Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Course in Islands and Sustainability

The ISLANDS program combines thorough training in scientific research with a thematic specialization on Islands and Sustainability. It also provides multi-faceted training of research skills for social science and environmental research, including Individual Research Training by senior staff and training to work in a multi- and interdisciplinary research group. It involves taking a series of qualitative, quantitative and multi-method courses, as well as, courses on Scientific Reading, Debating and Reflecting, Scientific English Writing and Research Process.

ISLANDS students will be required to study at the University of Groningen in the first semester of the first year of the programme. During the second semester of the first year they study at one of the island-based universities of the consortium where they undertake Research Training and a Research Internship Module. Then, they return to Groningen for the first semester of their second year before going again to the same island-based university to undertake their Master thesis project in the second semester of the second year.

ISLANDS graduates receive a double-degree from the University of Groningen (including an acknowledgement that this is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master degree involving all partner universities) and the island-based University in which the graduate spends the second half of the second year of their studies and the second half of the second semester of the first year.

The ISLANDS programme is also supported by six associated partners comprising academic institutions, a research institute, an SME and NGOs (including Geoparks in Iceland and on Lesvos).