New Certificate Programme in the Professional Master Sustainable Chemistry

2020-12-10 In March 2020, the part-time M.Sc. Sustainable Chemistry programme was successfully launched. Starting next spring, professionals can choose between two university certificates in the fields of "Benign by Design" and "Regulatory Affairs".

"Chemists, pharmacists and related professional groups nowadays need profound knowledge beyond pure chemistry or pharmacy. We are deliberately going into continuing vocational training because the problems are pressing," explains Klaus Kümmerer, Professor of Sustainable Chemistry and programme director of the M.Sc. Sustainable Chemistry. 

Although the chemical and allied industries, such as the pharmaceutical industry, are often not strong in countries of the global South, it is precisely these regions that have to deal with environmental pollution and imported waste from industrialised countries. Knowledge about resource conservation, benign molecular design or political regulation is crucial in solving these problems on a global scale. However, professionals may not always have the time or financial resources to complete an entire study programme. 

Parts of the accredited master's programme are now offered as a certificate programme. The university certificate "Sustainable Chemistry and Benign by Design" focuses on targeted molecular design and re-design taking into account sustainability aspects. Here, participants learn to use chemoinformatic prediction methods and databases on quantitative structure-activity relationships. The certificate "Sustainable Chemistry and Regulatory Affairs" addresses the topics of chemicals legislation, environmental law as well as international chemicals management and is tailored for employees of regulatory authorities, consultancies or political institutions. Both certificates also include modules on environmental chemistry and toxicology. These focus on degradability, material flows in the environment and toxicological effects of substances. An e-learning platform including videos, podcasts and literature facilitates asynchronous learning. Online live sessions and mini-conferences foster exchange among the participants.

The English-language programme can be studied almost entirely online and is aimed at professionals from all over the world with a degree in chemistry or related disciplines. Both certificates include a two-week laboratory session at Leuphana University. Credits earned in the certificates are transferable to the master's programme should participants consider enrolling at a later stage. Tuition fees paid for the certificates can almost entirely be offset against the M.Sc. Sustainable Chemistry tuition fees. 

Application deadline extended until 31 January 2021.

The part-time master's programme "Sustainable Chemistry" was developed in cooperation with ISC3. The international organisation for the promotion of sustainable chemistry worldwide was established by the Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency. Leuphana is part of ISC3 with its Research & Education Hub.

Contact

Lisa Keßler

The application deadline for the Sustainable Chemistry programme has been extended until 31 January 2021. ©Leuphana
The application deadline for the Sustainable Chemistry programme has been extended until 31 January 2021.