Shape the energy transition by implementing sound business cases

Master
Full-time
3 semesters

Sustainable Energy System Management

Level: master
Form: full-time
Duration: 3 semesters
Language: English
Locations: Groningen
Degree: Master of Science
Credits: 90 ECTS
Startmonths: Start: September

Business and Economics
Science and Engineering
Environment

Can you rise to the challenge of creating smart and interesting solutions to help accelerate the energy transition? Can you design innovative and interesting business plans that take into account technological, economic, legal, social and environmental aspects? Do you want to manage complex issues, convert them into feasible projects and monitor their correct implementation? Then this is the master programme for you! What you will find:

✔ International learning community ✔ High-end facilities ✔ European network (EUREC) ✔ Real life clients and assignments

Enrol through EUREC Request brochure

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Projects with impact

During your master’s, you will work on real-world projects that address societal and organisational challenges. Through hands-on research, you will create innovative solutions that make a difference. Curious what that looks like? Below are a few examples of our students' projects.

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Henmar Moesker

Programme manager
Bart ter Veer

Researcher and Lecturer
Jan Bekkering

Researcher and Lecturer
Frank Pierie

Researcher and Lecturer
Wytze van der Gaast

Professor of Economic Aspects of the Energy Transition

About the European Master in Sustainable Energy Management

While studying Sustainable Energy Management you will have the opportunity to study in at least two EU countries. You will learn about the business side of energy systems. You will be provided with economical and management skills and technical knowledge that you will need to succeed in the renewable energy industry. Once you’ve graduated you will be a business engineer with fundamental understanding of renewable energy systems and skill to make a solid business plan.

Why chose the European Master in Sustainable Energy System Management at Hanze UAS?

Learning community: You work and learn in close co-operation with your peers from all over the world and from the other energy-related master's programmes, professional practitioners, researchers and education staff using real life projects.
High-end research facilities: The Energy Transition Centre (EnTranCe) and Energy Academy Europe (EAE) offer endless research, testing and cooperation opportunities, which current energy master students give high recommendations.
International experience: You are required to study in at least two European countries and work on international assignments from real-life clients.
EUREC: This programme is an EUREC initiative. You’ll become part of the network, which has an excellent reputation and strong alumni policy. A great foundation for your international career!

Alumnus Bastiaan about energy

Course overview

Semester 1 – Core

You acquire a solid foundation in economics, modelling and business concepts related to innovative energy project design and the business aspects of the energy sector. Combined with planning, strategic decision-making and communication, this core knowledge enables you to analyse energy business challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective. The core semester is offered at Hanze UAS Groningen.

Themes of the core semester:

Energy Transition Context
Energy Technologies, Plants & Integration
Markets, Finance, and Law
Modelling & Scenarios for Strategic Decision Making
Research Methodology

Semester 2 – Specialisation

You focus on System Innovation Management, Sustainable Energy and ICT or Sustainable Energy Management. In-depth conceptual lectures are accompanied by practical assignments and technically oriented company visits. You are required to actively contribute to the course content by presenting papers and carrying out research tasks. In addition, you can choose between three different specialisations at different universities.

Hanze UAS – Specialisation in System Innovation Management (SIM)

Energy System Modelling & Application
Energy Infrastructures and Renewables
System Innovation Processes
System Business Case Economics & Law
Business Ecosystem Design

Howest UAS – Specialisation in Sustainable Energy and ICT

Energy Audit, Flexibility & Dashboarding (electrical & thermal)
Big Data & Internet of Things
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
Renewables, Storage and Smart Grids (electrical & thermal)
Blockchain & Security

Semester 3 – Thesis

You apply your knowledge and skills to a research project at a company or research centre. Based on this research, you write your thesis under the supervision of your core professor, a professor from your specialisation and a supervisor from the project provider. At the end of the master’s programme, you present your results to the assessment committee during a EUREC gathering in Brussels.

You must complete either Semester 2 or Semester 3 in a different country from the one where you followed your core semester.

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Hanze Makerspace

The Hanze Makerspace (HMS) is for all colleagues and students of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences! A creative and informal educational workplace where everything related to making something comes together.

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Step 1: check wether you qualify

Click here to check wether you qualify.

Applicants are admitted to the course on the basis of the following criteria:

Having a BSc. in Business, Economics, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Geology, Engineering Management, Energy Management, ICT, Architecture or Built Environment. Applicants need to have a strong interest in business and the energy industry.

The criteria may be waived for applicants with relevant work experience deemed equivalent to the academic admission requirements.

When applying for this Master's programme, all applicants need to prove that they have achieved a sufficient level of English. Therefore, one of the following is required:

All language scores must contain four subjects: reading, writing, listening and speaking
IELTS (academic): 6.5 minimum
TOEFL iBT (Home edition not allowed)

- For exams taken before 12 January 2026 we require a minimum score of 90;
- For exams taken on or after 12 January 2026 we require a minimum score of 5;
(Please indicate Hanze University of Applied Sciences to check your TOEFL score from ETS in your test taker profile; the institution code is 2165)

Cambridge Advanced Exam in English: C minimum (scale 180-184)
Pearson PTE (Academic) minimum of 61
LanguageCert (Academic) minimum of 75

Exempted from the above mentioned are:

Students holding a Bachelor qualification from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain or Ireland are exempt from the language requirement
Students who have obtained a diploma at an English taught institution within the EER and who can prove that their prior education for which they obtained the diploma with which they can become accepted to the master, was fulltime English taught. In this case prove the English proficiency by uploading a statement, signed and stamped, from the university, confirming that the medium of instruction and examination of the prior education was entirely in English. The dean may seek advice from NUFFIC in such a case.

Hanze UAS reserves the right to check, both in the Netherlands and abroad, the authenticity of all documents submitted in support of applications.

Step 2: Check the application deadlines

First of all, to join this master's programme you need to register and apply through EUREC. The application period for September intake begins mid-January and finishes:

Non-EU/EEA applicants: May 1st

EU/EEA applicants: July 15th

Enrolment will not be final until all requirements as specified on the website of EUREC and Hanze UAS are met. The deadline to finalise your registration in Studielink and registration at Hanze UAS is:

Non-EU/EEA applicants: June 1st

EU/EEA applicants: July 1st

You will receive the information from the enrolment officer at Hanze UAS how to register in Studielink only after you have been accepted for the programme. Studielink is the nationwide registration system for all universities in the Netherlands.

Step 3: Collect the required documents - EUREC

A CV (resume) in English
The degrees and transcript of records based upon which you seek admission to the master, both the original as well as the translated versions
Two letters of reference
A proof of English language proficiency (see above for minimum scores) – this proof may be provided later than the rest of the application, but before the date indicated by the University in case you are accepted under conditions.
A copy of your passport
A cover letter (=letter of motivation)
Any additional information in support of your application is welcome but not requested (eg: information on work experience)

Step 7: Upload all documents of step 2 again – Hanze UAS

Upload once again the documents you collected at step 2. This time in Studielink for your application at Hanze University of Applied Science.

A CV (resume) in English
A certified copy of the university diploma and transcripts (“certified” means that the documents must bear the official University stamp to be considered valid)
Two letters of reference
A proof of English language proficiency (see above for minimum scores) – this proof may be provided later than the rest of the application, but before the date indicated by the University in case you are accepted under conditions.
A copy of your passport
A cover letter (=letter of motivation)
Any additional information in support of your application is welcome but not requested (eg: information on work experience)

The tuition fees are listed per academic year here. Each year, you will be enrolled as a student for a full academic year. As Smart Systems Engineering is an 18-month programme, the tuition fee for your second year of enrolment will depend on the month in which you graduate and deregister. If you have any questions regarding tuition fees, you can contact Student Administration (STAD) at [email protected].

Please note: Students with a NON-EU/EEA nationality must be aware that on top of the tuition fee you will have to prove that you have enough financial means to live of. Information about the procedure, the amount and what costs are included in the financial guarantee can be found here.

Please note: the funding period for this master's programme is set at one year. Whether you are eligible for student finance from DUO in the first year of this master's programme depends on your previous education. Please check the DUO website for more information. Under certain conditions, Hanze University of Applied Sciences offers compensation for the last six months of the programme. Are you a Hanze student? Then check with the Student Support Regulation to see if you qualify. Not a Hanze student yet? Please e-mail [email protected].

Step 9: Prepare for your studies

Immigration N EU students: starts after March, deadline 1 July www.hanze.nl/immigration

Accommodation: start April/May www.athomeingroningen.nl

June: fill in payment details tuition fee: www.studielink.nl Deadline 31 August.

July: Information sent by school about introduction week, booklist, schedules etc

Insurance: be insured for healthcare check www.hanze.nl/insurance

Welcome and immigration day: beginning September www.hanze.nl/welcomeday

Introduction week: first week of September

Hanze UAS offers various scholarships to eligible students. Visit this page for more information.

Please note: with this master's programme, you will receive student finance from DUO for the first year only. The Hanze may grant you financial support for the last six months of the programme, provided you were entitled to a performance grant in the first year. Are you a Hanze student? Then check with the Student Support Regulation to see if you qualify. Not a Hanze student yet? Please e-mail [email protected].

Additional programme specific requirements you need to consider before applying for a scholarship:

NL Scholarship

The English Language proficiency must be proved by submitting one of the following (minimum) test scores:

TOEFL internet based: 94
IELTS Academic: 7.0
PTE Academic: 66.3
LanguageCert 75

A CGPA with a minimum of 75% of the total scores to be obtained

Following the core semester in Groningen

Hanze Scholarship

The English Language proficiency must be proved by submitting one of the following (minimum) test scores:

TOEFL internet based: 102
IELTS Academic: 7.5
PTE Academic: 74.6
LanguageCert 82

A CGPA with a minimum of 80% of the total scores to be obtained

Following the core semester in Groningen

Procedure

Students who have been (conditionally) accepted for the programme by Hanze UAS will receive an invitation to apply for the scholarship as of 1 March from the enrolment advisor.
The last day to apply for the scholarship is April 30, 23:59 hrs (Central European Time - CET).
The grants committee will award the scholarship

Note