Geoscience M.Sc. Governance of Risk and Resources
The M.Sc. program “Governance of Risk and Resources” is an international program of Heidelberg University in collaboration with the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile) and has been offered at the Heidelberg Center Latin America (HCLA) in Santiago de Chile since 2011.
The program focuses on understanding the mechanisms of interaction between people and environment from a governance perspective. It integrates theories on risk and resource management, which it applies to empirical problems and case studies. The Master is aimed at professionals from the public sector, private companies, national or international institutions or organizations, and those who wish to develop an academic career. It is also ideal for strengthening international networks.
The program provides in-depth qualification for specialized personnel employed in planning authorities, private companies or universities and research centers. An additional focus is the excellent promotion of international networks of young researchers with a thematic focus, and with companies and other professionals.
Classes are taught in Spanish and English.
APPLICATIONS OPEN 2026/2027
Master in PRESENCE - hybrid mode
IMPORTANT DATES
- First application deadline: October 1, 2025 (10% discount on the total fee in case of enrollment up to that date)
- Final application deadline: January 2, 2026
- Classes start: March 9, 2026
- Class schedule: Thursdays and Fridays, 18:30 to 21:00 hours. Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Chilean time).
- End of the academic phase: December 15, 2026.
- English for Academic Purposes classes available. After formalizing the enrollment, the value of the course is discounted from the total fee retroactively (80,000 CLP).
Free German classes included during your studies.
Contact, advice and applications:
M.Sc. Diego Rivera
Accademic Coordinator, Master in Governance of Risk and Resources
d.rivera@heidelbergcenter.cl
STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION
The program has a duration of three semesters, which will be divided into two academic periods, offered in Santiago de Chile, and one semester for the elaboration of the thesis. The two academic periods consist of compulsory and elective modules, which must be approved before starting the thesis work. In the third semester the thesis must be written.
Objetives
The overall objective of the program is to train specialists capable of integrating and applying scientific advances in nature and natural resource and risk management to territorial planning, as well as to the governance of institutions at regional and local scales. This master's program offers an interdisciplinary dialogue - specifically from the perspective of the social, economic and natural sciences - and has a strong research orientation. Students will strengthen their ability to develop research questions autonomously, deepen their theoretical and conceptual knowledge, and acquire methodological competencies focused on scientific dialogue. In addition, the program provides students with professional competencies that enhance their own profile and meet the current needs of a very broad labor market.
Upon completion of the thesis and passing the master's examination, Heidelberg University awards the academic degree of “Master of Science” (M.Sc.).
GRADUATE PROFILE
Our graduates will be able to address theoretically and empirically diverse governance processes thanks to the deep knowledge acquired about the challenges in the management of resources and collective goods, as well as risk management.
Upon completion of their master's degree, students will be able to
- identify, evaluate and supervise the management of resources and collective goods and risks, considering the spatial and temporal conditions of geography.
- elaborate and evaluate expert reports on environmental problems, proposing viable solutions for collective social management.
- coordinate diverse actors, applying their mixed analytical and methodological skills, to optimize the governance of risks and resources.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The program has two prestigious scholarship systems:
- Scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), in two modalities:
- Scholarship for the academic year in Santiago de Chile: maintenance, transportation and partial fee reduction.
- Scholarship for a three-month stay at the University of Heidelberg: maintenance and transportation support. - HCLA Scholarships: fee reduction for qualified cases. Early application deadline: October 1, 2025. If you apply before this date, a 10% discount on the total tuition fee is granted.
Scholarships are requested with the application. Contact the academic coordinator for advice.
FIELD TRIPS
As part of the program, field trips are made where students put into practice the theoretical and methodological knowledge acquired in class and learn about specific research cases in different areas of Chile.
Stay in Heidelberg
The program offers a limited number of scholarships for students in the program for a one-semester stay at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. During this time, the fellows can attend courses and colloquia at the School of Geosciences, have access to the library and archives of the University of Heidelberg to prepare their thesis, and have a face-to-face exchange with their guiding professors.
Video
Learn more about the prestigious Heidelberg University, the oldest university in Germany, and about the Heidelberg Center, its cooperations in Chile and Latin America and the M.Sc. program in "Governance of Risk and Resources". Students and professors comment on their experiences and the singularities of this high-level international program.
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
Estefanía González Del Fierro currently works as Deputy Director of Greenpeace Campaigns in Argentina, Chile and Colombia. She is in charge of a wide variety of environmental issues, from climate change and international environmental negotiations, to socio-environmental conflicts such as water scarcity, the expansion of oil activity, and the impacts of harmful industries such as salmon farming.
"Completing the master’s degree in "Risk and Resource Governance" at the University of Heidelberg has helped me not only to update my knowledge regarding the management of a wide range of natural resources, but also to approach them from the perspective of the current challenges and the different parties involved. It has allowed me to incorporate current theoretical perspectives and debates into my practical and daily work, establishing links between the academic world and the work of civil society, which seeks to influence society and public policy. Establishing these bridges and connections is fundamental in these times of climate and ecological crisis that we are going through, in the search for integral solutions.”
Pamela Franeth Martínez Aguilar is an engineer in Forestry Sciences, currently working in watersheds at the Institute of Forest Conservation, Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF) in the Man and the Biosphere Reserve of the Río Plátano.
“Having been a student of the Risk and Resource Governance program has brought about a positive change in me. I can certainly say that I have been able to improve my critical thinking and at the same time broaden my perspective. Combining the technical aspect with academics has enhanced my professional capabilities to understand local issues. Broadening my perspective means for me that today I visualize micro-watersheds as potential planning opportunities for water resources management and conservation, and a long-term strategy to save the biosphere. Having completed this academic degree from the University of Heidelberg has allowed me, in addition to making progress in the academic world and in field practice, to be able to progress professionally and access salary improvements”.
The Master of Science in Governance of Risk and Resources provided me with knowledge and competencies from a multidisciplinary perspective, contributing to a comprehensive professional development and to take on work challenges that escape from what was previously my comfort zone. In particular, the experience in the city of Heidelberg allowed me to deepen my research work with an innovative perspective in terms of the structure of thought and theoretical approach to be addressed throughout this process; finally, it gave me the opportunity to share and interact in a multicultural environment, with students and researchers of very high level, as well as to improve my German language skills.
Uri Colodro Gotthelf, graduate of the M.Sc. program
