Testimonials

Programme

Science for Sustainability

Whether it's about nitrogen, solar cells, or policies to transition the Netherlands off natural gas: well-conceived ideas often falter in execution. In a new Master's programme, two faculties and several organisations are joining forces to train people who can bring these ambitious plans to fruition.

Industrial designer Sjors Witjes, one of the driving forces and programme director of the new Master's programme, cites a range of examples where things have gone awry. In the United States, for instance, many companies struggle to reconcile short-term goals—shareholders' interests—with the demands of societal organisations highlighting the urgency of climate change. "Attention to sustainability is waning again, while wildfires in California are more severe than ever. We see this trend spilling over to Europe and the Netherlands. How can we turn the tide?"

Part of the answer lies with the people being trained in the new two-year Master’s in Science for Sustainability. Witjes explains: "We call these people sustainability navigators; they are the guides to the future who can assist with necessary transitions. The Master's programme teaches them to think outside the box: these navigators can engage in discussions about environmental goals as well as organisational change."

Two faculties hand in hand 

Programme coordinator Desiré Dekker uses waste reduction as an example. "It starts from the very beginning of the production cycle: how to develop a product so that it has minimal environmental impact at the end of its life cycle." This requires technical knowledge, such as measuring the waste pressure in a specific environment. "But you can't implement this without knowledge of organisational change." That's why in this Master's programme, the Faculty of Science goes hand in hand with Nijmegen School of Management.

And the collaboration extends further: companies and other organisations are also involved; they participated in designing the Master's programme and provide guest lecturers. "You can come up with all sorts of great ideas, but you must also be able to explain them and get organisations on board," says Dekker. "Navigators understand the obstacles you may encounter in practice."

'This is the first time these faculties are formally collaborating on a Master's programme of this nature. We aim to connect different knowledge domains', explains Sjors Witjes. Besides being Programme Director of the Master's in Science for Sustainability, he is also Associate Professor of Organisational Circularity & Sustainability at the Nijmegen School of Management.

Making ambitious plans realistic

Sjors Witjes explains that theory and practice are too far apart. Even though theoretically sound subsidy schemes for solar cells have been developed on paper, they still fall short. "There is too little reflection on the stubborn reality, and implementation can still go wrong due to an overloaded energy network." The recommendation is to return to the drawing board in time. The navigators being trained are the essential links between those worlds of knowledge and execution.

These links are sorely missed in the field, notes Desiré Dekker. That's why public and private organisations are eager to participate in the programme, and why the Master's programme has received the necessary NVAO accreditation: the trained navigators—targeting forty to sixty students—will not be unemployed. Dekker is hopeful, partly fueled by the many contacts she has already established in the field. "There is a high demand for people who can build bridges."

High interest during open days 

The new Master's in Science for Sustainability, starting at Radboud University in September 2025, combines knowledge from management and natural sciences to train students as sustainability navigators. In the article "New sustainability Master's targets social and natural science students" from Voxweb, the programme director indicates there is no lack of interest in the new Master's. 'During the last open day, the room was filled twice, with both Radboud students and interested students from other universities.'

Article contains elements from publications by Radboud Recharge (September 2024), Voxweb (February 2025) and TechGelderland (January 2025)

Programme

Science for Sustainability

Ad Ragas is Professor Environmental Science at Radboud University and co-initiator of the Master's programme Science for Sustainability.

"Years ago, in the 1980s, as a member of the University Council, I participated in discussions about our Catholic identity. Jan Peters, at that time a member of the Executive Board, truly opened my eyes. He said that identity is not about what makes you exclusive, but about what connects you, the values you share. When I think of Radboud University, I think of values such as respect for others and forgiveness. By respect, we usually mean respect for others. And rightly so, of course, but when it comes to the identity of the university, I would also like to see respect for nature, for our living environment, incorporated."

Sustainability as a core value

"In addition to the focus on diversity and inclusion, several participants in my session agreed that attention to sustainability should be part of our identity. In recent years, the university has already committed to this course, with campaigns such as 'You have a part to play' and the Radboud Impact Day, as well as by appointing a sustainability manager. A courageous choice, which as a natural scientist I can only applaud. The university is finally daring to make its voice heard.

Thanks to the decision to include sustainability in all curricula of Radboud University, we can train students to critically reflect on the effects our behavior can have on our environment, so they can think about this later in their lives as well, instead of blindly following the wave of big money."

Research on environmental risks

"There is always a period of scientific and general uncertainty between the moment you undertake a social activity, such as burning fossil fuels, and the moment it becomes clear that this activity also has harmful effects. How do we deal with this uncertainty? As far as I'm concerned, we should be guided by respect for nature, and not by our sometimes misplaced confidence that we can eliminate all risks with science. In the context of our research, this means more emphasis on possible scenarios instead of what we already know. This allows us to understand the risks and anticipate potential damage.

Take medications, for example. Medicine residues enter the environment through wastewater, with adverse effects on birds and fish, among others. If entrepreneurs took these consequences into account from the beginning of the production process, they could address this, for instance by looking for medications that break down more easily. This is already happening, but it could be much more systematic."

A transdisciplinary future

"With our expertise in so many disciplines and the contribution of so many young people, Radboud University can become a pioneer in creating a more sustainable society. Especially when it comes to complex problems such as climate change and the loss of biodiversity, we need all our disciplines - from economics and law to ethics and communication sciences."

Ad Ragas is closely involved with the new Master's programme Science for Sustainability and works as a professor of Environmental Science and education director of the education institute for Biosciences at Radboud University.