Joint minor: African Dynamics 

The minor African Dynamics examines the relationship and interaction between the African population and their environment and the rest of the world. It begins by exploring Africa's rich history and traditions, as well as the socio-economic, geopolitical and other factors that determine prosperity and well-being.

This is followed by a number of individual modules that address the complex reality of sustainable development. Through online collaboration with fellow students from a number of African universities, you will learn more about systems thinking, participation, partnership, and adaptation strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The highlights of this minor:

  • Contact with students in Africa
  • Builds on the African Union Agenda 2063 & United Nations Agenda 2030
  • Support from the research institute African Studies Center Leiden
  • An active alumni network

African Dynamics is a challenging and intensive minor for students who consciously choose to deepen their knowledge. It also serves as a pre-masters for the master's in African Studies at Leiden University. In the second quarter a Small Private Online Course (SPOC) enables collaboration and virtual exchanges with peers from African Universities, and includes a number of webinars and excursions to ministries, think tanks and knowledge centres.

Reasons to choose a Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minor:

LDE1. You get multidisciplinary education programmes provided by three top universities.
2. You learn about urgent social issues and new potential solutions.
3. You meet lecturers and students from a range of specialisms.
4. You work on case studies from businesses, government authorities and NGOs.
5. You build a network in Leiden, The Hague, Delft and Rotterdam.

Curious? All Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minors can be found here

What are the key features of the multidisciplinary Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minors?

  • Admission requirements: Most Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minors are open to all students of Leiden University, TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam. A small number also require prior knowledge or involve a selection process.
  • Number of places: Although it varies according to the minor, between 40 and 90 students can participate (see the link below for numbers for each minor). Students from each of the universities are equally likely to be placed.
  • Language: All Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minors are taught in English.
  • Credits: All minors have a coherent program of 30 EC. It is possible to only follow the first block of 15 EC.
  • Location: The lectures and seminars are held in one or more of the following cities: Leiden, Delft, The Hague, Rotterdam.
  • Applications: You apply for a Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minor via eduXchange.

Student and lecturers about this minor 

'The interaction between students with different backgrounds was interesting and very useful as you get to understand many different ways of tackling one problem.'   

Cato VonkCato Vonk, bachelor student Wageningen University about the minor African Dynamics:

'The most enjoyable aspect of the minor was the start as this was one of the few times the group was complete. Another thing I quite liked was the presentations from the different African regions, as my group presented them in the lecture room. Additionally, there are many opportunities to explore your own favourite topics as every assignment allows you to think of what you experience as interesting and use those interests.'

'We had to write an Adaptive Management Plan, which I found very useful, as you learned that there are many aspects that can influence a project and the fruitfulness of the plan. Furthermore, this allowed me to dive deeper into the subject of desertification, a topic that interests me a lot.'

Ask your questions to the students on the Africa Studies Center website. 

marleen dekker'Africa is not a country! It is an extremely diverse continent that is home to a young and growing population who live and work in very different economies. Skyscrapers, oil drilling and mobile banking exist side by side to survival entrepreneurs, hunter gatherers and small scale farmers. How to ensure that more people benefit from economic growth? Prof.dr. Marleen Dekker, Leiden University , lecturer of the minor African Dynamics

'Africa is seen as a continent exploited for its resources and as a continent that will save the world because of its resources.'

'Africa is seen as a continent exploited for its resources (in colonial and current times alike), and as a continent that will save the world because of its resources. Energy production through solar power in the Sahara, food production on the huge land masses that are still unirrigated, and water control to enable both these huge irrigated areas and hydropower, you name it and Africa could produce it.' - Dr.ir. Maurits W. Ertsen, TU Delft, lecturer of the minor African Dynamicsrob van Mulder

'Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) at Erasmus University brings in three competencies for this minor: (1) general insights on ‘doing business in Africa’; (2) specific insights on those 17 Sustainable Development Goals that have particular relevance for economic and social development; (3) specific insights on how to implement these goals through partnering between business, civil society societies (organized communities) and governments.' - Prof.dr. Rob van Tulder, Erasmus University Rotterdam, lecturer of the minor African Dynamics

Read the entire interview with these three teachers

eduXchange