A general presentation of the interdisciplinary specialized master in science and management of the environment and sustainable development is available on the portal of the Faculty of Bioscience engineering. (https://uclouvain.be/fr/facultes/agro/master-specialisation-interdisciplinaire-sciences-gestion-environnement-developpement-durable.html)
The specialized master in science and management of the environment and sustainable development offers both recent graduate and experienced professionals the opportunity to learn the basics of environmental science, and the management of environmental issues, which are complex in nature and involve many disciplines. The master is organized to be accessible to graduates (master level) of all faculties, including the sector of science and technology, the sector of human sciences or the health sciences sector, as well as higher schools.
At the end of the training, the graduate in science and management of the environment will be able to contribute to the management of environmental issues: to investigate the problem and analyze it in its entirety, to summarize the positions of the various stakeholders, including experts , communicate them in an understandable way to all parties, synthesize and propose solutions, and argue them to reach a consensus between all stakeholders.
The student's program includes an upgrade based on his or her basic training. This upgrade aims at acquiring basic knowledge in the various disciplines involved in environmental issues: science and technology (chemistry, biology, ecology, computer science, statistics, geography ...) and human sciences (sociology, law, economics, philosophy ...).
Part of the program aims to address environmental issues through different disciplines (economics, law, politics, toxicology, science and technology). Finally, part of the program also aims to develop its ability to approach environmental issues between disciplines, integrating their respective contributions (interdisciplinary approach), and to seek and negotiate consensus solutions with different stakeholders.
On successful completion of this programme, each student is able to :
1.1 To identify the stakeholders concerned by the environmental issue: the general public, scientific experts, non-governmental organisations, public authorities, companies, etc.
1.2 To gather and synthetize information, in French and English, on the various dimensions of the environmental issue: scientific, technical/technological, human, etc.
1.3 To use basic theoretical concepts in science and technology in an appropriate manner: chemistry, biology, ecology, toxicology, IT, statistics, geography, etc. related to the environmental issue.
1.4 To use basic theoretical concepts in human sciences in an appropriate manner: sociology, philosophy, law, economics, etc. related to the environmental issue.
1.5 To communicate with different stakeholders and with independent experts, to identify the elements underlying their respective viewpoints and to incorporate them into the analysis.
1.6 To establish links between the basic concepts in science and technology and the human sciences to understand and explain the environmental issue as a whole.
1.7 To work with colleagues to interpret all the aspects and facets of the environmental issue.
2. To construct and develop one or more solutions to tackle the environmental issue, taking into account the technological and non-technological aspects.
2.1 To synthesize various types of documents related to an environmental issue (scientific and technical / technological and humanities)
2.2 To summarise the views of stakeholders involved in the environmental issue.
2.3 To develop innovative proposals of solutions to the environmental issue with the support of stakeholders, by combining the data and scientific, technical / technological and non-technical approaches available.
2.4 To select in a substantiated way (self-assessment) the proposals for solutions that best fulfil the different dimensions of the environmental issue (scientific, technical / technological and non-technical).
2.5 Toproject herself/himself in the position of the different stakeholders and, in relation with each of them, to decipher their views and positions with regard to the environmental issue and anticipate their reactions to new data and proposals.
2.6 To evaluate solutions against all criteria (feasibility, consistency, stakeholders, etc.) and dimensions (scientific, technical / technological and humanities).
3.1 To present the analysis of the environmental problem and the proposed solutions orally and in writing, in a substantiated manner using modern communication techniques.
3.2 To adapt the language and specific vocabulary taking into consideration the cultural differences of the conversational partners: colleagues, general public, scientific experts, non-governmental organisations, public authorities, business representatives, etc.
4. To negotiate a consensual environmental solution between stakeholders, based on the various solutions proposed.
4.1 To interpret the views of stakeholders on the environmental issue.
4.2 To arbitrate the views of stakeholders on the environmental solutions.
4.3 To convince stakeholders through argumentation on a common solution to the environmental issue.
4.4 To make choices, alone or within a team, taking into account all the dimensions and all the stakeholders, targeting to reach a consensual solution.