why you choose MESPOM

If the environment is your thing, Europe is where the action is. The EU has designed policies and adopted principles that the rest of the world is decades away from considering. If you wish to tune in to the latest in the global environmental discourse, you cannot afford to ignore the professors who teach in this program. Between the partner universities, they have the three disciplinary corners covered - the 'S', the 'P' and the 'M' in MESPOM, or, as some like to call them: Sci, Pol and Man. What is more, you get to choose which you will finally focus on. Apart from the professors from all over the world, you will hear professionals from the likes of IEA, IPCC, IAEA, European Commission, WWF and counting.

 I joined in 2006 looking for a state-of-the-knowledge MSc in Environmental Policy on my way to an academic career in Policy Analysis. I assure you I got what I pursued and more. Pedagogically and technologically avant-garde, the program is forever learning and evolving itself; every cohort only gets better. So I cannot even shape your expectations to the right degree. Join to discover yourself!

Sachin Kumar BADKAS (MESPOM class'08), PhD Fellow, Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University

John F Kennedy once stated, “The wave of the future is not the conquest of a single dogmatic creed, but the liberation of the diverse energies of free nations and free men.” I believe this resonates even stronger in the environmental field in which global challenges, such as climate change, demonstrate that varied approaches are essential; requiring the participation of a diverse audience tuned in to the realities that exist.

This is MESPOM: a chance to sit the world at the table to debate and negotiate, whilst learning together. In addition to high-quality education; it was MESPOM’s global dimension that gave it a sharper edge: international in terms of its professors, its approaches, its student body, and in relation to the very nature of MESPOM’s mobility track. Students are taught to mix pragmatism with idealism by encountering the realities that exist on the ground. Fieldtrips and changing university environments link theory to practice; demonstrating that environmental strategies are highly vulnerable to the context in which implemented. What was most sticking, however, was MESPOM’s sincerity. Professors and staff are supportive to student development and eager to engage in new methods of learning and interaction. I feel fortunate to consider my professors and classmates as friends and colleagues. I am certain we will meet in conferences, work-events and reunions, whilst reminiscing of class dinners, late night study sessions or saying goodbye at graduation.

In its truest sense, MESPOM does not end after the readings are finished or the thesis is turned in. In essence that is where it starts. Students are taught to be critical thinkers, adaptable to new places and ideas and work hard with integrity in a complex world. While I completed MESPOM in 2007 it remains one of the most significant experiences I have encountered and given a second chance, I would gladly join the adventure again.

Jennifer Lenhart (MESPOM Class'07), Sustainability Strategist, Climate Change and Energy Unit, Environmental Strategy Section, Environment Department, City of Malmo, 205 80 Malmö, Sweden

MESPOM provided me with a unique opportunity to enlarge my environmental knowledge due to its multidisciplinary character and the international students and faculty. MESPOM was certainly crucial for me to get my current position at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Water Convention Secretariat- because of the focus of the programme on development issues and countries with economies in transition, but also because of the combination of environmental management, policy and sciences in the programme, incorporated through the different partners of the Consortium. It was useful for me that one of the Consortium partners, CEU, is located in a previous country in transition (Hungary) since my current organization focuses on Central Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.

It has also helped me a lot that the programme gives the student the choice to focus on a specific environmental field such as water and energy by selecting a number of courses, and that it includes practical assignments and activities such as numerous field trips. I also appreciated the close contact to staff and faculty which helped to solve any problems quickly. Finally, the programme significantly enlarged my international network of environmental professionals which is very useful, also in my current professional life. To conclude, I can only recommend MESPOM and would certainly do it again!

Sonja Koeppel (MESPOM class’07), Junior Programme Officer, UNECE in Geneva, Switzerland

…I think one of the most unique features of the MESPOM course is that it allows you to study in FOUR totally different cultures, in different parts of Europe – Central Europe (Budapest), West (Manchester), South (Greece) and North (Sweden). I don't think any other master programme would allow this, and you study/work on research/course projects with people from all over the world.

The reason why I highlight this to you, is that ALL international organizations would have a look at your profile and international experience. MESPOM is one of the best examples to put on your CV – having studied at the best university in your home country, then followed by some of the leading universities in Europe, studying/working with people from over 20/30 countries. This will really make your CV shine compared to others…

Chunyu Liang (MESPOM Class’07), Associate Programme Officer, CDM Sub-programme, UNFCCC

I chose MESPOM as my destination for higher studies because of its uniqueness. After having worked in the water resources sector in India for eight years, I was looking for an integrated master’s programme linked to my area of activities and also relevant to the contemporary environmental studies. MESPOM offers the most comprehensive blend of environmental sciences, policy and management, all interlinked to each other, grooming the students to face the challenging global environmental problems with ease. As Europe is setting newer and newer environmental standards, in the global context, MESPOM not only makes students aware of such issues, but also provides them exposure to at least three different leading European universities; thus setting the right framework to deal with the emerging environmental issues. Having a core background in Engineering and Management, I believe MESPOM would provide an edge to deal with burning environmental issues, specifically connected with the water resources or other projects connected with environment, in India or elsewhere. In this regard, an important feature of MESPOM is the superb quality of the teachers and students. The professors are highly qualified with a proven track record in their respective areas of specialisation at the global level. The students also come from all continents, who by way of interacting in group work and case studies, learn a lot about environmental problems in other countries.

Vaseem Ashraf, India (MESPOM class’10) Current Student, Academic Background in Mechanical Engineering and Management & Systems from Jamia Millia Islamia(Delhi) and Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi), India

My life experiences were shaped by growing up in a small island environment, where adaptability to externalities is a constant reality. We have many social and economic problems due to our reliance on limited natural resources and varying priorities and constraints. This influenced my choice to pursue a career in environmental management within United Nations Development Programme before entering the programme. Thus I came to MESPOM with a good mix of experience from Small Island Developing States, and hope to integrate related issues within the programme. I joined MESPOM with expectations to assist my region and broaden capacity within natural resource management and climate change strategies. In the process, the course is developing my competencies in sectoral coordination and the integration of environment, social and economic goals at the international level that is very much required in today’s professions. I have learnt a lot about the difficulties faced in realizing sustainable development at different levels in the Asia-Pacific region, but believe that we can develop and refine mechanisms (national, regional and international) that will better facilitate this process. I intend to continue to work as part of such teams especially within the extended MESPOM family, aimed at addressing ecological sustainable development whilst understanding that confronting challenges comes with related responsibilities. I recommend MESPOM highly to professionals and students seeking similar international experiences.

Alvin Chandra, Fiji, Pacific Islands (MESPOM Class’10) Current Student, Academic Background in Environmental Sciences, Management & Leadership from University of South Pacific (Fiji), University of New South Wales (Sydney) and University of California (Berkeley)

I chose MESPOM for its intimacy, diversity and curriculum. The other programs I considered all had classes of at least 100 students but MESPOM offered a personal environment where our professors learned not only our names and faces but often also our interests and aspirations. The diversity in nationalities and backgrounds of our fellow students and teaching team offered a unique opportunity to work with and learn from students and faculty from around the globe. Finally, MESPOM’s curriculum was unique because it gave us the coursework to develop foundational skills in the environmental field while giving us the flexibility to pursue our own academic interests in-depth. Other Master programs I considered required students to select a specialization and focus area right away which would have been difficult for many of us coming from non-environmental backgrounds. MESPOM gave us the flexibility to explore all our interests and the support to go in-depth into whatever we chose. My rosy dreams coming into MESPOM were exceeded. The program offers its students a rigorous but rewarding environment where teaching staff is accessible and open, the community is diverse and supportive, and the curriculum is foundational and flexible. MESPOM is not a program for the shy at heart but it is an environment which offers opportunities and adventures galore.

Jessica Jewell, USA (MESPOM class’09) Pending Graduate, Academic Background in geology from Brown University, USA