Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities

Is this the programme you're looking for?

Are you curious about how cities can lead the way in tackling urgent challenges like inequality, housing and climate change—while ensuring inclusive and just outcomes? Then the master track Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities is the perfect choice for you.

Practical information

Type
Master
Degree
MSc
Mode of study
Full-time
Instruction language
English
Duration
1 year
Study points (EC)
60
Application Deadline (EEA)
1 June
View all

The study programme in a nutshell

Shape the Cities of Tomorrow
Are you passionate about making cities more inclusive and sustainable? Cities are dynamic centres of cultural, social and political innovation, but they also face complex governance challenges. Our master's track in Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities gives you the knowledge and skills to become a changemaker in this field. Offered jointly by the Department of Public Administration & Sociology and the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), this unique programme blends expertise in urban policy, politics and governance with cutting-edge insights from urban planning and management. Prepare to lead the way in designing and implementing solutions for the cities of the future.

Why this study

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Student perspective - Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities

What you will learn

This master track offers a dynamic blend of courses (both core and elective), skills training, and interactive working group sessions. You’ll learn directly from internationally renowned scholars and experienced urban practitioners. A highlight of the programme is the Urban Governance Lab, where theory meets practice: here, you’ll sharpen your skills by analysing real urban challenges, designing governance strategies, and advising professionals in the field. You’ll also conduct your own research project (thesis), applying cutting-edge theories and research methods to explore the urban governance issues that matter most to you.

Programme overview

Is this the right programme for you?

  • Earn your MSc from a top 100 university and benefit from the expertise of two leading partners. The Department of Public Administration ranks #1 worldwide in the 2024 Shanghai Academic Ranking for Public Administration.
  • Learn from renowned scholars and experienced urban policy professionals who bring real-world insights into the classroom.
  • Put your knowledge into action in our interactive Urban Governance Labs, where you’ll tackle real-life urban governance challenges and design practical solutions.
  • Build your professional network and prepare for your future career through project work and field visits to key local stakeholders like the Municipality of Rotterdam.
  • Gain in-depth knowledge of current trends and innovative approaches in urban governance, including circular economy, placemaking, co-creation, and community-led urban development.
  • Broaden your perspective with international case studies, a diverse student body, and teaching staff from around the globe.
  • Explore the world further with exchange opportunities at top partner universities across Europe.

Want to know more? Meet us here

Students meeting each other

Find out everything you need to know at one of these (online) events.

All our education events

Career opportunities after graduation

As a graduate, you’ll be ready to tackle complex urban challenges and design strategies for inclusive, sustainable cities. Our alumni build careers as:

  • Project managers in urban development and regeneration
  • Policy advisors at local, regional, national and international levels
  • Consultants and analysts for public institutions, NGOs, and private firms

You might work on themes like sustainability, mobility, co-creation, city planning and infrastructure - helping shape tomorrow’s cities at organisations such as municipalities, housing associations, international agencies, consultancies, or research institutes. With your expertise, you’ll be prepared to make a real difference in urban governance worldwide.

This could be your future

What do our students think?

Anne Lammers

Anne Lammers - Alumna Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities, current position stakeholder manager at Rainbow Management

The master's programme also places great emphasis on fieldwork and real-world issues, which meant I often found myself exploring the neighbourhoods we were studying and engaging with actual policymakers.
ESSB Anne Lammers Urban Governance
The master's programme also places great emphasis on fieldwork and real-world issues, which meant I often found myself exploring the neighbourhoods we were studying and engaging with actual policymakers.

After completing my Bachelor's in Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam, I pursued a Master's in Urban Governance. During my undergraduate studies, I realized just how much policy decisions shape our lives, including the physical environments we live in. Given the profound impact our surroundings have on our happiness and well-being, I was drawn to making a difference in this area. The master's programme was a perfect fit for my aspirations.

The programme provides multiple perspectives on urban management and encourages students to develop their own viewpoints. I learned to examine urban issues through various lenses—social, economic, and sustainability—allowing me to deliver more comprehensive and realistic recommendations. This approach is strengthened by the collaboration between the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies. The master's programme also places great emphasis on fieldwork and real-world issues, which meant I often found myself exploring the neighbourhoods we were studying and engaging with actual policymakers. In the Urban Governance Labs, we even provided advice on a live project. Although it was challenging, this hands-on experience prepared me for my career in ways that a traditional classroom setting could not.

Another aspect of the programme  I valued was its focus on personal development. During the Urban Governance Lab, instructors worked with us to set personal development goals, helping me identify my strengths and areas for growth. This experience not only boosted my skills but also prepared me to meet the expectations of future employers.

Today, I work at Rainbow Management, a consultancy firm in the construction and infrastructure sector. In my role, I’ve advised on public participation processes for a car-free city center project, managed stakeholders during maintenance on several tunnels, and explored the use of AI in our field. The Master’s in Urban Governance provided me with the practical skills and insights that have been crucial in my professional journey, and it was an important stepping stone toward a fulfilling career.

ESSB Anne Lammers Urban Governance

Stela Hristova

Stela Hristova - Alumna Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities

I believe that there is no better place to learn about innovative governance approaches for tackling complex urban issues than the Netherlands, and especially the city of Rotterdam
Stela Hristova - Student Urban Governance
I believe that there is no better place to learn about innovative governance approaches for tackling complex urban issues than the Netherlands, and especially the city of Rotterdam

After finishing my bachelor degree in Economics, I wanted to follow a master programme where I could combine my interest for public policy, sustainability and economics. The Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities master programme at Erasmus University Rotterdam was the perfect choice - cities face complex social, economic and environmental challenges and studying how those can be tackled requires a multidisciplinary approach, innovative decision-making and implementation.

One of the most interesting features of the programme is that it is a collaboration between Erasmus University Rotterdam and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, which means that students get the opportunity to learn from leading scholars and professionals actively involved in researching and finding solutions for urban challenges. Through the programme students gain knowledge about the latest theoretical developments in the field of urban governance, while also acquiring practical experience and competences through simulations, fieldwork and study trips. During the urban governance labs for example, we worked on various case studies and focused on developing essential personal skills. In addition, the governance lab culminated in a real-life advisory project: we had the opportunity to consult the Utrecht Region which was an exciting and challenging task. I appreciated the opportunity to experience how advisory work is done and to meet and talk to urban professionals. Another important aspect of the programme which I value highly is the variety of course assignments that touch upon different disciplines, thus creating the opportunity to familiarize with the most relevant topics in urban governance from different perspectives. The fact that I studied together with people with diverse backgrounds and nationalities made the whole experience even more interesting and enriching.

Finally, I believe that there is no better place to learn about innovative governance approaches for tackling complex urban issues than the Netherlands, and especially the city of Rotterdam, which is often used as a source of inspiration by other cities with regards to novel social and environmental policies, and actions for promoting the circular economy.

Stela Hristova - Student Urban Governance

Hugo Hegeman

Hugo Hegeman - Alumnus Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities

This master combines both insights from urban management practices all around the world as well as from the newest publications in the field of public administration.
Hugo Hegeman - Student Urban Governance
This master combines both insights from urban management practices all around the world as well as from the newest publications in the field of public administration.

After my bachelor in Public Administration and Organisational Sciences in Utrecht I was looking for a master that focused more on resolving concrete societal issues. In my view, the most urgent societal challenges occur in cities: dealing with climate change, smoothing urban mobility and the digital transformation to smart, inclusive cities. Therefore, I decided to follow the Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities master at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

The master started as a collaboration between the Institute of Housing and Development Studies (IHS) and the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) and therefore combines both insights from urban management practices all around the world as well as from the newest publications in the field of public administration. This way, I not only learnt what the dynamics are behind the most important challenges in cities nowadays, but also how to deal with these problems from a governance perspective. During classes, papers and the individual thesis, there is a lot of free space to zoom in on the topics of your interest. This led to the fact that I was able to write on smart city concepts, the use of urban big data and smart mobility practices.

There is also the possibility to follow an internship as part of the final thesis. However, this is something you should pro-actively search for as it is not something that is facilitated by the programme. I personally have been interning at the municipality of Rotterdam in the team ‘the digital city’.

One of the main characteristics of the master is that a lot of the papers and projects are concentrated on group work. Therefore, it is essential that you like to collaborate with others and that you are a team player. In the near future, I see myself working at a major Dutch city to solve urgent societal problems or as a consultant trying to advice cities around the world to foster their urban development. Despite the fact that it was the first year that this masters was up and running and there are still a few kinks that need to be worked out, I would certainly recommend to apply for this master!

Hugo Hegeman - Student Urban Governance

Shelley Wilson

Shelley Wilson - Alumna Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities

I personally consider the international environment also to be an advantage. Because of this, you get a broad perspective and get to apply your knowledge also to other cities.
Shelley Wilson - student Urban Governance
I personally consider the international environment also to be an advantage. Because of this, you get a broad perspective and get to apply your knowledge also to other cities.

After finishing my bachelor’s in Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam, I decided to follow the master Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities. The main reason to apply for this master was the fact that it combines two topics I am interested in: urban development and governance. How do cities develop? And how can these developments best be governed? Growing up in Rotterdam, I have seen many challenges that the city faces and I want to become part of the solution. In addition, the programme is offered by Erasmus University Rotterdam and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies. This offers you the opportunity to gain knowledge from two worlds!

Now that I have followed the master’s programme for almost nine months, I can say that I definitely made the right choice. Especially interesting are the different fields you will learn about, for instance, urban economics, spatiality and interactive forms of governance. Furthermore, the study offers a more theoretical as well as a more practical side. That makes that you not only have to learn theories from the books, but you will also get the opportunity to actually use these skills. Finally, I personally consider the international environment also to be an advantage. Because of this, you get a broad perspective and get to apply your knowledge also to other cities, for example, the ones your fellow students are from. And, not to forget, it is fun to get to know new cultures and people!

It might be the first year the master programme is running, but it definitely does not feel like that. All teachers – and students – are excited and more than willing to share their knowledge. If you are interested in cities, urban development and governance: I can assure you that this is the right master track for you!

Shelley Wilson - student Urban Governance

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