For prospective students
If you have not heard yet, our flagship MSc programme in Urban Management and Development is now called Global Urban Change.
The Global Urban Change programme remains anchored by two primary specialisations designed to tackle the most pressing urban issues of the 21st century:
The academic year is designed to move you from foundational knowledge to a specialised learning experience. The core of the programme’s new structure is the tailored learning trajectory. While the core courses establish a solid foundation in key debates, urban complexity, resilience strategies, and methodology skills, the specialisation courses offer students the freedom to pick from a range of deepening modules. Whether you are interested in digital transformation, circular economy, or social inequality, you can select the specific modules that will make the most impact on your future career. The academic year concludes with a dedicated thesis period, where students apply their knowledge to their academic research.
The accreditation of the programme will remain the same. If anything, this shift is designed to increase our global recognition, making your future qualification even more valuable. Additionally, we introduced a modular system allowing candidates to choose from a range of courses and topics they want to specialise in. In this way, we want to ensure the knowledge and content taught in the programme remain relevant to today’s urban trends and students’ interest.
For admitted or deferring students
In the beginning of the new admission period in September, our team will contact you and make sure your updated letter reflects the new name of the programme. In case you have deferred your admission from last year but didn't hear from us, please contact our Admissions Office (admission@ihs.nl) to renew your letter of acceptance.
All official documentation issued for the 2027/2028 academic year and onwards will feature our new name, Global Urban Change. If you already received an acceptance letter with the previous name, Urban Management & Development, it remains legally valid, but you must request an updated version from the admissions team.
No. All financial agreements, scholarship awards, and tuition rates confirmed prior to the name change will be honoured exactly as stated in your admission offer.
For current participants
(2026-2027 Urban Management and Development cohort)
None at all. Your day-to-day experience, classes, schedule, and/or scholarship agreements remain completely unaffected by the name change.
While the dedicated Master's programme page on our website will update to match the new name, your login credentials for Osiris will remain the same and automatic redirects will be put in place.
As the last Urban Management and Development class, your final credential will bear the old name of the programme.
For alumni
Absolutely! Your credential remains valid and holds the exact same legal and academic weight. The new name of the programme strives to show the relevancy of education taught at IHS, and our ambition to keep up with global urban trends and challenges. But it does not minimise the value of your previously acquired education at the institute.
Since your degree under the Urban Management and Development programme is still valid, you can keep it in your educational background information. Alternatively, you can display it on your resume as MSc in Global Urban Change (formerly known as Urban Management and Development). Background check companies and employers verifying credentials will have access to records showing both names are the same programme.
The programme and specialisations have always been changing over the years as we try to adapt to the new trends and challenges cities face, student interests and career opportunities. We have always tried to remain as relevant as possible while delivering high-quality education. Learn more about the Global Urban Change programme.
Traditional divides between urban planning, policy, and development no longer suffice to address the crises facing our cities today. With this update, we are aiming to move beyond conventional disciplinary boundaries and look past the top-down labels of ' management' and 'development' and rethink how cities are studied, shaped, and sustained.