Knowledge for Development at UM

In our rapidly globalising world, people and societies are increasingly interdependent. Many problems and challenges we face locally are (manifestations of) global problems that require global solutions.

Maastricht University has committed itself to the need for sustainable growth and fair development as an answer to today's global development challenges. These include global inequality and poverty, the protection of human rights (especially those of women and children), conflict and security, combatting disease and poor health, the need for education, migration, addressing climate change and environmental degradation, and much more. The Sustainable Global Development Goals (SDGs) and targets agreed in 2015 are an important reference. The UM integrates an understanding of such critical issues into its education and research, and uses real-world problems and challenges as study material in its curriculum, so that students start to work right away on issues and challenges they will face in their future careers.

People around the world will have to work together to address these challenges, on local and global levels. Knowledge is the principle key to address these global challenges. International cooperation is another. Maastricht University in many ways works on addressing these issues.

Click here for an overview of UM institutes and centres that are active in globalization and development.