Global Urban Change Erasmus University Rotterdam

Overview

Cities are changing fast, but each city changes in its own unique way. To address this, at IHS, we are moving beyond the conventional disciplinary boundaries of traditional urban development, planning, and policy. The MSc in Global Urban Change, formerly known as Urban Management and Development, requires students to look past these labels and rethink how cities are studied, shaped, and sustained. You don’t just study what a city is; you investigate how it changes.

Participants explore integrated, sustainable approaches - such as harnessing nature-based solutions, navigating the complexities of a circular economy and managing vital resource flows like water and air. The curriculum also examines social, economic, and technological forces shaping cities, evaluating housing and land policies, identifying innovation as a central driver of growth, and analysing the financialisation processes influencing everyday urban life.

Key facts 

• The programme provides students with a broader understanding of contemporary urban challenges, as well as sustainable and just transformations, while offering an international and diverse classroom environment. 

• Rather than following a rigid path, participants can design their studies through flexible specialisations tailored directly to their career goals. 

Why study the MSc in Urban Management & Development? 

The MSc programme is an international post-initial master's degree designed to equip students with the skills to understand how different urban problems connect on the ground, convene key stakeholders to make positive impact, and turn ideas into actions that make cities more resilient, sustainable and future proof. In addition to its high-quality academic content, a key feature of the programme is its global perspective, driven by comparative discussion of urban issues, policies, and trends from around the world. By participating in this programme, students will not only learn how to navigate global changes but also acquire the cross-disciplinary skills necessary to shape the forces that define our urban future.