"This Master's programme has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to understand the complex nature of the governance of socio-technical transitions towards sustainability. Through its’ both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary nature, the course explores contemporary social and environmental issues through many perspectives. This allows students to enhance their critical thinking skills and become aware of the systemic issues that must be countered in order to achieve transformative change. Having undertaken Corporate Sustainability specialisation, I was able to explore the crucial role of the private sector in achieving this long-overdue global transformation.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of in-person classes, the atmosphere over our online lectures remained engaged. Students continued to ask eager and critical questions and professors were constantly engaging the students in discussions. Throughout the course of the programme, the learning environment was both supportive and productive, where students were able to feel comfortable sharing their own opinions and raising questions. In particular, teachers often encouraged students to be critical of the readings and content and welcomed relevant debates about certain controversial issues. In my view, this open-minded culture helped students become more self-assured since we were constantly able to apply our theoretical knowledge to a variety of different debates and subjects.
I am currently doing an internship at a consulting company that focuses on ensuring sustainability and inclusivity in all three private, public and civil society sectors. As part of my role in this company, I have been engaging with cocoa and coffee farmer cooperatives in West Africa and guiding them to obtain fair trade and living income-paying customers. Seeing that the 'sustainable' cocoa sector has gained momentum over the last few years, my thesis will focus on recent developments in the governance of cocoa in the European context, and what this could imply for finally transforming the 'wicked' cocoa sector.
With the growing scrutiny of our current 'ways of doing, it could be argued that we are experiencing a shift in our collective consciousness. People are realising that the current global political-economic system is failing to keep our planet and people happy, and are rightfully calling for a change towards more sustainable, social and inclusive institutions and policies. Albeit seeming overly optimistic, I believe such a change is inevitable in the next few decades, in turn making such a degree increasingly relevant in this transitioning world. Indeed, corporations, governments and NGOs alike are all seeking ways to transform their frameworks to detach from the status quo and become more environmentally and socially inclusive, demonstrating that the demand for transition management, governance and sustainability experts will only continue to expand."