This two-year, 120-credit interdisciplinary programme is designed to professionalise humanitarian workers. It prepares students to manage the complexities of humanitarian response, health, and displacement, particularly in volatile contexts, through a blend of theoretical education and hands-on fieldwork. The programme emphasises south-north collaboration, local leadership, and innovative approaches by integrating fields such as social work, anthropology, public health, crisis management, development studies, and design in humanitarian response.
The programme is offered in collaboration with ISCTE–University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal), Makerere University (Uganda), University of Cape Verde and University of Santiago (Cape Verde), University of Athens (Greece), and Rovuma University (Mozambique).
Students benefit from mandatory mobility periods in global locations and gain practical experience through internships and summer schools, ensuring they are well-prepared for leadership and other roles in the humanitarian field.
In this programme, students will develop expertise in humanitarian response, health, and displacement, focusing on navigating crises in volatile settings. The curriculum integrates interdisciplinary perspectives, providing education in logistics, leadership, project management, and research methodology. Through fieldwork, internships, and summer schools, students will acquire leadership and crisis management skills essential for addressing complex humanitarian challenges.
Graduates are prepared for diverse careers in humanitarian organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international agencies, and local governments. Potential roles include logistics managers, public health officers, crisis coordinators, monitoring and evaluation specialists, and project managers. The programme equips students to work in volatile settings with expertise in leadership, strategic design, and innovation in humanitarian contexts.
As a joint degree programme, students benefit from rich international experiences across Europe and Africa. Mandatory mobility periods take students to partner universities in Portugal, Norway, and Uganda, as well as summer schools in countries like Cape Verde and Greece. These opportunities foster cross-cultural collaboration and practical learning, creating a dynamic, multicultural academic environment.
At NTNU and other partner universities, students become part of diverse academic communities and gain access to professional networks that support their future careers.
This two-year programme (120 ECTS) consists of four semesters of coursework and practical experience:
The first semester, in Lisbon, Portugal, introduces humanitarian work, logistics, leadership, and research methodology.
The second semester, in Trondheim, Norway, focuses on public health, humanitarian design and health innovation, along with further training in research methodology.
The third semester, based in Uganda, provides practical skills and introduces social work in crisis settings.
The programme culminates in a final semester dedicated to a master’s thesis, allowing students to apply their knowledge to real-world humanitarian challanges.
The programme welcomes applicants from diverse academic backgrounds relevant to humanitarian response (e.g., health sciences, public policy, engineering, social work, international relations, political science). Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree, demonstrate English proficiency, and will be selected based on academic merit, relevant experience, and motivation for a career in humanitarian response. Scholarships are available through the Erasmus+ programme for eligible candidates. Students also have the option to self-fund their studies.
Admission requirements and application guidelines can be found on the HumanResponse webpage [information to come ].
There is joint admission for HumanResponse, meaning that all applications must be submitted through ISCTE’s online application portal:
For questions about eligibility, admissions, and general programme information, please contact the main programme managers at ISCTE: humanresponse@iscte-iul.pt.
NTNU-specific inquiries
For questions specific to NTNU’s teaching semesters:
