International Material Flow Management (M.Eng.)

The IMAT dual degree program offers master study courses (4 semesters each) in cooperation with the following partners:

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Beppu (Japan)
Universidade Positivo, Curitiba (Brazil)
Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane (Moroko)
Universidad Panamericana, Aguascalientes (Mexico)
Taipei National University of Technology, Taipei (Taiwan)

In all programs, the first two semesters will be taught at the respective partner university and the third semester will be taught at the Environmental-Campus Birkenfeld. Successful students obtain a M. Eng. Degree in “International Material Flow Management” from the University of Applied Sciences Trier as well as the master degree of the respective partner university.
For further information regarding the IMAT M. Sc. as well as the M. Eng. programs please visit imat-master.com.

Study content

Material Flow Management (MFM) is an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses knowledge areas in engineering, economics, natural sciences, law and communication science. The study programme IMAT M.Eng takes this approach into account through the interdisciplinary module design with a focus on engineering and complementary elements of business administration and natural sciences. It combines the substantive focus of engineering with scientific, socio-scientific and economic aspects.
The students are taught the fundamentals in a modular way in the MFM-oriented planning of sustainable supply and disposal systems for regions and companies. This enables them to respond to societal changes and the associated changes in resource requirements with innovative environmental technologies and management approaches. The students learn to initiate, plan and carry out projects.

The introduction of advanced systems and technologies form the basis: Intelligent waste management, resource-saving water, sewage and energy systems as well as new strategies for integrated product and production planning are the focus of the engineering range.
Graduates of the program will later be able to design and implement practical and affordable environmental technology systems that are suitable for supporting a sustainable and resource-efficient way of doing business. This requires that students acquire knowledge of how to implement innovative technologies into holistic regional and operational systems to increase the efficiency of the overall system. An orientation towards the best functioning system, the ecosystem, helps to identify and minimize inefficiencies in anthropogenic technology systems.

The solid engineering education should not only provide students with functional knowledge, but also provide a broad overview of the possible uses of technology combinations. As a result, further synergies can be identified and used. In addition to an understanding of environmental technology, knowledge in technology management as well as the investment and financing in such systems are thus taught. The curriculum reflects the interdisciplinary approach in the MFM and integrates corresponding modules from different disciplines so that a meaningful integration of the individual teaching contents occurs.
The supplementary teaching of intercultural competence and the strengthening of communicative skills in negotiation and presentation help the graduates to convincingly present later required systemic change processes in projects to the respective decision-makers.

Ecosystem fundamentals, technology-induced risk potentials for the biosphere, their evaluation and management as well as the technically oriented implementation potential of a sustainable resource policy complete the main idea of the study programme.

Like the IMAT M.Sc., IMAT M.Eng. promotes interdisciplinary thinking and approach in solving environmental issues and provides students with the necessary technical knowledge, skills and methodologies to enable them to do scientific work and critically classify nw scientific evidence in relevant areas.

In contrast to the IMAT M.Sc. study programme, which is taught over four semesters at the Environmental-Campus Birkenfeld, the IMAT M.Eng. offers a German-Japanese double degree programme which is taught in the 1st and 2nd semester at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) Japan. This partner university of the Institute for Applied Material Flow Management (IfaS) is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan.

The 3rd semester is taught at the Environmental-Campus Birkenfeld and includes a four-week internship in addition to lectures, seminars and excursions. In the 4th semester, students work on their Master's thesis in companies, scientific or political institutions. To support the students in their search for internships and masters thesis positions, IfaS uses both a network of companies in the environmental technology sector and it´s very good contacts to research institutions and ministries.

In an increasingly globalizing environment, whose environmental problems are becoming more and more obvious and urgent, interdisciplinary education, the view of interdependencies and consequences of one of the most important elements in teaching, the scenarios of progressive environmental degradation are viable and globally effective and sustainable change processes oppose. It requires executives, who are capable of providing interdisciplinary know-how and interlinking different fields of knowledge and tasks. The IMAT study course prepares for a successful and future-oriented career. Areas of application can be:
• Global industrial companies in a wide variety of business sectors: executives, production managers, buyers, sales and project engineers, engineering strategists, environmental officers, sustainability managers

•   Project manager for energy and utility companies as well as energy service providers and disposal companies
•   Administrations and authorities, positioned at higher levels in the public sector, senior expert in policy advice, green industrial policy units
•   Business consultancy, senior consultants / International consultants and project developers
•   Smaller environmentally friendly manufacturing or service companies
•   Freelancers, eco-entrepreneurs, starting up a business with their own business idea
•   Non-governmental organizations, conception of campaigns and development of topics
•   Research in the field of material flow management, scientific cooperation, doctorate.
The IMAT M.Eng complies with the formal requirement of doctorate. The participation and successful completion of the Master's program will qualify and entitle the future graduates to pursue their doctorate in Germany or abroad. The graduates will also be allowed access to the higher service in Germany.

The holistic approach of the IMAT double degree program allows and wants the admission of applicants with heterogeneous previous knowledge. In addition to students with a "technically oriented" business management Bachelor's degree, students from different sub-disciplines of law, environmental, natural and social sciences can be included if they have dealt with business and environmental problem areas as part of their initial training or professional career.
The study group with different educational backgrounds and geographical origins enormously enriches the case-related and discourse-oriented teaching areas and is wanted by the program management.

Applicants are admitted on the basis of the formal criteria set out in §4 of the Examination Regulations (completed university studies, sufficient knowledge of the English language and qualified practical experience) as well as an individual selection interview. The approval may include requirements. The admissions committee decide about the existence of a suitable. equivalent Bachelor´s degree, exceptions and requirements.

Fact sheet

Degree
Master of Engineering in International Material Flow Management (M. Eng.) of the University of Applied Sciences Trier as well as the Master Degree of the respective partner university.

Start of courses
Winter semester, start in summer semester is possible in some circumstances. For more information, please contact the IMAT-Office.

Period of study
4 Semesters

Admission restriction (N.C.)
No

Place of study
Environmental-Campus Birkenfeld

Internationality
The first two semesters will be taught at the respective partner university. The third semester will be taught at the Environmental-Campus Birkenfeld.

Tuition fee
Yes. (For more information, please visit www.imat-master.com)