Business, Leadership and Sustainability exchange programme full-time

Learn to make an impact and become a game changer. The Business, Leadership and Sustainability programme promotes social, environmental, and economic sustainability in both personal and professional life.

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Business, Leadership and Sustainability

Why this module?

Today’s global social and environmental challenges are complex and cannot be solved by governments alone. Businesses and institutions play a crucial role in driving the sustainable transition. By joining this programme, you will learn how to act on these issues and create meaningful impacts.

How to do this?

You will build skills in sustainable business models, strategy and transition, inner leadership, systems thinking, ethics, creative problem-solving, change management, and intercultural collaboration.

To prepare you for an ever-changing social and business landscape, we move beyond traditional lectures. Rethinking economic systems cannot be achieved through conventional teaching, it demands an innovative, experiential approach. That’s why you will learn in an adventurous way: working on real-world projects and exploring business and sustainability themes that inspire you. You will shape your own learning path while contributing to a vibrant learning community of peers and lecturers-coaches. This requires curiosity, openness, proactivity, discipline, and self-reliance.

What will you be doing?

You will benefit from the programme’s strong research and industry connections by working on real-world projects with actual organisations. Previous students have tackled projects aimed at challenging existing business models, such as:

• How can the manufacturing industry contribute to a circular economy in North-Brabant?
• Which business and/or societal solutions are possible to diminish the negative effects of ‘the last mile’ in Breda?
• How can Zero Waste NL develop a business model that allows the Zero Waste NL movement to become sustainable in the long run?
• Design the purpose-driven workplace of the future, examine what is withholding organisations at this moment to become purpose-driven and develop an integrated change approach to turn these ‘traditional’ organisations into purpose-driven ones.
• Based on multiple scenarios, how can Brundtland build an eco-village together with stakeholders that is sustainable and circular, both from the start and in the long run?

Where will you be based?

This programme is part of the Bachelor of Business Administration at the School of Management and Finance at Avans University of Applied Sciences in Breda (NL). Breda is in the centre of the famous Amsterdam – Eindhoven – Antwerp (B) triangle.

Meet your coaches

Ingrid Devjak

"Welcome! I'm excited to support you on this international programme, where we explore sustainability in its broadest sense. Whether your passion lies in environmental, social, or ethical impact, this is your space to grow as a leader and changemaker. As your coach and facilitator, I’m here to guide you in discovering your own path in sustainable business, encouraging you to think critically, lead authentically, and make a real difference."

Joost van Hilst

"In the words of Kate Raworth: 'Creating a business model isn’t simply about completing your business plan or determining which products to pursue. It’s about mapping out how you will create ongoing value for your customers and our society as a whole. In other words, to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet to ensure that no one falls short on life’s essentials, while ensuring that collectively we do not overshoot our pressure on Earth’s life-supporting systems.' I am looking forward to investigating that."

Richard Vos

"Society and business are changing, at an ever-increasing pace. This presents new challenges and opportunities for both individuals and teams/groups. Especially to meet these challenges in a sustainable way, I am very happy to inspire and coach students in finding their own sustainable personal path for embracing change and meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow. In developing their own personal leadership. Together we will grow according to the ‘triple-L-principle’: Live, Learn and Laugh!"

Meet former students

Marta Teodoro

"I had been looking forward to study abroad for a long time and Avans University of Applied Sciences was an obvious choice for me. Here I knew I could develop my professional skills in regards to sustainability and leadership but also grow as a person and enjoy university life in an international environment. After finishing my experience here I can say I was able to do that and so much more!"

"This course has helped me to think more independently and to be more proactive: to search for things I can learn and things I can do regarding sustainability. The several group projects I have developed over these past months have also made me a better leader and encouraged me to keep improving my leadership skills."

"I can confidently say I will never forget this experience. The skills I have learned and perfected here will be with me for the rest of my life. This was in a huge part thanks to all the amazing professors that guided and helped me on the several projects I worked on. No words in the world can describe how much they have helped me and inspired me. I would recommend this experience to everyone! It was definitely one of the greatest chapters of my life."

Juanca Gaxiola 

“I really miss the class, my classmates, coaches, environment and unity of our group last semester.” 

Maciej Fortunski

"Taking part in the minor of Business, Leadership & Sustainability was a positive experience which will resonate for the rest of my life. I have learnt that we as a species need to take responsibility for our actions, not only in scope of impacting the planet, but also the lives of other people. I have learnt that cooperation is key to success and that the real change, real impact, starts with myself. The minor also encourages students to look deeply into oneself, and nudges positive change of character and view of the world. All the trips and assignments were great experiences, though I would have liked to see more lectures being done. Great time and great minor!"