Each student’s experience in the Master’s in Urban Management and Development at IHS is different. As they navigate through the programme, they encounter new ideas, challenges, and perspectives that help shape their understanding of urban issues. In this student reflection, Madison shares her experiences at IHS so far and her thoughts on studying in Rotterdam.
Meet Madison
Madison DeMay came to The Netherlands from Ohio, United States, to pursue her master’s in Urban Environment, Sustainability & Climate Change. She finished her undergraduate degree in Urban Planning at the University of Cincinnati DAAP. Her main interests lie in sustainability and resilience, and she is planning on diving deeper into those topics during her time at IHS. Specifically, she aims to focus on exploring resilience within the Appalachian Mountain region.
Understanding Urban Complexity
In an increasingly complex urban society, IHS aims to equip its students with a broadened skillset by offering various courses that encourage creative thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. These past weeks, students have partaken in the course Urban Complexity. As most of them have observed and experienced already, cities rarely develop as planned. The course is structured to allow students to examine how urban development is path dependent, while also addressing the unpredictable change and turning points it faces.
As she prepares for her upcoming exam, Madison reflects on the urban complexity course and its impact on her. She explains how the unique expertise and experiences of the lecturers have contributed significantly to her understanding of urban complexity and the way she looks at urban development. One of the things that stood out to her was how the lecturers conveyed the course content. Rather than relying on existing case studies of others, IHS lecturers draw examples based on their own experiences and research. This approach brought theories to life, transforming complex ideas into relatable concepts and deepening students' understanding of the world around them.
"It's inspiring to hear from those who’ve actually worked on the ground, not just theorising, but creating their own case studies."
Madison DeMay
Rotterdam, a city reinvented
Once a historic port city, Rotterdam was nearly leveled by bombings during World War II, forcing it to rebuild itself from the ground up. Today, the city stands as a symbol of resilience and is celebrated worldwide for its innovative architecture and efficient infrastructure. The metropolis successfully created an excellent public transport infrastructure, bike paths and pedestrian-friendly spaces that many cities struggle to recreate.
“Living here has been a really cool experience. The infrastructure, especially for biking, is amazing- we don’t have that in the US at all." - Madison DeMay
This spirit of innovation and modernity aligns with the focus on urban development and sustainable cities in the Urban Complexity course, providing students with real-world examples of how cities can prioritise growth and community. Additionally, Madison has had the chance to explore the city and its lively atmosphere. She recalls attending various cultural experiences in the city, such as fundraisers and art spaces, making Rotterdam stand out beyond its urban setting.
