!”
Chad Stephen Boda, LUMES Graduate 2012
LUMES recruits students from different disciplinary backgrounds, geographical regions, and cultures that together learn, work and engage to inspire and motivate each other for making a change that is of social importance. This is definitely a differentiating factor when it comes to tackling sustainability challenges".
Alejandro Egüez, LUMES Batch 14