IHS Institute for Housing & Urban Development Studies, Erasmus University

12/10/2026

This fall marks a big milestone for IHS with the launch of the new MSc name, Global Urban Change (formerly known as Urban Management and Development). 🌍

How does the renewed programme address current urban trends? What can students expect joining the IHS classroom? We asked Educational Programme Manager, Dr Merav Kaddar. In this interview, Merav also shares more about the student journey, new modules and what excites her the most about her work with international students.

🌐 Read the full interview with Dr Merav Kaddar in the IHS website.

02/10/2026

🏡 What happens when you earn too much for housing subsidies, but not enough for the commercial housing market?

In our recent PhD colloquium, IHS PhD researcher Issa Tafridj shared the progress of her research on middle-class housing pathways in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area. Her work explores how housing decisions develop over time, and how economic and socio-cultural factors shape the choices households make along the way.

🔗 Read more about Issa’s research via the link below

PhD researcher Issa Tafridj presented her ongoing research that explores the contestation between economic and socio-cultural capital in middle-class households

28/09/2026

Ready to help shape the future of inclusive, climate-resilient cities?

Join a unique multi-disciplinary programme in Vadodara, India between 6-10 January 2027, featuring international urban specialists, hands-on workshops, and site visits to important urban planning projects in Vadodara and Ahmedabad.

Secure your spot by registering your interest today!

Join the Co-Creating Safe & Liveable Neighbourhoods and Communities expert programme in Vadodara, India, from 6th–10th January 2027.

17/09/2026

Our IHS graduates go on to follow different paths.

For Diona Shen, who graduated from our Master's programme in 2025, that path led to a role as a Junior Researcher. In this role, she contributes to Just Streets, a European Horizon project exploring how urban streets can become safer, more inclusive and more enjoyable for everyone.

📖 Her passion for cities extends beyond research. For years, Diona has been part of a volunteer group organising Jane's Walks, which invite people to experience familiar places from new perspectives. These experiences later inspired their recently published book documenting their approach to exploring cities through walking.

Curious where Diona’s journey has taken her? Take a walk through her story below. 👇

Meet Diona, who completed her Master's at IHS and is now making an impact as a Junior Researcher.

15/09/2026

🏛️ Balancing the preservation of historic urban cores with the pressures of modern growth is one of the most complex challenges facing contemporary cities.

The Urban Heritage Strategies (UHS) short course tackles this exact dilemma. Bringing together urban professionals to focus on real-world learning cases in South Africa, Ghana, Egypt and Morocco, the course explores how historic urban areas can accommodate future needs while retaining their vital cultural identity. Natalyn, Lauren, Rim and Amr, participants from this year's course, share how hands-on frameworks and international peer exchange shifted their professional perspectives on managing these historic spaces. 👥

Read their reflections in our latest article:

Four participants share main takeaways and insights from this year's Urban Heritage Strategies short course.

14/09/2026

The hardest urban questions don't have textbook answers anymore.

🌍 The MSc in Global Urban Change is built for practitioners and fresh graduates who want to bridge critical urban theory with actionable transformation. Whether you're bringing the operational bottlenecks of real-world urban projects or an academic curiosity from your studies, we provide the space to deconstruct those challenges, map them globally, and rebuild your approach with a sharper, critical edge.

The good news? Our application portal is now open❗

You don't need a specific background in urban or social studies to apply - the Global Urban Change programme welcomes anyone ready to tackle the complexity of modern cities.

See the eligibility requirements on our website:

IHS Master in Global Urban Change, now offered in two trending specialisations, equips students with in-depth knowledge of urban transformations.

07/09/2026

The wait is officially over! 👀 Our flagship Master’s programme has been renewed to capture the ambition and impact of what we do at IHS. We introduce you to the MSc in Global Urban Change (formerly known as Urban Management and Development).

While the name has evolved, our commitment to teaching the urban leaders of tomorrow remains stronger than ever. Cities are at the epicentre of today’s greatest challenges and tackling them requires an interdisciplinary approach.

The renamed MSc in Global Urban Change is built to give you the exact tools you need to make an impact:

🔀 Tailored learning paths - Take control of your educational journey. With our flexible structure, you can tailor your path to match your specific career goals and interest areas.

🧩 Modular design - Learn dynamically through focused, interconnected modules that mirror the fast-paced reality of modern urban problem-solving.

🎯 Two specialised Master tracks - Deepen your expertise by choosing a specialisation that aligns with your professional vision, whether you want to focus on socio-spatial transformations, or environment and climate change.

Whether you are a policymaker, an urban strategist, or a changemaker ready to transform the cities of tomorrow, we invite you to apply and become part of our international classroom.

Explore the MSc in Global Urban Change and find out how you can tailor your learning trajectory.

Read more: https://www.ihs.nl/en/news/ihs-introduces-msc-global-urban-change-and-its-updated-structure

17/08/2026

🏙️ The challenges facing our cities - from climate shocks to rapid digitalisation - are shifting faster than ever. So why are we still teaching urban development the exact same way?

To lead real transformation, tomorrow’s urban professionals need a curriculum rooted in global systems, resilience, and actionable change.

We are evolving our flagship Master's programme in Urban Management and Development to better reflect the scope and ambition of what our graduates do every single day.

👀 Curious to learn what changes we are introducing? Stay tuned for the big news in September!

11/08/2026

Can money buy happiness?

The answer is more complicated than we might think. Income can improve people’s lives, but how much it affects well-being depends on more than the amount we earn.

"Social Comparison and Segregation Reveal Well-Being Traps" is a new publication co-authored by IHS Academic Director Professor Dr Dr Lasse Gerrits which explores the relationship between income, social comparison, and well-being. The research looks at how subjective well-being distorts recovery after economic shocks and how it is being influenced by other factors beyond just the comparison between similar people.

🔗 Curious to learn more? Click the link below!

10/07/2026

🌍 Aiming for a job in the development sector?

With agencies in over 90 countries, UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme), one of the top employers of our graduates, is likely to pop up on your mind. We asked some of our alumni, from senior leadership to more junior roles in this organisation, to reflect on their career journeys and realities of working in international development.

🔗Read their tips below.

IHS alumni working for UN-Habitat reflect on their career journeys, realities of working in international development and skills that helped them make an impact