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Instituut voor Interdisciplinaire Studies IIS
Master
Vergelijk
Complex Systems and Policy

Study programme

During the unique programme of Complex Systems and Policy, you will learn to bridge the gap between data analysts and policy. You will use your technical expertise to connect with specialist IT professionals and use their social knowledge to collaborate with other professionals such as policymakers and implementers.
  • First year

    The first year focuses on four core courses that provide the basic skills and knowledge for the rest of the programme, such as data and modelling, complexity theory, and designing (policy) interventions, In parallel, you directly apply the knowledge acquired in parallel challenge-based courses. The Challenge-based projects provide the change making skills necessary for the long-term success of the research and intervention practice. 

    Examples of Challenge-based projects
  • Second year & Graduation project

    The second year starts with two advanced core courses, building on the knowledge and skills from the first year. There is also room for two electives. The final semester is fully dedicated to the graduation project.  

    The Graduation project enables you to put your acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes into practice by conducting a transdisciplinary research project in the field of health or sustainability. You design, develop, and execute the project, do the project planning and management, and collaborate in interdisciplinary teams. The project contains an analytical and experimental component, has an transdisciplinary approach, includes a modelling and data component, and relates to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

COURSES SEM 1 SEM 2 SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 EC
  • Complex Systems
    6

    The course Complex Systems serves as a foundation course, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to navigate and address the complexities of contemporary societal challenges. This course ensures that students are prepared to recognise complex systems, understand relevant questions, and analyse the impact of policies and interventions on complex systems using systems thinking. Lecturer: dr. Vítor Vaconcelos

  • Model-Based Decision Making
    6

    The course Model-based Decision-making is the second foundational course and equips students with a comprehensive understanding and skills in model-based decision-making. Throughout the course, students gain hands-on experience in various modelling techniques and their applications in complex societal challenges. The course content covers everything from the classical modelling process to understanding and communicating uncertainty in data. Lecturer: dr. Mike Lees.

  • Challenge-Based Project I
    18

    The Challenge-based projects I and II are meant as a direct application of the knowledge acquired in their parallel courses. Beyond that, they are the educational field to learn the necessary tools to address specific challenges. The Challenge-based projects provide the change making skills necessary to successful long-term success of the research and intervention practice. Challenge-based project I focuses on applications of computational modelling and simulation and provides the base for the analysis of the overall challenge. Lecturers: Dr. Mary Nicoloau, Dr. Elisabeth Krueger, Dr. Lies Jacobs

  • Behaviour in Society
    6

    The course Behaviour in Society makes students understand human behaviour in societal contexts and its role in shaping policy decisions. The course introduces students to evidence-based decision-making with a focus on behavioural economics and field experiments. This enables them to become proficient in conducting (experimental) research while identifying and overcoming the associated challenges that arise in informing policy decisions. Lecturer: Dr. Jonas Dalege.

  • Governance and Policy
    6

    The course Governance and Policy is designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to better integrate data and modelling in policy and decision-making processes to enhance evidence-based policy within a political context. Students learn how to effectively communicate data and modelling results – as covered in the previous courses – into different types of policy settings. They also learn about the limitations of modelling and investigate when using computational models is appropriate and effective and when not.

  • Challenge-Based Project II
    18

    The Challenge-based projects I and II are meant as a direct application of the knowledge acquired in their parallel courses. Beyond that, they are the educational field to learn the necessary tools to address specific challenges. The Challenge-based projects provide the change making skills necessary to successful long-term success of the research and intervention practice. Challenge-based project II focuses on applications of experimentation and intervention implementation. Lecturers: Dr. Mary Nicoloau, Dr. Elisabeth Krueger, Dr. Lies Jacobs

COURSES SEM 1 SEM 2 SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 EC
  • Modelling for Transitions
    6

    The course Modelling for Transitions takes the foundational knowledge from the first year to transition modelling, focusing on complex systems and their dynamics. The course delves into deeper aspects of modelling, specifically for systems in transition. Students gain insights into the factors that influence the credibility of models and learn effective strategies for communicating uncertainty in transition modelling. Lecturer: Dr. Mike Lees.

  • Shaping Societal Transitions
    6

    The course Shaping societal transitions builds upon the previous governance course. Students learn how to identify large scale societal transitions, analyse the dynamics of a complex system, and how to influence a system towards societal transition. Using transition theory, key questions discussed are what characterises large-scale societal transitions, the role of modelling in shaping transitions and how self-governance is an essential part of monitoring transitions. In both these advanced courses, examples of complex challenges can come from other fields than health and sustainability, departing from the thematic focus in earlier courses. Lecturer: prof. dr. John Grin.

  • Elective
    6
  • Elective
    6
  • Responsible Leadership and Ethics
    6

    The course Ethical leadership, which runs throughout the whole second year, cultivates ethically minded leaders who can understand and integrate various values, recognise cultural nuances, and critically assess ethical challenges in decision-making processes. A crucial aspect of the course involves self-reflection on personal values and long-term goals. Lecturer: Dr. Aybüke Özgün

  • Graduation Project
    30

    The Graduation project enables students to put their acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes into practice by conducting a transdisciplinary research project in the field of health or sustainability. The students design, develop, and execute the project, do the project planning and management, and collaborate in interdisciplinary teams. The project contains an analytical and experimental component, has an transdisciplinary approach, includes a modelling and data component, and relates to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Compulsory course
Elective
Frequently Asked Questions
  • Is there a pre-Master’s programme?

    No.

  • When can I register?

    Registration is now possible. Go to the application & admission page to learn more.

  • What kind of electives can I take?

    We do not yet have a list of approved electives, but we expect to do so soon. The electives provide room to specialize in certain skills (such as modelling or programming) or topics (such as health or sustainability). 

  • What counts as programming courses? Which programming languages do I need to know?

    You should have a basic understanding of programming, ideally with experience in languages like Python, Julia, or R. You don't need to be an expert, but you should be comfortable with coding fundamentals, such as writing scripts, performing basic data manipulation and analysis, and using relevant libraries or packages. Additionally, having some familiarity with modeling techniques, such as creating simulations or building models to analyze complex systems, will be beneficial.

  • How many students do you expect in the first year? Is there a maximum?

    We expect about 20-30 students for the first year. There is no maximum number of students that can be admitted. Please note that because September 2025 will be the first year this program is offered, it is difficult to predict how many students will start. 

  • How do the challenge-based projects work? Is it all group work?

    During the challenge-based projects, you work in a group of 4-6 students on a real-life societal challenge related to health or sustainability that is presented by an external stakeholder. During the first semester you focus on modelling the challenge and analysing the context and different factors affecting the issue. In the second semester the focus is on designing a small-scale intervention and policy proposal to address the challenge. Every student switches teams halfway through the semester to take up a new challenge and also learn how to do a proper handover to a new team.   

  • Can I choose my own project/stakeholder?

    For the projects for the challenge-based courses there will be a list of challenges to work on, pre-defined by our external stakeholders. You can indicate your topic of preference before we assemble the teams. For the graduation project in your final semester, you are free to suggest your own topic and stakeholder if you prefer.  
     

  • Do you have any examples of employers and/or careers that I can do after this programme?

    You can find examples of career paths on this page.