The role of project‐based learning in the “Political and Social Sciences of the Environment” curriculum at Nijmegen University

Since the end of 1996, teachers at the Faculty of Policy Sciences at Nijmegen University, The Netherlands, have been working on a new educational programme called “Political and Social Sciences of the Environment” (PSSE). In fact, the PSSE curriculum builds on the Environmental Policy Sciences curriculum that had existed since 1989, and which from 1998 onwards integrated the former programme (Social Sciences and Environmental Studies). The (re)designing of the PSSE curriculum has been inspired by innovative ideas in education, in which project training plays an important role. This paper discusses the educational background of the new curriculum, its main structure and the goals and functioning of project training therein. We relate our efforts to the goals of pursuing sustainability in higher education, and conclude by summarising the specific profile and features of the curriculum.