Sustainable land and groundwater management and urban land problems and engineering are important global and current environmental issues. Sustainable Land Management refers to practices and technologies that aim at integrating the management of land, water and other environmental resources to meet human needs while ensuring the long-term sustainability of ecosystem services and livelihoods. Worldwide, population pressures and severe degradation, pollution and desertification problems are threatening this – for several countries relatively scarce – natural resource, and cause competition between agricultural or industrial purposes, urban planning and nature conservation. To guarantee a proper use and management of this basic commodity for a nation, well trained specialists with a thorough knowledge of the properties and characteristics of this natural resource, and a solid insight in factors and measures that may alter its actual state and value are warranted and call for a high standard scientific and practical education.

• The Urban Land Engineering programme at VUB zooms in on land management in urbanised areas. You will be trained in the inventory and detailed characterization of land capacity and of soil and water management in an urban context. As a graduate, you will understand urban hydrology and hydraulics, which will enable you to optimize urban land use under different natural and environmental conditions.

The strenghts of our Sustainable Land Management master’s programme

• A programme with a long history: The master in Sustainable Land Management originates from two other programmes, both formerly taught at Ghent University: the Master of Soil Science programme and the Master of Eremology. In 1997, Ghent University joined forces with Vrije Universiteit Brussel to widen the scope of the course, launching the Master of Physical Land Resources. In 2020, the programme was renamed Master of Sustainable Land Management, reflecting several programme changes.
• From theory to laboratory to practice: Field work, excursions, laboratory work, exercise sessions and computer workshops all make this master’s programme particularly hands on. There are a series of theoretical courses, of course, but all students confirm their appreciation of the applied and practical approach to teaching.
• Become a skilled, knowledgeable expert: More than immersing you in the world of land and water management, this programme will teach you a wide range of skills typical for a master of Science, such as the ability to identify problems, form hypotheses, test these through experiments in the field and report results and findings to both your peers and a more general public. Moreoever, you’ll learn how to think analytically and synthetically, while still being creative – all part of a problem-solving mentality. In brief: you’ll gain all the knowledge and skills needed to build a successful career as a scientist.
  

  Application procedure

  General Info

  Can I apply for this scholarship?

  Candidates that meet the following criteria* may apply for an ICP Connect scholarship:

  • Nationality and country of residence: Candidates must hold nationality from one of the 29 eligible countries and reside in any of these countries at the time of application (though not necessarily in their country of nationality).
  • Age: Candidates for a bachelor or initial master programme cannot be older than 35 as of 1 January of the intake year, while candidates for an advanced master cannot be older than 45. Additionally, candidates for a bachelor programme must be at least 19 years old by 1 January of the intake year.
  • Professional background and experience: Preference will be given to candidates employed in higher education, government, or civil society, or those targeting a career in one of these sectors. Newly graduated candidates or those employed in the private sector with no work experience may also be considered if they provide strong motivation and a compelling profile.
  • Scholarship applications: Candidates may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship per year. Candidates cannot receive any other scholarship or grant to participate in this study programme or another programme simultaneously.
  • Previously awarded scholarships: Candidates may not have previously received a scholarship from the Belgian government to attend a study programme, nor may they have enrolled in a study programme at a Belgian higher education institution before 1 January of the year of intake.

  *Please note that additional criteria may be imposed by individual institutions. These can be found under the drop-down menu ‘more detailed information & application’ on this page.

  What are the scholarship selection criteria?

  Within the ICP Connect framework, scholars are seen as potential agents of change that may contribute to societal change in their home country (or region) after completing their studies. Scholars are selected following an objective evaluation of their scholarship applications based on the following criteria:

  • Motivation: Candidates’ motivation and professional goals must reflect their competence in transferring knowledge/skills or setting up extension activities, highlighting themes relevant to sustainable development and pertinent to the study programme. Not only are academic results important, but so are —especially— the potential and commitment of the candidates to become ‘agents of change’ after completing their studies.
  • Professional experience: Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate a greater chance of implementing and/or transferring newly gained knowledge/skills upon completion in a sustainable development context, such as in the higher education sector, government, civil society, or the private sector, thereby contributing to positive societal change.
  • Gender balance: A balance between male and female candidates awarded ICP Connect scholarships is the target. VLIRUOS strongly encourages female candidates to apply.
  • Regional balance: A reasonable cross-section of scholars from different countries and regions is targeted, provided there are sufficient qualified candidates.
  • Leave No One Behind (LNOB): In case of equally qualified candidates, preference will be given to candidates from vulnerable groups.
  • Previously awarded scholarship: Preference will be given to candidates who have never received a scholarship to study in a high-income country (bachelor or master).

  More detailed information 

  Read about the programme: https://www.vub.be/en/studying-vub/all-study-programmes-vub/bachelors-and-masters-programmes-vub/master-sustainable-land-management