Empower communities worldwide with innovative, sustainable solutions by combining engineering expertise with sociocultural knowledge.
Promoting well-being in underserved communities and reducing inequalities is not just an act of charity. If you really want to create sustainable, impactful solutions that empower communities to achieve better health, stability, and self-sufficiency, you need to take on a scientific approach – an approach that requires knowledge of engineering as well as sociocultural dynamics. Do you feel called upon to tackle complex humanitarian challenges all over the world, and develop socio-technological solutions by working together with people on location? For example, by contributing to disaster-resilient housing, developing solutions for safe water access or providing refugee camps with sustainable power solutions? Then the brand-new Master’s in Humanitarian Engineering at the University of Twente might just be what you are looking for.
A small-scale event about transferring from hbo to university
Discover how it is to study here! The Campus Experience shows you everything UT has to offer to study and have an unforgettable student life
In this two-year, English-taught master’s, you will develop an eye for the needs of underserved and marginalised communities in order to find and adapt technical solutions to suit their needs. Because without awareness of the local context, stakeholders and resources, engineering solutions may fall short of being effective or sustainable. So next to building technological knowhow, you will learn to integrate cultural, social, and economic factors into your design process, ensuring that the technologies are both practical and impactful.
New Master’s starting in September 2025
The brand-new Master’s in Humanitarian Engineering starts in September 2025. From then on, you can start your studies each year in September. If you need to follow a Pre-Master’s first, you can also start in September and continue with the Master’s later on.
Learn to integrate theory with practical field experience
Next to helping you gain the theoretical foundations, this Master’s places great emphasis on practical, field-based skills. The courses often involve professionals from the working field or representatives of a community, and as a student you will engage in fieldwork as well. For example, during your internship in the second year, where you will work on-location, directly with the underserved communities, learning to adapt technical solutions to meet local needs. This way, you will not just get acquainted with the latest scientific and engineering principles but also learn how to apply these concepts in diverse, real-life contexts.
Is Humanitarian Engineering the right degree for you?
The Master’s in Humanitarian Engineering is an interdisciplinary master’s programme, which means that students from many different backgrounds can join.
You might for example have a background in Civil Engineering and work on meaningful projects on disaster-resilient housing or infrastructures. Or you might have completed a Bachelor’s in the field of Biomedical Engineering and want to contribute to health-related projects in low-income countries, like building medical devices suited for low-resource settings. Or perhaps you are an electrical engineer and you are devoted to improving the connectivity or energy resources for off-grid communities.
Even if you have a background in social sciences, you could – in some cases – still be admitted into the Master’s in Humanitarian Engineering, as knowledge in social sciences is also highly relevant in developing appropriate solutions addressing the underserved. You might then, for example, focus on engineering projects combined with sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship. In that case, you can only be admitted into this Master’s through a Pre-Master’s, or additional requirements might be requested, because this is an engineering programme, after all.
Career perspectives
The demand for engineers with a commitment to social impact is growing as pressing global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, poverty, hunger, conflicts and population displacement increase. So, with a Master’s degree in Humanitarian Engineering you have excellent prospects for a meaningful career in various fields, both nationally and internationally.
Jobs in Humanitarian Engineering
There is need for humanitarian engineers both in the public and private sector, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international bodies. Of course, you can also continue with a PhD after your master’s and pursue a career as a researcher, at UT or any other university worldwide, or at a research institution. Or what about starting up your own social business and launch an innovative solution to address humanitarian challenges? The choice is up to you!
Programme overview
Quick links
Related programmes
Below you find a list of educational programmes which are (closely) related to Humanitarian Engineering.
Engineering & Technology
Applied Mathematics
In this Master’s, you will apply mathematics to challenging issues in diverse sectors. You will learn how to discover new patterns and how to predict them through mathematical models.
Applied Physics
Deepen your understanding of the laws of physics to find technical solutions in a wide range of areas such as IT, sustainability, healthcare, chip design, digitalisation, finance, space and more.
Biomedical Engineering
Contribute to better healthcare by designing and developing medical innovations for improved diagnostics, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and a better quality of life.
Business Information Technology
Become an expert in IT-based business innovation, able to devise new services and radically improve the way businesses work with the use of IT.
Chemical Science & Engineering
This Master’s will help you to develop novel chemical processes, materials and molecules and contribute to innovations that benefit our society in areas such as health, water, food and sustainability.
Civil Engineering & Management
If you are eager to focus on both the technical and non-technical aspects of civil engineering projects and systems, then the Master’s in Civil Engineering & Management is the programme for you.
Computer Science
In this Master’s, you will learn to solve the biggest challenges of tomorrow’s digital society by designing and developing more secure, scalable, and efficient ICT systems.
Construction Management & Engineering
This Master’s helps you to become an expert in managing large-scale, complex construction projects in an increasingly digitised industry, using an innovative, holistic approach.
Electrical Engineering
In this Master’s, you will learn to shape the future of electronics by developing novel electronic devices and systems, from circuits to sustainable energy technologies.
Embedded Systems
This Master’s program equips you with expertise in designing the software and hardware of complex embedded systems in vehicles, pacemakers and chipsets amongst others.
Industrial Design Engineering
Combine design and engineering in creating innovative products that enrich people’s lives. During this two-year Master’s, you learn to optimise both products and the development processes involved.
Industrial Engineering & Management
Become a creative, multidisciplinary manager with both technological know-how and engineering and management skills and optimise processes and solve problems in complex, globally active organisations.
Interaction Technology
Delve into the field of human-computer interaction and design and develop interactive technologies that are meaningful to people and society.
Mechanical Engineering
Become an expert mechanical engineer that focuses on the futureproof design, analysis and maintenance of machinery, structures, products and production processes.
Nanotechnology
Tackle big, societal issues at the smallest level: become an expert in the upcoming field of nanotechnology and invent, design, and develop innovative solutions on the extremely small nanoscale.
Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society
Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society is the premier Master's programme for learning how to critically analyse and assess the impact of scientific and technological developments on society.
Robotics
In this Master’s, you will learn to create robots that fit seamlessly in society, industry, and healthcare, revolutionising quality of life, safety, and efficiency.
Spatial Engineering
Natural disasters, poverty, food shortage, epidemics, climate change: learn to tackle society’s greatest and complex challenges using spatial data and technical and socio-economic knowledge.
Sustainable Energy Technology
Do you feel called upon to make a valuable contribution to the sustainable energy transition? Become an expert in the development, implementation and integration of sustainable energy technologies.
Technical Medicine
This Master’s will equip you to become a technical doctor who can use medical technologies to their full potential.
