Testimonials

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? Before starting TISE, I was a banker with the Indian government, and during an assignment working alongside indigenous communities in Western India, concerns about responsible usage of AI to protect evolutionary wisdom compelled me to study sustainability. TISE has been a transformative experience for me, this was because of the vast exposure to many different areas that can potentially improve as well as exacerbate societal vulnerability during, after and in anticipation of transitions. The world in contemporary parlance, is a mere evolution of various transitions and if it must continue, chaos and metamorphosis are everyday phenomenon. TISE helped me greatly understand life from socio-cultural, political, medical, technological and behavioural perspectives and I feel I have a greater understanding of the concerns I came with, and equipped to assimilate into local communities worldwide, to be able to assess different perspectives of issues and concerns.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? As an engineer and MBA, who appreciates the financial services industry, I had little exposure to the humanities side of education. I learnt a lot about the nuances of criticism and how important it is in shaping the world. With newer technologies, know-how and changing landscapes, this is a must when proposing solutions to problems. I happened to learn two languages, and to deep-dive into ethical AI usage, cleantech, carbon accounting and project management, understand the differences in academic and industrial perspectives and on how to position my own skills at the intersection, for successful knowledge transfer and innovation diffusion. I also had the opportunity to pause and figure out what is my purpose, and to reorient self towards it.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? I highly recommend TISE, and also my teachers who did not impose their ideas but widened our lenses so we could find our own solutions, this is the most important aspect of education in my humble opinion. To a prospective student, I would tell them to pack light and be ready for an adventure! My colleagues at TISE are some of the kindest people and there is a wide ambit of possibilities to learn from, for a curious person who is or has been concerned about modern sustainability problems, TISE is the place to be.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. I really enjoyed the Cyberculture classes from NOVA FCSH and the content delivery by Professors Jorge and Daniel and the design thinking workshop has to be my absolute favourite. Also enjoyed working through assignments for Professor Marguerite and Professor Susan Leavy’s classes at UCD. A special mention to Professor Alexandra Gawel, Professor Maciej, Professor Lukas Bryl and Professor Anna, they really helped me with some tough economic issues I brought to them, the semester in Poland was by favourite and I am indebted to all the teachers at UE Poznan for really going out of their way to help us. Also thanks to Professor Liliya for being so kind to me while handing over my degree post my absence from the graduation. If intellectual indulgence exists, without a doubt, TISE was that for me. I worked with as many people, technologies, dimensions of knowledge as I humanly could, from external workshops to entrepreneurial school, even won an award in regulatory compliance, and to be able to do this in such a short time is a privilege.

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you?

1. Content. The program is divided into three parts – culture, technology and economy.

2.Workshops. In addition to classes, the master’s programme offers a variety of theoretical and practical workshops.

3.Practicality. The programme is designed with the first year focused primarily on theoretical foundations, while the second year takes a more practical approach. Both are essential for building a comprehensive understanding, but I found the second year to be my favourite.

4.Transdisciplinary approach. This approach facilitates the understanding and possible resolution of existing challenges.

5.Mobility. The programme offers classes across four countries at four distinct universities, providing a rich learning experience through diverse academic approaches and perspectives.

6.Multiculturality. The programme brought together 26 students of 21 nationalities, allowing us to learn both inside and outside the classroom. A unique opportunity to ‘get to know several countries’ through the eyes of colleagues. In this way, although the master’s programme is physically structured in four countries, it was possible to get to know a little of several countries and from various points of view.

7.Support. The support from teachers and the TISE team. I’d also like to highlight the support I had from my supervisors during my thesis.

8.Challenges. During the master’s programme I was exposed to different challenges, including cultural and academic adaptation to different countries (accommodation, travelling, etc.), language barriers, among others. However, I would emphasise that these obstacles were also an opportunity for personal and professional growth.
In this manner, I tottaly recommend this master program to anyone who is interest in the master content.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? Due to the opportunities and intensity of the master’s, during the two years of the program I was able to develop soft skills in terms of communication, adaptation, organization, management, multitasking, teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking; and hard skills: digital transformation, project management, innovation systems, sustainability, and smart regions (personal topic; it was the subject of my thesis).

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? Points I stress:
1.To work and comunicate in a efficient manner with peers from various background;
2.To adapt to various enviroments;
3.To manage time efficeintly;
4.To integrate knowledge from different fields to foster creative thinking and innovation;
5.To manage projects, ensuring they are completed on time and within scope;
6.To collaborate with teams from various disciplines to achieve common goals.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. Memories:
1.Teamwork: Specifically, the project from a transdisciplinary approach, where my colleagues and I collaborated effectively to achieve our goals.
2.After-Class Events with TISE friends: Meals, trips, and parties together while exchanging knowledge and supporting each other.
3.Graduation.
4.Workshops: Sustainability Communication; Innovation Systems, Improvisation in sustainability development and innovation; ESG; Resilient cities; Minorities Rights in the EU; among others.

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? The principal takeaways of TISE was the amazing experience of adapting with an incredible group of fabulous people, with a high intellectual and humanitarian capacities. Living in four different countries was a challenge and an open minder experience, that helped to constructed a strong networking and have a learning process in culture, innovation and development. The highlights for me included the hands-on projects, especially the collaborative work with international teams, and the real-world problem-solving aspects that pushed me to think critically and innovatively. The opportunity to work on live cases with organizations focused on sustainable development was incredibly rewarding and gave me a tangible sense of how to apply the knowledge we were acquiring in class.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? I growth in many ways during this program. The principal was as a person that try to understand different reallities with a neutral vision, trying to be propositive and mediate conflicts and complex realities. At the same time the learning process within the master curriculum provide a overview the modern reality that is currently happening. The impact of technology, the interest, the ethics, the economy tendencies, the complexity realities and difficulties, the system approach, the multidiscipline analysis, among others. I developed a strong foundation in managing projects focused on sustainability and learned how to navigate the intricate balance between economic, environmental, and social factors. This experience has not only broadened my technical skillset but also my confidence in taking on leadership roles in future sustainability projects.

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? The masters provided frameworks that can be adapted a different circunstances that can guide complexity realities. Such as the one that I am working nowadays that is the depopulation in rural areas and the opportunity of entrepreneurship among this reality. The principal methodology is the systemic analysis, using different views of stakeholders. The program emphasized both theoretical knowledge and practical application, ensuring I could adapt to the rapidly evolving sustainability landscape. From critical thinking and problem-solving to effective project management and stakeholder engagement, the skills I developed at TISE are directly applicable to the professional world, especially in roles focused on sustainability, innovation, and impact. The multidisciplinary nature of the coursework has also helped me become more agile in adapting to various industries and challenges.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? Yes, living the TISE Experience was a remarkable memory of my live that help me interact with incredible people with experience and delightful knowledge. Also, the courses provided strong tools that can be used in complex areas. Prospective students will benefit from working with a diverse cohort, gaining exposure to different perspectives, and being challenged to think outside the box. The program not only equips you with knowledge but also instills the confidence and skills needed to become a change-maker in sustainability.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. My favorite moments were with the colleges in cultural events, such as the Saint Patrick´s day in Ireland and the master thesis celebration of the defense. Also, the workshops that we had in Krems were the best academic courses, that provide tangible tools for our future. (This courses should be the principal line of the master in my opinion). These experiences were not only insightful but also deeply enriching, as they allowed us to see the real-world impact of our work. I also enjoyed the guest lectures from industry leaders who shared their experiences and insights on transitioning to sustainable practices. The sense of camaraderie within the cohort and the constant exchange of ideas made the experience even more fulfilling.

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? The program is a future-focused one, which was the reason I chose it from the very beginning. The subjects cover technology and sustainability in its broadest sense—social, economic, and environmental—alongside Digital Policy, Ethics, Digital Culture, Economics, and the all-encompassing field of Systems Science. As I progressed through the semesters, the interconnections between these subjects became increasingly clear. The transdisciplinary field research was definitely a highlight for me; it was a formative experience that deepened my understanding of it. From the issues that arose during that time, I learned to navigate complex, multifaceted problems and develop solutions that bridged different disciplines. It was also during this experience that I discovered the problem I would later choose to explore in-depth for my thesis.

The program allowed us to explore cutting-edge knowledge through a constant debate on the innovative aspects of the fields we studied—particularly technological advancements and their implications for society and sustainability.  Another reason why I chose and appreciated the program is the emphasis on interactive workshops. In particular, the sessions on Co-Design and Design Thinking were invaluable, giving me additional tools and the opportunity to actively engage with these techniques. They allowed me to test and implement ways of making processes more participatory and designed to be inclusive with a variety of stakeholders from the outset..

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? The program allowed me to explore a wide range of topics and perspectives. It helped me as well to acquire useful research tools that I applied on multiple occasions, both within and outside the program. When I began my traineeship at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, I was amazed by how many of the tools we had explored during the two years of the Master’s were being used in policy-oriented research. I appreciated the practical connection between what we learned and its real-world application. From a personal perspective, even the logistics of moving every semester helped me develop adaptability, broadening my outlook and enhancing my ability to navigate new environments. This of course paired up with the soft and hard skills developed in the multiplicity of group work.

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? The program allowed me to sharpen various skills. Mapping issues and understanding their interconnectivity were particularly valuable to me as I plan to further develop these skills in my career path. Approaching complex issues from a multifaceted perspective and collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds were key aspects of the program that I continuously practised. We worked on numerous long-term projects, which required strong time management skills. Presentations and public speaking were also crucial; pitching ideas and creatively conveying our projects became second nature over time. Conceptually, the program often showed how technology, while helpful in many fields, can sometimes exacerbate injustice and add complexity. Understanding the synergies and trade-offs is crucial in determining which implementations to promote and which to approach with caution or completely reject.

Intercultural exchange was a significant part of the program, and I found the need for deeper cultural understanding to be constant (I highly recommend The Culture Map for those interested in this topic). Both personally and professionally, the ability to work effectively in multicultural environments is essential, and I see its importance increasing. As a European citizen, I value Erasmus Mundus programs for broadening perspectives beyond the Eurocentric view and opening Europe to diverse global insights.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? I would highly recommend the program to anyone interested in tackling problems from a multifaceted perspective. The program teaches you how to approach issues in a broader and more structured way, building skills that are priceless and invaluable for both practitioners and researchers.

I’ve already mentioned the various skills and experiences the program offers, but I’d also highlight the opportunity to travel. While moving between countries can be a practical challenge, it adds another layer of growth and adaptability. Even if, to be honest, I fell in love with Lisbon so much that I did not want to leave 😉 Additionally, sharing this experience with people from over 20 different countries and backgrounds is an incredible way to broaden your perspective and knowledge. The intercultural exchange, combined with the program’s academic rigour, offers a unique environment for growth— personally and professionally.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. My experience in TISE is inseparable from the incredible people I met and am now glad to call friends. The in-class, after-class, and late-night discussions on topical issues, along with fun and even trivial moments shared with unique individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, were always inspiring and enriching. Even though I passionately participated in every workshop and enjoyed them all, I believe the true value I gained from these experiences was largely due to the bright minds who accompanied me on this journey.

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? Getting new perspectives and insights was one highlight for me. Besides, I was thankful to gain new, unexpected hard skills and understanding my soft skills better.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? Before participating in the program, I was very focused on the specific direction I already knew well. Along the studies I developed skills and gained perspectives, that made me rethink my opinions and I had to zoom out again. Comparable with the universe, I was already seeing our solar system but with the studies I got aware about the many systems that are out there in space.

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? I am not sure if, after the TISE program, I gained more skills to be or to act more successful in sustainability than I was before. Successful I might be in a interdisciplinary perspective. That makes me more aware about side factors of an issue and the knowledge that there are tools that I could use in answering such issues.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? Prospective students I would recommend defining for themselves what they expect from their further studies. If they are looking for more specific knowledge in a topic so that they are easier to work in a specific field with addressed tools I would maybe ell them to look for something else. These studies rely on multiple perspectives and will leave you with those as long as you miss the momentum of finding your own purpose or passion that you could work out.

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? I was part of the first cohort of TISE, which brought together 26 students from over 20 different countries. We all came from diverse educational backgrounds, and that mix, along with the complexity of our focus on sustainability transitions, led to some incredibly insightful discussions. We were constantly challenged to see issues from multiple perspectives, which enriched our learning experience. The program’s high mobility meant we had to move to a new country and university each semester, which was challenging—especially dealing with visas and finding accommodation. But moving together as a group really bonded us. We supported each other through the hurdles, and as a result, built strong friendships.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? The program’s curriculum was broad, covering topics ranging from cyberculture and digital ethics to econometrics and programming. Along with numerous workshops, this exposure gave us a holistic perspective essential for tackling complex challenges. However, the wide scope also meant we didn’t always have the same level of specialized expertise as graduates from domain-focused programs. As a result, we had to put in extra effort to deepen our knowledge in the specific areas we wanted to pursue professionally. The requirement to complete a summer internship, along with the option to do a thesis internship, was a key part of my professional development. These experiences gave me direct exposure to real-world work and research, which I’ve been able to leverage in my career search after the program.

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? The four partner universities in the program each had different academic traditions—whether in class structure, assignments, evaluation methods, or class size. Constantly adapting to these changes helped me develop a strong sense of flexibility and adaptability, which are crucial for navigating dynamic environments. The program placed a strong emphasis on group work and hands-on projects, which was incredibly educational for me. These experiences helped me grow in many areas, including project execution—both individually and in teams—as well as improving my communication skills and collaboration techniques.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? The program offers a generous EU scholarship, which is superior to most other scholarships available for master’s-level education, with many added benefits. The competitive nature of the scholarship means you’re surrounded by highly smart and sharp people from all over the world. This creates a unique environment where you can learn from your peers in ways you might never have imagined. It’s also rare to find another master’s program that offers such an extensive mobility scheme, allowing you to travel and study in four different countries across Europe. This experience not only makes you more resilient and adaptable, but it also helps you form close bonds with your classmates, leading to friendships that can last a lifetime.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. The Transdisciplinarity field training was a unique and deeply educational experience. Our team organized and led workshops in a remote village in Austria, working alongside community members and scientists to identify sustainability and resilience issues. Having this kind of hands-on, field-level experience during a master’s program was something I hadn’t expected, and it’s an experience I look back on with pride.

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? To put it  simply, it was an amazing experience. Difficult for me to pick some highlights over the others, but some worth mentioning ones are: Learning about systems science which has completely changed the way how I see the world and problems, especially the social ones around me. Therefore, this one extends much beyond the professional side. Secondly, the multiculturality, I’ve got to know so many people from different nationalities in this program that has been an amazing experience, especially travelling with them in four different EU countries. I’ve made bonds and friendships that are genuinely valuable, and I feel so humbled to have gone through this experience honestly. Eventually, I would say that TISE acted like a catapult for myself that gave me a huge jump in my professional & personal developement.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? I’ve touched on answering this question a bit in the previous question, but I’ll be more specific in this. The time when I joined TISE is right after my BSc graduation, when I was 21. Going through TISE, where I was studying along with my fellow peers who hailed from 23 different nationalities and various academic backgrounds, I did learn to embrace critical thinking and genuinely got to know the importance of inclusion of diversity and its part in driving any organizational success. Coming from an engineering background, I used to think that normally there is ‘only one solution’ to a problem. But here in TISE, I was exposed to the approach of solving problems based on engaging with stakeholders, which was interestingly not ‘one specific solution’ to the problem at hand. Overall, I would say, that TISE has groomed me into a persona that I hold today, because of which I feel confident every single day, because I genuinely value all the experiences that TISE exposed me to.

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? I would say again that the program behaved like a catapult in my journey. Having collaborated with 27 students from 23 nationalities, and worked with academicians and practitioners from different fields, a point came in my life where I felt absolutely full of confidence to achieve any milestone ahead in my career. This, of course, is because of TISE that has provided me with an environment to help me grow with this forward-approach mindset, and I absolutely feel honored to have attended this program. 

Other than the confidence, I would like to mention that the stakeholder engagement part of the master’s is quite in-demand in the way how big corporations are approaching sustainability. This is something that I am experiencing pretty much every other day as I’m working with several different corporates to help them in their sustainability journey. Therefore, I would say that this is not just something amazing, rather is something that we perhaps have undermined previously.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? In short, absolutley I will recommend this program and I actually do recommend people for it. I have gone through and amazing personal and a professional journey because of this experience that has quite literally shaped my personality that I possess today. To be more specific, I would tell people that this program will broaden their horizons and will make them work on innovative approaches of solving problems, especially the social ones that they can relate to in real-life. The other aspect of cultural diversity and having a network, ahead of the graduation, that will span across several continents of the world is something that I would never feel shy sharing with prospective students.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. I would say I genuinely developed a deep connection with the places that I’ve lived in this master’s, in fact, all four of them. I really want to make this clear here that visiting a country as a tourist is quite different from staying there for a semester. To put it simply, it’s much more of an amazing experience. Secondly, the friends. They are like a family here for myself, as I travelled, lived and spent the most amazing moments of my life with in 4 different countries. Thirdly, I would say that I was an engineer and I used to see my life like the way I would normally see a problem in engineering i.e., with an approach of thinking that there’s only one solution to a problem. However, because of TISE, I now see variety of opinions of people, different facets of problems and the ways they can be solved (mostly for the social problems around me). Everytime I see it like that, I feel indebted to this amazing experience that I’ve had, and I’m really proud of it!

Describe your experience at TISE. What were the highlights of the program for you? I still miss the days when I joined TISE. It was a great experience at TISE introduced with new tools and research methods i.e., polimi design, interdisciplinary study. The mobility of the program really attractive. TISE prioritizes on practical rather than the bookis study.

How would you describe your personal and professional development during the program? TISE taught some practical things i.e., what is sustainability; how it is varies in different economic sector; and so on. Later, the learning is supporitng me later in my personal and carrer development.

How do you see your experience in the program helping you to support the skills you need to be successful? In the TISE we had the chance to open discussion on any topic. Sometimes the topic might not be related to the study, but on practically I found the discussion interesting. The recent experience is the thesis semester where I had professors from difffernt universities as supervisors. Managing multiple supervisors, meet the deadline, sharing outcomes, supported me later to develop myself and made me confident to pursue my next career.

Would you recommend TISE to others? If so, why? If you were to describe the benefits of the program to a prospective student, what would you tell them? I might recommend other prospective student to study at TISE. The first benefit is you might get the chance to have study at four different universities in four countries. The seminers arrange by the TISE might be interesting to you (one day we walked on road and discuss with professor on sustainability). You might love the improvision workshop if there will be any arrangement.

Any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share about your time at TISE; favorite memories, events, workshops, etc. The most favorite time for myself is in Poland where I first experience snowing. Most favorite memories are the lunch and dinner timing with some of my collegues during the last semester while living in the same dormitory.