Our courses are designed for master students from all academic disciplines. They are based on The three pillars: transdisciplinarity, real-world challenges, and personal development.
Currently, we offer three courses (10 EC each). You can join one, two, or all three! In each course, you are trained in workshop settings, using activating and engaging work forms such as case analyses, role-play simulations, open discussion sessions, design studios, and debates. In addition, to develop the required knowledge base, you are provided with academic literature, (guest-)lectures, and seminars from academics and professional experts.
- Creative Intelligence (Q2 | 10 EC)
Collaboration brings both opportunities and challenges to the table. One of these challenges is to recognize, understand, and communicate across disciplinary boundaries and to arrive at transdisciplinary learning spaces. In this course you will get the necessary tools and knowledge to engage in transdisciplinary collaboration.
Building on theories of design thinking and insights from design practice and creative facilitation, we will explore new ways of making people's know-how effective in transdisciplinary settings. You will learn learn to create tools and materials to support a creative group activity, involving people from a diversity of disciplinary backgrounds.
- Responsible Futuring (Q3 | 10 EC)
In this course you learn to proactively design interventions that co-shape societies for so-called pluriversal futures. You will develop the mindset, knowledge, and skills to help transform the social, environmental, and economic system. You will develop a challenge analysis and an experiential provocative prototype, aimed at engaging stakeholders in a transformation of society in a local context.
Working in a transdisciplinary manner, we will collaboratively connect global challenges with local actions, histories with futures, academic with societal perspectives, action with reflection, and critical modes with creative modes of thinking and design. You will learn how to conduct hands-on co-imagining and co-shaping activities with different representatives from academia, government, industry, and society.
- Leading Systemic Change (Q4 | 10 EC)
Big plans for innovative initiatives that change our lives are easier designed than realized. They are multi-layered, circular, and systemic in nature. Yet, many engineers, managers, and analysts attempt to simplify these systems into linear models with simple relationships.
Combining systems thinking and change making, you will learn how to holistically create change by understanding the design, development, and deployment of complex systems. We will dive deep into the change making process and explore various ways of systems thinking.
Learning Goals
You will learn to combine social science, design, and engineering perspectives and collaborate with students, stakeholders, and academics from a wide range of disciplines. After completing the master-insert, you:
- are competent in approaching complex societal challenges as a transdisciplinary innovation project
- are competent in applying relevant disciplinary insights to the analysis of societal challenges in a multidisciplinary team
- are competent in transcending disciplinary perspectives in creative, systemic and responsible designs
- have a constructive attitude towards societal challenges, disciplinary perspectives, and integrated designs
- are competent in collaborating and communicating across disciplinary and social boundaries
- have a leader's attitude and aim for societal impact
Assessment
The assessment philosophy of the Transdisciplinary Master-Insert is "Feedback First". Instead of receiving a grade, you receive a pass (or fail) for the course(s), together with extensive feedback related to the quality of your work and the process. We believe this greatly benefits your professional and personal growth.
Real-World Challenges
The Shaping Responsible Futures programme is designed around real-world challenges, which are shaped in collaboration with DesignLab and regional partners. Navigating these real-world challenges won't be easy. Often, the complexity of these problems—whether they involve technical systems, societal issues, or environmental concerns—can feel overwhelming. It’s hard to know where to begin, and even harder to find a way forward that brings everyone together. But our courses are designed to turn that uncertainty into an opportunity.
Here, you'll learn to embrace complexity rather than shy away from it. Each challenge is open-ended, putting you in the driver’s seat. You’ll be given the tools, frameworks, and support to explore the root issues and make the challenge your own. By working closely with stakeholders—whether they come from industry, government, or society—you'll collaborate to co-create meaningful solutions that are grounded in real-world contexts.
Our courses are not about giving you predefined answers. Instead, they encourage you to think beyond traditional boundaries, foster a mindset that balances creativity with responsibility, and build the confidence to lead in complex, transdisciplinary environments. You'll learn to connect theory with practice, critically reflect on the process, and ultimately make a difference by shaping the future together with your peers and stakeholders.