Academic Programmes

The main area of research offers undergraduates and junior researchers attractive academic training on all levels.

In addition to the already established water, logistics and traffic-related Master’s degree programmes coordinated by the ZWU and ZLV, the interdisciplinary and closely linked “Sustainable Urban Technologies” and “Urban Culture, Society, and Space” programmes were introduced in the winter semester of 2011/12.

Within this frame, practice-oriented research training courses were held in collaboration with regional partners. They included the project seminars “Strategic urban development – the case of Monheim and Bottrop” (Prof. D. Hassenpflug), “Sound and Health in the City” (Prof. S. Moebus) and “Urban Action Research: diversity in urban climate protection” (K. Krumme).

An important innovation within the academic programme is the “Education for sustainable development” (BNE) certificate of the Institute for Optional Studies (IOS) and Urban Systems. The certificate is a way for students on the two “Urban Systems” Master’s programmes and other UDE students to document skills and knowledge they have gained in the area of sustainable development. The certificate is supported by the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Learning at the UDE.

In the “Advanced Research in Urban Systems” (ARUS) doctoral programme, which was set up with funds from the BMBF and the DAAD, 18 PhD candidates from 12 countries are currently researching central urban themes. The disciplinary scope of the programme covers issues, methods and theories in planning science, technical and natural sciences and the humanities and social sciences. Research is conducted on an interdisciplinary basis and supervised by members of different faculties.