Minor Sustainability Transitions Challenges
We all support the idea of moving towards a system that operates within planetary boundaries, and promotes well-being and social justice. In the Sustainability Transitions Challenges minor, you will develop the competencies necessary to lead these systems effectively.
Why choose this minor?
- It empowers you to develop your own perspective on sustainability transitions
- Through defining your own challenges, you can focus on topics you find most interesting
- It gives you the opportunity to collaborate with students from across BUas and beyond
About this minor
This minor invites you to engage with various sustainability transition challenges. These range from those focusing exclusively on environmental or social issues to those combining these two pillars of sustainability.
You can choose the challenges that interest you and, by completing them, develop the skills and knowledge needed to form your own perspective on sustainability and play your part in addressing climate change and/or broader sustainable development challenges.
The minor is designed to enable you to learn alongside fellow students from BUas and other EU universities, as well as various sustainability experts. It is also designed to be completed online, offering maximum flexibility.
More information:
- Language of instruction
English.
- Admission requirements
Admission requirements for BUas students:
- Propaedeutic certificate obtained
Admission requirements for external students:
- For KreativEU students: requirements still to be determined
- Others: Propaedeutic certificate obtained + motivation letter, interview if necessary
- Learning outcomes & competencies
This minor enables you to fulfil two BU-wide Integrated Learning Outcomes (ILOs) at Level 3 (End Level).
ILO 1: Account for climate and sustainability realities/facts in crafting context-specific courses of action to tackle societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
- Basic Level: With guidance, identify climate and sustainability issues that are relevant to a domain’s current and potential contribution to tackling societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
- Intermediate Level: With coaching, analyse the interdependencies between various climate and sustainability issues that are relevant to a domain’s current and potential contribution to tackling societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
- End Level: With limited coaching and direction, make well-argued choices and decisions in crafting context-specific courses of action (within or across domains) to tackle societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
ILO 2: Develop your own (current and future, personal and professional) role in tackling societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or sustainable development
- Basic Level: With guidance, identify a range of realities, facts, perspectives and opinions with respect to societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
- Intermediate Level: With coaching, analyse positionality of stakeholders involved with societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
- End Level: With limited coaching and direction, make well-argued choices and decisions in crafting their/your own (current and future, personal and professional) role in tackling societal challenges that relate to climate change and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development
- Topics and structure of the minor
The minor involves completing five sustainability transitions challenges, which you can select from a wide range. Completing these challenges involves going through the nine steps of Challenge Based Learning (CBL), either individually or in a group. To complete the minor, you will reflect on your contribution to completing these challenges individually and relate your development in terms of attitudes, skills, and knowledge to the two BUas-wide Climate & Sustainability Integrated Learning Outcomes in a portfolio. You will present this portfolio as your final product for assessment.
- Teaching & assessment
You will work on challenges following the nine steps of Challenge Based Learning (CBL), with the support of specialised sustainability experts. The entire minor, including the final assessment, is delivered online. This final assessment is an interview with two sustainability experts based on your portfolio. The two BUas-wide Climate & Sustainability Integrated Learning Outcomes will serve as the assessment criteria.
- Required study material
This is provided online as part of the challenges.
- Minor coordinator
Frans Melissen: [email protected]
After this minor
You have learnt to make well-argued choices and decisions crafting context-specific courses of action of action to address climate-related societal challenges and/or the broader challenge of sustainable development. You will be able to do this in a way that aligns with your worldview, personality and professional ambitions and dreams.
Practical information
When
Monday 31 August 2026 – Friday 31 January 2027
Where
All classes and meetings will take place on the BUas campus in Breda.
Teaching method
You are assisted by our Challenge-Based Learning coaches at regular meetings. Together with them, you organise additional activities such as seminars, debates and field trips.
How to apply?
You can choose this minor if you study at BUas, but students from other higher education institutes are also warmly invited to join. This makes for a diverse and inspiring classroom!
- How to apply: BUas students
Would you like to take a minor at BUas? If so, please register via Osiris. You can indicate two preferences. The application period for the 2027–2028 academic year can be found on the Minor Desk page on the BUas Portal. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If a minor has a selection procedure, this will be stated in the entry requirements on this page.
A minor outside BUas
Would you like to take a minor at another university of applied sciences or research university? If so, the application procedure will change with the launch of eduXchange. You’ll be able to find out exactly how it works on the Minor Desk page on the BUas Portal as soon as possible. Any questions? Just send an email to [email protected].
- How to apply: non-BUas students
From the 2027–2028 academic year onwards, applying for a minor at BUas will need to be done via eduXchange. This is a new platform where you can find and apply for minors offered by universities of applied sciences and research universities.
When can you apply?
You can apply from 15 February 2027 at the earliest. We will post the exact application period and the full step-by-step guide on this page as soon as they are known.Not all institutions will be using eduXchange straight away. The application process may therefore vary depending on the institution where you are studying. You will also find details of this in the step-by-step guide which we will post in due time.
Want to find out more now?
On this page, you’ll find the subject content, entry requirements and dates for the minor. For some minors, places are limited or there is a selection process. Be sure to check with your own degree programme in good time to see if you’re eligible to take the minor.
Any questions? Just send an email to [email protected].