MSc Industrial Ecology

Industrial Ecology is a very exciting but relatively young field and therefore barely offered as an individual study program. The Leiden/Delft master is – as far as I know – one out of two in Europe. Unlike the other one in Norway it is open to students from all backgrounds. That allowed me to enter this more technical study with a bachelor in economics. It also combines the academic strength of two leading universities which have both been an important player in the development of industrial ecology. Together they cover the very most of the Industrial Ecology value chain. This provides the students with the opportunity to choose out of very different electives specializations, be it sustainable design, energy markets, analytics or governance. It’s also one of the most international programs in Leiden, with more than 60% of the student body coming from outside of the Netherlands.

Talking about the student body: It may sound a bit cliché, but for me, it’s clearly one of the biggest assets of the program. It is amazing and truly inspiring to study in a group of people with the most diverse backgrounds and previous experiences, who all want to make a relevant contribution to society and our planet. And even better, they are great fun to hang out with and there is a strong sense of community and support.

Apart from that, you really learn how to work in international and interdisciplinary groups. Group work is an integral part of the program and you’ll find out quickly that it is often a challenge, not always fun and sometimes even really frustrating. But that’s probably a good preparation for the working life ;)

Both Leiden and Delft are small but fun, lively and absolutely beautiful student cities. Students make up more than 15% of the population and you really feel that every day. There is a bar or café at every corner, regular live music events, enough shops to survive and, of course, everything is in cycling-distance. There are also some bigger cultural events, like a museum night, a big science-culture festival and two film festivals. And some great bonus points: You can cycle to the beach! And there is a forest with a small lake right outside the city.
If you’re used to bigger cities, Leiden might indeed feel a bit small (and Delft even more so). You’ll also hopelessly look for proper clubs. But bigger cities like Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Rotterdam are a train ride of 10 to 40 minutes away and trains go all night long.

As an international, you certainly won’t be alone. You’ll start together with around 1000 other newbies and there are plenty of opportunities to mingle. There is a well-organized orientation week at the beginning of the semester where you get to know the city, university and your fellow internationals. The International Student Network (ISN) organizes fun activities on a regular basis and has several groups you can join. Like the cinema club (weekly screenings), theatre club or the music club. There are also associations of the study programs which are a great way to meet fellow students – Dutch and international – outside the classroom. And of course, there are many other activities you can do. I joined the organization team of Leiden’s short film festival, for instance, and started working in a bar/culture center, which was a great way to meet people, practice my Dutch and get to know Leiden.