International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change (Soil Biogeochemistry and Global Change)
Increased population pressure, industrialisation and intensive land use are causing depletion of natural resources and are limiting the performance of land with respect to its functions such as biomass production, carbon sequestration, water purification, etcetera. The additive effects of climate change and the above-mentioned aspects of global change influence the capacity of soils to regenerate and may even cause soil degradation. The future capacity of soils to support (human) life is at stake. Programmes have been developed to protect the environment and to increase ecosystem resilience. Numerous directives on soil response to external pressures have been developed and implemented. A wealth of scientific knowledge is available but dispersed due to the specialisation of research groups, which makes it difficult for students to follow a focused curriculum on soils and global change at any individual university.
What
The International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO) programme aims at teaching the knowledge, tools, technologies and applications in the context of soils and global change by bringing together the expertise of research groups at 4 renown EU universities: Ghent University, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Vienna), University of Göttingen, and Aarhus University.
The academic partners are complementary, and each have specific expertise in biogeochemical and physical aspects of soils under global change and can thus provide the necessary multidisciplinary approach to cover the complete chain:
- All partner Universities work on soils worldwide, which is useful to provide a variety in classroom examples to the students and allows a rich choice in study areas for thesis research;
- Aarhus University has a strong profile in soil physics and global change issues in arctic and temperate regions;
- The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Vienna) has a strong profile in soil microbiology and greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate and tropical soils;
- The University of Göttingen has a strong profile in biogeochemistry of agricultural and natural soils of temperate and tropical soils;
- Ghent University has a strong profile in physical and chemical soil degradation research and optimal soil & water management worldwide.
The academic partners collaborate closely with non-educational partners from both the public and private sectors. Associated Partners have a structural regular commitment towards the programme, and the large networks at all partner institutes allow options for theses and internships through ad hoc opportunities, offers or requests.
For whom
The admission requirements vary. Depending on your prior education, you are either able to enrol directly, or there are additional requirements.
Structure
This 2-year programme contains 120 ECTS credit units and has two specialisation options of 90 ECTS:
- Soil biogeochemistry and global change is organised by Ghent University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the University of Göttingen and leads to a joint MSc-diploma issued by these 3 universities.
Student mobility within Europe is an integral part of the 2-year programme. Both specialisations share the introductory module of Soil Fundamentals at Ghent University (first semester, 30 ECTS, which includes a joint primer event) and a joint summer activity at the end of the second semester. The courses and locations during the second and third semester depend on the chosen specialisation. Students follow mandatory courses and choose eligible courses up to a total of 30 ECTS per semester (see www.imsoglo.eu for a list of mandatory and elective courses). The MSc-thesis is done at one of the universities organising the specialisation, with co-supervision from the other university. It is also possible to do the thesis in conjunction with one of the associated partners: Joint Research Centre of the European Community, or Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing).
Labour Market
A needs analysis at the start of IMSOGLO has shown there is a substantial need for soil consultants primarily in the fields of agronomy and pollution. There is a larger need for academics, mainly in the fields of land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions, which strongly proves the need and relevance for the scope of the programme: soils and global change. Analysis of alumni of preceding MSc-programs showed that almost 45% of the alumni took jobs in the public sector, mostly in research and partly in education. About 50% of the alumni took jobs in either consultancy, industry or agriculture/agro-industry.
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Ghent University's Education Objectives
Unique Selling Points
- Unique expertise. As an IMSOGLO graduate, you will have a set of knowledge and skills that is unique in the world to characterise and understand soil evolution in ecosystems under global change (because you understand the underlying processes and their interactions).
- International dimension. You will receive your training at Ghent University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, and Göttingen University where wide international experience on global change research and education is concentrated. Your dissertation research will have co-supervisors from two universities.
- Multidisciplinarity. IMSOGLO deals with soils as part of ecosystems, where physical, chemical, hydrological and biological processes interact. You will discover that both the individual disciplines and their synthesis are taught.
- Indoor and outdoor training. You will study soils in class, in the lab and in their natural habitat, and experience a wide range of teaching methods.
- Career-oriented. You will be trained to participate in and lead interdisciplinary groups that contribute to the development of sustainable environmental solutions on a local, regional and global scale, in the private and the public sector.
Strengths
- Preparatory course. We offer new students BePrepared, a preparatory summer school prior to the start of the first academic year. BePrepared combines refresher courses covering the basics (mathematics, chemistry, statistics) with introductory sessions on student life in Ghent/Belgium, basic ICT and laboratory skills. You will meet fellow students from inside and outside IMSOGLO and thus start to build a community among international students, staff and Flemish fellow-students.
- Staff approachability. You will find the distance between students and our professors to be surprisingly modest, if and when you Dare To Ask.
- Living matter. You will focus on microbiology, agro-ecology and agroforestry to be an expert in relations between soils, greenhouse gas emissions and biomass productivity.
- Quality assurance. In addition to regular course unit reviews, IMSOGLO has an independent Education Quality Assessment Committee with an open eye for quality issues beyond the individual partner institutes. Quality assurance also means student and alumni participation on the management board.
- Joint summer activity, bringing back together all students to work jointly on soil topics, at one of the partner universities or in China.
Weaknesses
- Study load. The sum of hours spent in class and on assignments should not exceed 40-45 hours per week, but the study load is considered as quite heavy by some.
- Administrative complexity. Moving between three universities and countries requires finding a place to live, getting accustomed to a new culture, and satisfying bureaucratic rules. Each university has service desks to help you, but you have to be on top of it.
- Tight planning of dissertation fieldwork. It takes careful planning to do fieldwork in between the two study years without overlap with the curriculum and the summer activity.
This study programme is accredited according to Art. II.151 of the Flemish Higher Education Code.
This information was last updated on 01/02/2023.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.