Management of the European Metropolitan Region » Why MEMR?

Five reasons to apply for MEMR:

1 Because urban management is increasingly important

  • Cities are facing increasingly complex challenges, relating to social, economic, physical and environmental concerns, being confronted with the question how to make better use of available resources and the multitude of urban actors to manage and develop cities in a sustainable way.
  • Cities and urban regions are compelled to adopt a competitive attitude, requiring contemporary metropolitan management. Such management needs to evolve, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate integral strategies to create and exploit potentials for sustainable economic development.
  • The complexity of urban society asks for an integrated interdisciplinary approach that applies scientific knowledge of different disciplines at relevant urban questions. Urban management is clearly an interdisciplinary field of study.

 

2 Because the MEMR provides access to knowledge and experience in urban management

  • The MEMR was one of the first educational programs in Europe dealing with the issue of urban management. Our International Postgraduate Master course has taken place yearly since 1995.
  • Through the European Institute for Comparative Urban Research (EURICUR), MEMR provides access to the knowledge and experience gained in urban research since the late 1980s in more than 90 cities across the world.
  • Results of EURICUR studies continuously flow into the MEMR course, keeping the course content "state of the art".
  • Urban Management is one of the key knowledge areas of Erasmus University. The Erasmus School of Economics of the Erasmus University Rotterdam is a leading academic institution in the world, hosting many of the world's experts in their fields and offering the best education in the major areas of economics and business.
  • The quality of the course and of Erasmus University is also reflected in international University rankings - for example the Times Magazine ranked Erasmus University Rotterdam as the 16th best University in Europe. In social and economic sciences the University holds the 21st position in the world, according to Times.

 

3 Because the MEMR is a truly international course

  • This MSc course brings together up to 25 students from all over the world each year; the relatively small group size and the different academic backgrounds of the course participants (interdisciplinary course) allow for close interaction and interesting discussions with both fellow students and lecturers.
  • The first semester takes place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and the second semester is spent writing the thesis at one of our partner universities in Barcelona, Antwerp, Copenhagen, Venice or Rotterdam (or another city which may suit your research project). Apart from the five official partners, we have also excellent contacts with Shanghai Normal University and Loughborough University (UK); on occasion it is also possible to write your masterthesis in one of these two universities.
  • While most of the teaching staff comes from Erasmus University Rotterdam, we invite teachers from our partner universities and guest lecturers from other institutions, such as the European Union, the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi) or Experience Nottinghamshire. 
  • Besides various local excursions to urban development projects relevant for the course, we organize an international excursion every year. The costs for this excursion are included in the course fee.

 

4 Because the MEMR provides great career perspectives

  • Graduates have access to a wide variety of jobs. Job opportunities may vary with the candidate's professional and/or academic backgrounds.
  • Since the course is based on an interdisciplinary and integrate approach, graduates can take on any kind of management task in public-sector as well as private sector organizations.
  • The course is specially designed, however, to produce the urban manager of tomorrow with a sound basis for successful metropolitan management. That will surely help to get access to the higher echelons of urban management.
  • Alternatively, graduates may decide to continue research in order to obtain a Ph.D., or to work in (inter)national research or consultancy institutions as university graduates specialized in metropolitan management.

 

5 Because Rotterdam is a great city to live and study

  • Rotterdam has an international reputation, being known as the largest port in Europe; moreover, the city's citizens originate from almost every country of the world. The majority of the Dutch people speak English and very often another foreign language, such as German or French. Cinemas show films from around the world in their original languages. Alongside the usual church towers and synagogues, the minarets of mosques can increasingly be seen in the large cities. And Asian, Mediterranean and fast foods are becoming as familiar as wholesome Dutch fare.
  • Rotterdam is a truly young and innovative city, with a population that is getting younger and a desire for innovation that is part of the Rotterdam psyche.
  • Rotterdam is an excellent city in which to live, work and study, with a wealth of museums and temples of culture, sports facilities, restaurants, and shops.
  • Rotterdam is strategically located at the junction of road, rail and waterways only 15 minutes from The Hague, 45 minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and less than an hour from Amsterdam. Brussels is only two hours away and Paris can be reached by train in three hours. A short flight from Rotterdam airport will take you to London, Rome, Hamburg and many other places in Europe.
  • Rotterdam is also an interesting case for urban management, with the massive redevelopment after the Second World War (thus becoming the standard for modern city development) and a tradition of large-scale public-private partnerships
  • Dutch universities enjoy a worldwide reputation for their high quality. The country occupies the fifth place in the world ranking of numbers of publications per capita.

For more information about Rotterdam (or about the Netherlands), you can visit this website.

 

Academic Award

Participants who successfully fulfil all academic requirements of the course are awarded with the title Master of Science in Urban Management. This degree is a joint effort of five universities and is registered by Erasmus University Rotterdam. Participants who have performed extremely well may be awarded the degree with honours. Candidates who just follow one ore more blocks, but don’t write a thesis, will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance to the course.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. NVAO independently ensures the quality of higher education, and applies stringent quality criterea that are based on European standards for higher education. For more information, see http://www.nvao.net/ or click on the logo to see the evaluation.