Ready to turn your ideals into action? With Global
Responsibility & Leadership, you can shape your own path while
keeping your eyes on the future. Mix and match courses that fit
your passions and gain the skills to build a more inclusive,
sustainable, and respectful society.
✔️ Inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals: global challenges, local solutions
✔️ Learn to think critically and shape the world you aspire to
✔️ Choose your major: "Politics, Philosophy & Economics", "Ecology, Energy & Climate", "Psychology & Global Health"
Year 1 includes six Foundation courses introducing students to the interdisciplinary educational concept of the programme and the majors. The Foundation consists of core courses in Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Earth Systems, Sustainable Energy Transition, and Global Health. Students must also complete the Skills Lab, which provides a solid grounding in research methodology, intercultural communication and collaboration.
Throughout the three years, students have the opportunity to design their own programme based on the major and minor options as well as complementing it with extracurricular activities.
| CoursesCourse Catalog > |
|---|
| Explaining Human Behaviour (5 EC) |
| Information Technology for Interdisciplinary Studies (5 EC) |
| Introduction to Global Health (5 EC) |
| Language and Culture I (5 EC) |
| Major courses (10 EC) |
| Politics, Power & International Responsibility (5 EC) |
| Principles of Economics (5 EC) |
| Statistics I (5 EC) |
| The Earth System (5 EC) |
You follow courses from one of the three majors of your choice:
In addition, you conduct a research internship with one of our regional or (inter)national partners.
Research project
The research project is a unique feature of the programme and
provides you with the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge
and skills in the real world. The project creates a win-win
situation: you will learn how to apply your academic knowledge in
real-life contexts and develop related skills (communication,
collaboration, problem-solving, research) whereas public and
private stakeholders get to work with talented young people that
are able to provide insight into questions important for the
region.
Examples:
| CoursesCourse Catalog > |
|---|
| Ethics & Global Responsibility (5 EC) |
| Leadership Lab (5 EC) |
| Major courses (30 EC) |
| Qualitative Methods (5 EC) |
| Research internship (10 EC) |
| Statistics II (5 EC) |
Year 3 of the GRL programme consists of three parts:
| CoursesCourse Catalog > |
|---|
| Final project (10 EC) |
| Major courses (20 EC) |
| Minor (30 EC) |
40 hours of class and self-study per week on average
| Programme options |
|---|
| Psychology and Global Health (major) Understand how human behavior affects global health challenges, and discover how to improve both individual and community well-being through behavior change. |
| Politics, Philosophy and Economics (major) Dive into the world of politics, philosophy, and economics to understand how societies make decisions, and how you can influence them for the better. |
| Energy, Ecology and Climate (major) Explore how earth, energy, and climate interact, and find ways to protect our planet and its inhabitants from climate change. |
Study abroad is optional in Year 3
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
VWO or HBO-propedeuse diploma or Colloquium doctum
|
| additional subject |
English: VWO English with min. final grade 7 or one of the certified English tests. Disclaimer: as of 1st September 2023, Maths A or B (or their international equivalent) is not longer an entry requirement for this programme. |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
in English |
| assessment interview |
After passing the first step of the selection procedure, you will be invited for an interview. This will take place in person in Leeuwarden or online. |
| reference letter |
Academic or professional reference letter in English |
| (motivation-) letter |
Letter of Motivation or a Video Presentation in English |
Students with Dutch diploma have to apply via Studielink.nl and submit their necessary documents via online form sent by the Admissions Officer. After uploading all the required documents the Admissions Board will inform you if you're deemed admissible based on our admission criteria. Even if you don't meet all of our admission requirements, you are encouraged to submit your application, since each application is reviewed on individual basis.
Read more about the application procedure.
Global Responsibility & Leadership is a selective programme. That means applicants are chosen based on their entry requirements, as well as the motivation letter / video, CV, reference letter and selection interview.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
International Equivalent of the Dutch VWO Diploma or HBO-propedeuse diploma |
| additional subject |
Proficiency in English (read the list of the accepted English test and exemptions below) Disclaimer: as of 1st September 2023, Maths A or B (or their international equivalent) is no longer an entry requirement for this programme. |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
in English |
| assessment interview |
After passing the first step of the selection procedure, you will be invited for an interview. This will take place in person in Leeuwarden or online. |
| reference letter |
Academic or professional reference letter in English |
| (motivation-) letter |
Letter of Motivation or a Video Presentation (in English) |
| other admission requirements |
For more information about international equivalency, certificates, exceptions and more: www.rug.nl/cf/ucf |
| Exam | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| C1 Advanced (formerly CAE) | C1 |
| C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE) | C2 |
| IELTS overall band | 6.5 |
| IELTS listening | 6 |
| IELTS reading | 6 |
| IELTS writing | 6 |
| IELTS speaking | 6 |
| TOEFL internet based | 90 |
Students have to apply via Studielink.nl and submit their documents via the Progress Portal of the University of Groningen. After uploading all the required documents the Admissions Board will inform you if you're deemed admissible based on our admission criteria. Even if you don't meet all of our admission requirements, you are encouraged to submit your application, since each application is reviewed on individual basis.
Read more about the application procedure.
Global Responsibility & Leadership is a selective programme. That means applicants are chosen based on their entry requirements, as well as the motivation letter / video, CV, reference letter and selection interview.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
Compared to a mono-disciplinary bachelor, a university college education offers a broad study programme.
The bachelor Global Responsibility & Leadership combines the best of both worlds: it offers you a wide variety of opportunities to explore different disciplines, but also the advantage of structured guidance, similar to a dedicated bachelor programme. This will benefit your choice for a master's programme after graduation.
After graduation, you can choose from a wide array of master programmes. Here are some examples:
After getting your master's degree, you can choose to apply for a PhD position or start working as a policy advisor, a consultant, an entrepreneur or as a development specialist in both the private or public sector. Given the fact that your bachelor is internationally orientated and recognised, you will have outstanding career perspectives in an international working environment.
After Year 1, the programme offers many opportunities to put your knowledge into practice and participate in research projects that have local impact. One of the main features of the GRL programme is the Living Lab projects, where you get to work with senior researchers, fellow students and private or public stakeholders on real-life issues affecting organisations, local governments or companies.
But the opportunities for developing research skills do not end there! Campus Fryslân offers the opportunity to become a student researcher by participating in the ongoing research projects related to the Frisian Flagships and SDG’s:
As a student researcher, you’ll have the chance to work alongside senior researchers on their ongoing projects, gaining valuable experience and expanding your network. This allows you to develop networking and research skills and get involved in Campus Fryslân research outputs and contributions to social impact.
Be aware that student researcher opportunities are not offered
to all students but are based on ongoing research projects and
needs.
Lastly, you can opt for a research internship at a local or
international organisation during the last year. You must look and
apply for internship opportunities yourself, but the GRL staff is
helpful with sharing ideas and contacts.
