EPCEM

Ecole des Mines as the leader of the consortium of French Universities joined EPCEM on the 15th Nov.,2001.

From the left: B.Legait, Director of Ecole des Mines, Prof.dr.E.Tellegen, President of the EPCEM Board of Directorate and Prof.dr.Gy. Borbely, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, UD - Paris,15 Nov 2001

EPCEM has representatives throughout Europe. It is financially supported by:

The MATRA Programme of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and the Environment (VROM)
The foundation Open Society Institute
The PHARE/ TEMPUS programme of the European Union

The dimensions of environmental policy and management in Europe have become increasingly inter-sectoral and international. The European Union has been exerting a growing influence on the national environmental policy of its member states. Non-member countries are also effected by EU environmental policy in a variety of ways. Nonetheless, considerable differences in environmental policy and management remain among European countries. The challenge of effectively tackling environmental issues demands cooperation between governments, enterprises and other organisations. At both national and international levels, a need for skilled experts who can operate effectively in government departments, private enterprises and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) has arisen. These experts should be trained to analytically deal with complex environmental problems. Environmental problem-analysis and problem-solving require an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to environmental issues.

Against this background EPCEM's mission is to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in Europe and the establichement of environmental policy design within society.

Our aims
to strengthen inter-sectoral and international networking and cooperation in the field of environmental policy and amanagement
to enhance environmental expertise in European countries
to harmonise environmental policy and environmental management in Europe

Our educational objectives
EPCEM brings together selected graduates from a variety of disciplines. Participants come from Central, Eastern and Western Europe, including the Netherlands. The educational objective is to match the skills of recently graduated scholars, who aspire to pursue careers in managerial and policy-making positions. They will be trained to cooperate in multidisciplinary teams of experts, from which they can contribute to an integrated approach towards problem-analysis and problem-solving in a variety of environmental organisations: private and public, as well as national and international.

Structure of the course

All collaborating departments contribute to the course curriculum; additional contributions are made by experts from government, private consultancies, research institutes and NGO’s. A period of theory and skills training (modules 1-3) is followed by a period of practical experience in semi-professional situations (module 4-5).

Module 0: Introduction (1 week)
Location: Amsterdam. Following arrival and registration, students and staff members will have the opportunity to become acquainted with one another. The general educational objectives will be explained and the scope of the curriculum will be exemplified in workshops devoted to key environmental concepts.

Module 1: Environmental Science (2 weeks)
Location: Amsterdam (and other sites). Module 1 offers an introduction to environmental issues, integrating various disciplines and societal interests. It includes lectures, excursions and working-group assignments. A training of oral presentation skills will be part of the programme as well.

Module 2: Environmental Policy / Environmental Management (10 weeks)
Location: Amsterdam/Debrecen. This module presents an array of modern tools indispensable to policy-makers and managers. Whereas Module 1 focuses on the identification and analysis of problems, Module 2 deals with how strategies can be designed, implemented and enforced, as well as how environmental problems should be approached in practice. Attention will be given to two distinct perspectives: governmental policy and industrial management.

Module 3: Environmental Policy / Policy Paper (2 weeks)
Location: Amsterdam/Debrecen. In Module 3 the interdisciplinary approach and writing skills acquired during Module 2 are applied to the writing of a policy paper. The subject of this paper will be an urgent environmental policy or management issue facing the student’s home country.

Module 4: Interdisciplinary research project (16 weeks)
Location: choice of options: Debrecen/ Amsterdam/ Leiden/ Paris.
The aim of Module 4 is to conduct research (problem-analysis and problem-solving) in a multidisciplinary team. Teams of 6-8 students will carry out a project under the guidance of two supervisors from EPCEM partner universities. The results of the project will be published in a report, which should be useful to the relevant stakeholders (governments, NGOs or other interest groups).

Module 5: Individual internship (8 weeks)
Location: The Netherlands and Hungary. The internship may take place in a private enterprise or a consultancy firm, in an NGO or a governmental department, in either the Netherlands or another country. Each participant will write a report. The subjects of the internships will be chosen in consultation with the students and the host organisation.

Module 6: Evaluation (1 week)
Location: Amsterdam/Debrecen. The results of the interdisciplinary research projects and the individual internships will be presented and evaluated. The students and staff members will also evaluate the full EPCEM curriculum. The course is concluded with Graduation Day.

To fulfill the mission and reach our aims and objectives the program has specific features:

A multidisciplinary set-up
The programme is multidisciplinary in its aim at integrating ecology, economy and social sciences. Likewise, student composition reflects this aim.
A problem-oriented approach
The focus is on practical management of environmental issues by applying a systematic plan-development approach and integrating stakeholder interests to solve concrete problems.
Advanced knowledge and professional skills
Environmental managers should not only have theoretical knowledge about environmental issues, they should also be capable of handling these issues in cooperation with other experts.
Practical application of concepts and theory
Starting with presenting general environmental issues, the course has an increasingly practical character with examples from environmental management and policy-making.
Research projects in European countries
As part of an international multidisciplinary team, members cooperate in tackling a concrete environmental issue in a European country. The research project issue is often internationally orientated.
Learning by pro-active participation
Working group assignments, interdisciplinary projects and individual internships encourage and demand a high degree of student-initiated participation.
Since 1992, over 280 EPCEM participants have received the EPCEM Master degree in Environmental Management.

Employment perspectives
EPCEM offers an excellent basis for a profession in the environmental field. Inquiries among the alumni have shown that the prospects of finding suitable employment are very good. Graduates generally return to their home countries to work on local, national or international issues.
Some possible areas of professional employment are:
Policymaking for national and regional governments
Planning of environment-related projects in governments, private enterprises and consultancy agencies
Environmental Impact Assessment
Research
Management of NGO's such as conservationist groups, consumer groups and trade unions
Environmental education and training

If you have more practical question considering employment/further acadmic perspectives you can contact the alumni. They can advise you on particular situation in their countries and fields of specialisation, considering the prosepcts to find employment after finishing EPCEM.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Zoltán Karácsonyi karacsonyiz@envm.unideb.hu
Board of Directorate Member

Graduation 2002/2003

Graduation 2001/2002

Graduation 2000/2001

Graduation 1999/2000

Graduation 1998/1999

Graduation 1997/1998

Graduation 1996/1997

Graduation 1995/1996

For further information please contact Dr. Zoltan Karacsonyi: karacsonyiz@envm.unideb.hu