International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change (Soil Ecosystem Services and Global Change)

The Erasmus Mundus International Master in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO) is a research-driven, internationally oriented programme designed to educate the next generation of soil scientists. It equips students with the knowledge and skills to understand soil physical, chemical, and biological processes; to measure, monitor, map, and model soils and their processes across space and time; and to design and evaluate sustainable and climate-smart soil management strategies. Graduates are trained to work in multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary settings, balancing scientific, societal, and stakeholder perspectives, and to contribute to policy-relevant research aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the EU Green Deal, the EU Mission A Soil Deal for Europe, and the EU Soil Monitoring Law.

IMSOGLO is jointly organized by a consortium of four leading European universities - Ghent University (Belgium), Aarhus University (Denmark), BOKU University Vienna (Austria) and University of Göttingen (Germany) - in collaboration with 11 associate partners worldwide. This partnership enables a high-quality, inclusive, and future-oriented learning environment that no single institution could offer independently.

IMSOGLO offers a coherent, flexible curriculum with two specializations that align with students’ backgrounds and aspirations. A well-balanced mix of mandatory courses and electives provides a strong foundation while allowing students to tailor their studies to individual interests. In addition to the master’s dissertation – for which students may choose a topic from a provided list or propose their own – the programme offers a broad set of electives linked to the selected specialization. Spanning agricultural, forest, natural, and urban ecosystems, IMSOGLO integrates theory, laboratory work, and practical application through a problem-solving, research-based approach. Graduates acquire the competences needed to pursue PhD studies or to enter professional careers in soil science and related fields.

IMSOGLO is a two-year, 120-ECTS programme.

After three weeks of preparatory onboarding sessions and a one-week primer event, all students start together at Ghent University in the first term (30 ECTS). They cover soil fundamentals to consolidate fundamental knowledge on soil science (soil biology, soil physics, soil chemistry, soil evolution), land information systems and statistics, providing a shared foundation for the chosen specialization.

For the remaining terms, students follow one of two mobility tracks: Ghent University (Belgium) and Aarhus University (Denmark) for the specialization Soil Ecosystem Services and Global Change, or BOKU University Vienna (Austria) and University of Göttingen (Germany) for the specialization Soil-Plant System Processes and Global Change.

The second term (30 ECTS), hosted at either Ghent University or at BOKU University Vienna depending on the chosen specialization, focuses on advanced topics and deepens disciplinary expertise while strengthening key professional competences (data science, scientific communication, open project work, internship). Between the first and second year, students from both specializations come together for the Living Lab Summer School, where they engage with experts and stakeholders. The joint format enables exchange across tracks and synchronizes specialization-specific knowledge and skills, as students collaboratively evaluate sustainable land management practices in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Green Deal targets.

In the third term (30 ECTS), students study at either Aarhus University or at University of Göttingen depending on the chosen specialization, taking further advanced courses and continuing developing professional skills. The term may include excursions in France or Greenland to witness the effects of global change on soils.

The fourth term (30 ECTS) is dedicated to the Master's dissertation. Students are supervised by experts from both partner universities within their specialization, and occasionally, by associated partners in Europe and worldwide.

An employability needs analysis identified a pressing shortage of graduates with expertise in the two-way interactions between global change and soils – how global change affects soils and soil functions, and how soils influence climate and broader environmental change. IMSOGLO is designed to address this gap by training such specialists. Surveys further indicate a strong demand for IMSOGLO graduates, particularly in academic research. As their careers progress, many graduates are expected to move increasingly into consultancy, administration, and education.