Collective Futures: transdisciplinary MSc-minor

Owner	Master Biological Sciences
Coordinator	prof. dr. ir. R.C. Schuurink
Part of	Master Biological Sciences, Collective Futures: Transdisciplinary MSc-minor, year 1
Links	Visible Learning Trajectories

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

Course content

In the Collective Futures minor, students and teachers work together to create positive impact through connecting science and society. The main aim of the minor is for students to develop personally and professionally in a safe learning environment.

During the minor students work in small groups on complex client projects that combine science with a societal challenge. Thereby Collective Futures cuts across traditional boundaries between disciplines and professional environments. Besides working on a project for an external partner organization, students attend lectures by speakers from within and outside of academia, participate in a range of skills training and are responsible for organising part of the programme. Special elements such as an integrated sports programme make Collective Futures a unique learning experience.

During the programme, students have full-time access to their own office space. Most trainings, guest lectures and project work takes place here. Surely, other locations will be visited as well (visiting companies, going on excursions, engaging in training sessions, etc.).

Project

The backbone of the Minor consists of a project that students will work on in small groups (ca. 3 students per group). Each group works on a different project for a different external organization. During the first phase each group will take on the challenge posed by the organization and analyse it and develop a tangible and realistic project plan. After presenting this to the organization and FNWI supervisor each group will start working on the realization of their project.

The minor is designed for students who want to implement disciplinary knowledge and develop competencies necessary to integrate elements of science, society, and consultancy. During the minor students will improve their skills in team work in an interdisciplinary setting, information processing methods for dealing with complex problems, communication with stakeholders from outside the university, project management, entrepreneurship, and self-reflection.

Skills training

An intensive programme will enable students to perform successfully in their project. The trainings are provided by the teachers and different trainers from within an outside of the University of Amsterdam. The trainings are focused on the competences mentioned in the learning objectives. The overall training programme is designed to offer an integral supplement to the project work. Thereby, students can utilize and improve different skills while working on the successful realization of their project.

Next to the general training programme, students have the opportunity to fine-tune part of the program to their specific background and needs. Furthermore, students get the opportunity to arrange additional trainings or other supporting activities necessary to bring their project to a success. The teachers assist students in ensuring they make realistic and appropriate budget plan and give final approval.

Examples of training topics:

• Projectmanagement (planning, budgetmanagement etc.)
• Collaborating across boundaries (teamwork)
• Cultivating imagination and creativity (communication, interaction, conversational- & interview techniques)
• Self-reflection (What are your talents, drivers, motivation, weaknesses)
• ‘Information processing’ (structuring and analysing information, presentation skills)´
• 'Career navigation' (entrepreneurial skills, consultancy).  
• Theatre (improving communication & presenting)  
• Visual thinking
• Story telling
• and many more...

Lectures and more

During the programme a selection of guest lecturers will share their experience and knowledge concerning several topics related to the central theme of creating value with science in practice.

The theme will be rooted in more tangible lectures from professionals with a science background who share their personal and professional vision and experiences. Guest lecturers ranging from young professionals, to senior policy makers, scientists, entrepreneurs, business and NGO leaders, will share their insights related to their career path, the decisions they made and the ways in which they utilize their science background in their working environment.

The lectures offer the students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge on different aspects of utilizing science in different professional environments, including making personal and professional choices. Next to the prescheduled lectures the students have the opportunity to select and invite guest-lecturers themselves. Thereby they have the possibility to tune the lecture series to their specific project work and interests.

Several excursions might be part of the Minor as well. As with the lectures, part of these will be student organized thereby allowing students to practice certain skills while learning more about a topic relevant to their project work and background.

In addition to the self-organized lectures and excursions, other programme related elements (such as student presentations at UvA events, communication in media) will be part of the student involvement in the organization of the programme.

Students also give each other lectures on topics close to their (professional/personal) heart that make people think.

Sports

A specially developed sport trainings module is an integral part of Collective Futures. Every week the schedule contains several blocks in which students participate in a range of sports/trainings sessions. The overall sports programme has three aims:

1. Offering a special setting for further skills training
2. Creating an intense setting for teambuilding
3. Providing a balanced working week which optimizes performance and health

The sports programme is developed in cooperation with the University Sports Centre (USC).

Project presentations and meetings

Each week students will have a project meeting with their supervisor and students present their work and challenges in biweekly project sessions.

Coaching

Students engage in two types of coaching. 1) In peer coaching sessions students can share what they are struggling with in their projects or team. 2) one-on-one personal coaching with a Collective Futures coach will help students find their own path, within the minor and beyond.

Study materials

Literature

Other

• All literature needed for trainings and workshops will be provided in the course. For the projects, students are responsible for finding the relevant scientific literature.

Objectives

• • Learning objectives are part of at least one of the following learning trajectories: (1) Making systemic change (2) Collaborating across boundaries (3) Project and information management (4) Creativity and imagination in action (5) Self-Actualization (6) Career navigation.
• Making systemic change • Analyze and address societal challenges using a systemic approach • Combine methods from science, systems thinking, social design and consulting to form a holistic understanding of societal challenges
• Collaborating across boundaries • Apply disciplinary knowledge and skills in transdisciplinary projects • Connect and collaborate with people from different backgrounds, cultures and organizations
• Project and Information management • Combine, structure and analyze complex information from a diverse range of (academic and non-academic) sources • Develop skills to manage and coordinate large and complex projects • Analyze and integrate research results to formulate meaningful recommendations
• Creativity and Imagination in action • Develop an inspiring vision and translate it into practical course of action • Create and present project outcomes and deliverables to different audiences in a way that is effective in bringing about relevant (societal) change
• Self-actualization • Discover and develop your skills, strengths and values • Assess and discuss own performance to improve on competencies
• Career Navigation • Evaluate meaningful career paths that match with the student’s qualities and interests • Develop skills to prepare for morally ambitious work environments • Acquire professional, effective and balanced work ethics

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
• Supervision/feedback meeting

The following learning outcomes are not directly assessed. The student:

• is able to cooperate and communicate with project commissioners and other project members 
• is able to show leadership in different situations and professional settings 
• is able to apply conflict management models to real life situations
• is able to apply different time management tools to real life settings
• is able to apply various problem solving techniques
• is able to deal with uncertainties and stressful situations
• has thorough knowledge of several consultancy tools
• is able to apply several consultancy tools
• is able to communicate project goals and progress to different stakeholders

Learning activities

Attendance

Some course components require compulsory attendance. If compulsory attendance applies, this will be indicated in the Course Catalogue which can be consulted via the UvA-website. The rationale for and implementation of this compulsory attendance may vary per course and, if applicable, is included in the Course Manual.

Additional requirements for this course:

Attendance is mandatory in all activities in the programme. If students cannot be present at one or more of the activities they have to notify one of the teachers in advance. If students miss more than 10% of all activities (80 hours in total), they will receive an NA.

Assessment

Item and weight	Details
Final grade

Group assessments

The project groups will be assessed on:

• Project proposal (10%)

Assessed by: docent vaardigheden, FNWI staff member and examiner

• Project proposal presentation (10%)

Assessed by: docent vaardigheden, FNWI staff member

• Final report (60%)

Assessed by: docent vaardigheden, FNWI staff member and examiner

• Final presentation (20%)

Assessed by: docent vaardigheden, FNWI staff member

• Reflection report (pass/fail)

Assessed by: docent vaardigheden

Individual assessment:

• Peer feedback assessment (maximum positive or negative deviation of 1,5 grade points of final group grade)

Students assess each other’s contribution to the end result with a peer assessment form. The examiner will use this information and the experience of the docent vaardigheden, who supervises the project groups on a daily basis, to determine the final individual grades.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Contact information

Coordinator

• prof. dr. ir. R.C. Schuurink