Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development EAM Master programmes in the Netherlands Preparing students for working with environmental assessment in

Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development

EAM Master programmes in the Netherlands

Preparing students for working with environmental assessment in practice?

dr. Hens Runhaar

Environmental GovernanceCopernicus Institute of Sustainable Development

Utrecht University


Main observations

• There are no specific EAM master programmes in the Netherlands

• … which is no problem for working with EA after graduation …

• … but may be a problem for working on EA!


Environmental Master programmes in the Netherlands

• Master programmes at six Universities (Amsterdam, Groningen, Nijmegen, Heerlen, Wageningen, Utrecht)

• Natural sciences, social sciences and mixed programmes

• 1-2 years


After graduation

Graduates from Utrecht University, Master Sustainable development:

• 91% has a regular job, of which 78% in the environmental domain

• Main employers: consultancy firms and universities; others include governments, NGOs, companies and educational institutes

• 43% advisor, 25% researcher, 13% project leader or policy maker

Many will be confronted with EA in some way


CBS, figures 2007

• 109,000 fte jobs, turnover 11.1 billion €

• 1.6% total employment, almost 2% GNP


Environmental assessment in Dutch Environmental Master programmes

• Nowhere specific modules on EA• Aspects of EA frequently taught, particularly

in environmental sciences Masters:– Environmental modelling– Scenario and sensitivity analysis– Evaluation methods and software, such as MCA and LCA– Policy impact assessments– Environmental management– Environmental law and policy– Working in multidisciplinary teams


Graduates working with EA

• 2/3 of our UU SD graduates (EPM) often work with EA:– Conducting EAs (consultants)– Obliged to have EAs conducted (planners)– Advising on EA systems in new EU MS (consultants)

• Generally consider themselves well-equipped– But have to learn about legal and technical aspects in practice


Working on EA in practice

• Reflecting on EA legislation and practice

• Provide recommendations for improvement

• Requires primarily a social scientific perspective: is EA effective and worthwhile executing?

– At project level

– At system level


Working on EA in practice

• EA professionals are mainly working with EA

• Working on EA mainly limited to technical perfection?– E.g. EA and health, climate change– Dealt with in well established networks (e.g. IAIA, NCEA)

• Relatively little social scientific research– Last large-scale scientific evaluation over a decade ago– Legislative changes driven by other reasons than effectiveness– Not a very popular topic at Dutch universities– How many practitioners have insight into developments at system level?


Training Master students to work on EA in practice?

• May be useful:– Current trend: simplify EA, reduce administrative burden– Reflecting a negative attitude towards EA?– Many will be working with EA in some way!– Mobilise knowledge and creative capacity of EA professionals!


Are students well equipped for this task?

• Yes (or at least in part):– Theoretical knowledge of decision-making and governance – Theoretical knowledge of science utilisation– Policy analytical and evaluation skills and methods

• No:– No insight into the EA system in general– No insight into literature on EA effectiveness


A few exceptions

• Some recent master theses at Utrecht University– The contribution of SEA to the greening of public decision-making: the relevance of the decision-making context

– Comparative assessment of AA and EA

– Capacity development for EIA in Yemen

– Guiding Georgia: lessons from 21 years of Dutch EIA experience in waste management

– Promoting environmentally sustainable transport through public participation and SEA. Lessons from Dutch transportation planning for Japan

– Learning about EA system performance from project advice of the NCEA in developing countries

• Four with an internship at NCEA (partly as part of a Ph.D.)


Conclusions

• How EA master programmes should look like depends on ambitions

• Many graduates will be working with EA; offering opportunities to equip them with skills to work on EA?


Documents

Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development EAM Master programmes in the Netherlands Preparing students for working with environmental assessment in