Learning outcomes

1. The Master are able to independently situate and evaluate a scientific problem and to formulate the hypothesis. They have the knowledge and skill required to test the hypothesis within the context of the contemporary scientific understanding and the (international) literature.

2. Moreover their scientific training allows the Masters to set up a problem-solving strategy of experiments and observations. They have the skills required to carry out these activities, as an individual or in team.

3. Through data analysis, using appropriate advanced techniques, the Masters can provide a relevant answer to a question and propose solutions, in both an academic and applied context.

4. With the acquired skills the Masters can summarize, communicate and interpret their findings at different levels: to peers, to a broad public or to policy makers, both orally and in writing.

5. The Masters are aware of the relativity of things, of the border between objectivity and subjectivity, of the possibilities and limitations set by technology and knowledge. They act as thinking and reflecting scientists in all their activities.

6. The Masters can independently recognize and describe problems in relation to life and society. They are able to track and interpret relevant data with the appropriate methods. Of the greatest importance is the ability to value paradigms and theories and in particular to define the limits of their reliability.

7. The Masters have a thorough insight in living matter and in the relationship between biotic and abiotic matter. They have the attitude to continuously follow up the state of knowledge and the (international) developments in the subfield they have made their own and they learn to think, plan, experiment and conclude using state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies.

8. The Masters have the required social, management and communication skills to be able to work in a team, both within their discipline and in an interdisciplinary environment, to lead and execute experiments as well as to process and present data.

9. The Masters demonstrate professional responsibility. They will aim to communicate the fruits of their creativity at a high level in order to broaden the general knowledge.

10. The Masters can not only undertake actions in their mother tongue, but at least also in English, the international communication tool.

11. The Masters have a sense of social responsibility. They have a solid critical training. With the acquired communication skills they are able to relate their field (biology) to society, and give a two-way account in this relation. To optimally fulfill their role in society, the masters specialize either in biodiversity: conservation and restoration or in global change biology. Within the former they can also acquire additional skills in the professional profile entrepreneurship.