Why BASUS?
A week that changed Europe
In early September 2024, Storm Boris brought record-breaking rainfall to Central Europe, unleashing devastating floods across Poland, Germany, Czechia, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. Over the course of just a few days, dozens of communities were inundated. Rivers such as the Oder, Vistula, and Prut surged past historic levels, swallowing streets, homes, and farmland.
The flooding claimed at least 27 lives and displaced thousands, with damage estimated at over €2 billion. In Poland’s Lower Silesia, the town of Kłodzko saw rapid water rise as the Nysa Kłodzka River overwhelmed flood barriers. In Germany, parts of Bavaria were left without power, and emergency evacuations were ordered for hundreds of residents. In Romania’s Galați County, entire villages were cut off as roads vanished under muddy water.
While national governments responded with temporary shelters and emergency aid, experts were quick to point out that the flooding was not an isolated event. In its 2023 European State of the Climate report, jointly published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, the European Environment Agency (EEA), pointed out that the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in Europe have increased dramatically over the last two decades, driven by rising global temperatures and poor land-use planning. The report warned of health risks from record high temperatures, heatwaves, wildfires, and severe flooding. The report also highlights a 30% rise in heat-related mortality in the past 20 years.
As stated by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres at the COP28, UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, “we are in a race against time.” In truth, the next generation must be prepared not just to respond to these challenges, but to equally redesign the systems that brought us here. This is exactly where sustainability education comes in, not as an academic trend, but as a strategic necessity.
It will not be an exaggeration to say that BASUS was created for this moment. The floods of 2024, like wildfires in Greece or droughts in Spain, are symptoms of a system in crisis. Therefore, BASUS is here to contribute in training students to understand these interconnected crises and to lead transformative responses across borders.
Because sustainability is not just about the environment, it’s about lives, livelihoods, and the decisions we make today for tomorrow.
The planet doesn’t have time, but you do
As the 2030 deadline for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approaches, the world is falling dangerously behind. Climate change, inequality, and economic uncertainty are no longer distant threats — they are everyday realities. But while the planet may be running out of time, we still have the opportunity to prepare for a future that demands bold, interdisciplinary solutions.
The UN’s SDG 2024 progress report revealed a troubling outlook:
- “Out of 135 targets with trend data and additional insights from custodian agencies, only 17% are progressing as expected to be achieved by 2030.”
- “Nearly half (48%) exhibit moderate to severe deviations from the desired trajectory, with 30% showing marginal progress and 18% indicating moderate progress.”
- “Alarmingly, 18% have stagnated, and 17% have regressed below the 2015 baseline levels.”
The most significant setbacks are in areas like:
- Global conflicts and displacement, with 72% increase in civilian casualties and 110 million forced displacements.
- Uneven progress in poverty and hunger, with 23 million more in extreme poverty and 123 million more in hunger.
- Worsening climate crisis and environmental degradation, with record highs in greenhouse gas concentrations and tripled fossil fuel subsidies.
- Persistent weak global financial systems and inequality, with a $4 trillion annual investment gap for SDGs in developing countries.
- Education stagnation and gender equality are elusive, with one in five youths unemployed.
This is a wake-up call to show that we’re not just dealing with environmental decline; we’re facing systemic failure across multiple dimensions of human development. It also means that today’s sustainability challenges are interconnected. To address them, we need more than scientific knowledge; we need systems thinking and cross-sector collaboration.
Solutions must be interdisciplinary and globally informed, requiring education that prepares students to analyse, navigate, and influence complex systems.
Europe as a living lab for sustainability
Europe stands at the forefront of global sustainability efforts, providing a diverse and dynamic environment for studying and implementing sustainable practices. The BASUS programme leverages this unique setting, providing students with firsthand exposure to pioneering initiatives across the continent.
Finland, for example, has emerged as a global leader in the circular economy, aiming to make it the foundation of its economy by 2035. The Finnish government’s Strategic Programme to Promote a Circular Economy outlines this ambitious transformation, focusing on sustainable resource use and waste reduction.
Germany’s Energiewende, or energy transition, is a comprehensive policy initiative aimed at shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. In 2024, renewable energy accounted for 62.7% of Germany’s net public electricity generation, marking a significant milestone in the country’s commitment to sustainability.
Spain on its part has made remarkable progress in solar energy, with solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity reaching 6 GW in 2024, making it the country’s top power source with a 25.1% share. This achievement underscores Spain’s commitment to renewable energy and its potential as a model for solar power integration.
The BASUS programme will immerse students in these diverse sustainability landscapes of Europe.
Studying in different countries, students gain a multifaceted understanding of sustainability challenges and solutions, informed by varying political, cultural, and economic contexts.
Where BASUS can take you?
The global demand for sustainability professionals is surging, driven by the urgent need for climate action, regulatory shifts, and the transition to a green economy. Graduates of the Joint Bachelor in Sustainability (BASUS) programme are uniquely positioned to meet this demand, equipped with interdisciplinary knowledge and international experience.
- In 2023, green jobs worldwide increased from 13.7 million to 16.2 million, marking an 18% annual rise, the highest ever recorded (World Economic Forum).
- By 2021, the environmental goods and services sector in the EU employed 5.2 million people, accounting for about 2.5% of total EU employment (European Environment Agency).
- Despite this growth, a significant skills shortage persists. Between 2023 and 2024, the global demand for green talent grew by 11.6%, while the supply increased by only 5.6%. Employers were 54.6% more likely to hire job seekers with green skills than the overall workforce (ESG News).
BASUS graduates will be prepared for a diverse array of roles across sectors from policy and governance, corporate sustainability, and environmental science and engineering to education and advocacy with jobs including:
- Climate policy analyst to develop and assess policies aimed at mitigating climate change.
- Environmental policy analyst to evaluate environmental regulations and their impacts.
- Chief sustainability officer (CSO) to lead sustainability initiatives within organizations. In Dublin, CSOs earn between €150,000 and €200,000 annually.
- Sustainability Manager to oversee sustainability strategies; in Amsterdam, the average salary is €81,650 per year.
- ESG consultant to advise companies on Environmental, Social, and Governance practices (Morgan McKinley 2025).
- Renewable energy engineer to design and implement renewable energy systems.
- Environmental scientist to study environmental issues and develop solutions (Presidio Graduate School).
- Environmental educator to teach about environmental issues and sustainability.
- Sustainability communications specialist crafting messaging around sustainability initiatives.
Is the BASUS for you?
If most of the following statements resonate with you, chances are that BASUS is the right programme to shape your academic and professional journey.
- You want a career that makes a real impact on the planet and society.
- You’re curious about how different countries tackle climate change, inequality, and energy transition.
- You want to study across multiple European countries and explore diverse approaches to sustainability.
- You believe in collaboration over competition and are excited to work with peers from all over the world.
- You value hands-on, challenge-based learning over traditional lectures.
- You want to build both scientific and social insight into global development.
- You’re interested in green careers, from ESG to policy to circular economy strategy.
- You’re ready to engage in student-led research, fieldwork, and real-world projects.
- You are looking for a degree that’s delivered entirely in English, but grounded in local realities.
- You want to graduate with transferrable skills, cross-cultural experience, and career readiness.
With BASUS, learning doesn’t happen in one classroom or country; it starts from Poland and spread to Germany, Finland, Spain, Belgium, Italy, amongst others, online, and in hybrid formats. That’s why your next degree could be your first major step toward becoming a leader in sustainability.