The UT plans to offer a master's in Humanitarian Engineering from 2025. The programme is a joint initiative of three faculties: ET, ITC and BMS. The master is a combination of engineering and social sciences and focuses on solving problems in humanitarian disasters, or developing resilient technologies, for example.
Failed initially
Before a new programme can be offered, it must first go through a route via official bodies such as the Commission for the Effectiveness of Higher Education (CDHO), education inspector NVAO and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). Last spring, the UT failed the CDHO's so-called macro-efficiency test.
The university failed to sufficiently demonstrate its labour market needs. A labour market study that the UT itself commissioned from research bureau Odion proved to be the main hindrance; the names of the companies involved in the study were not mentioned. Thus, the committee concluded that some sources cited by UT did show a labour market need. However, the university did not sufficiently demonstrate the need for engineers of this particular programme.
Endorsements
Last summer, the UT submitted a renewed proposal, which recently received a positive advice from the CDHO and a subsequent positive decision from the ministry of OCW. Its own labour market research now did have the list of companies, which means the committee now considers the report 'valid and predominantly verifiable'.
The UT also collected seven endorsements from work field parties relevant to the master programme. Those employers indicated their support for the substantive programme and say they are willing to cooperate with the programme as soon as it stands.
The positive decision means that UT can proceed with the application for this new master's programme. This requires, for example, official accreditation from the NVAO. An NVAO panel of experts will visit UT for a 'test new programme'. That panel should get a good picture of the level of the programme and the likelihood that students will receive a diploma upon completion 'that represents the level at which the programme is accredited'.
