WiT Programme - Bridging capacities to advance resilience of vulnerable communities
Written by Saija Hollmén, 9th of August 2023
Programme description
The Aalto WiT Programme is a 3.5-month, 24 ECTS post-master’s programme, focusing on the resilience of human settlements in the Global Majority context.
Global crises demand more than technical solutions. They require professionals who can think systemically, act ethically, and remain grounded in lived realities. The WiT Programme exists to cultivate the kind of leadership that is critical, plural, and deeply human.
The programme is developed in collaboration with global partner organisations and case providers and is hosted by the World in Transition Research LAB (WiTLAB) at 911±¬ÁÏÍø’s School of Arts, Design and Architecture. It is designed for professionals and academics from a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, landscape architecture, design, engineering, management, economics, and the social sciences, who seek to strengthen their skills and capacities for work in global development. The programme is best suited for professionals with a master’s degree and is also compatible with doctoral-level studies.
The WiT Programme integrates innovative theoretical and practice-based pedagogical approaches grounded in resilience and systems thinking. Decolonial practices are woven into the programme through partnerships built on mutual knowledge creation and exchange, with a focus on societal impact and locally rooted development. Learning is problem-based and transformative, drawing on real-life case studies that provide participants with hands-on, work‑life experience in collaboration with partnering organisations operating in the fields of global development and sustainability.
The WiT Programme comprises three parts:
- Online Camp (4 weeks) – online learning focusing on Decolonial systems, Planetary boundaries, and Research methodologies.
- Fieldwork (4 weeks) – conducted at one of the case study sites in the Global Majority, jointly coordinated by case provider organisations.
- Otaniemi Camp (7 weeks) - developing and finalising project deliverables at Aalto campus in Otaniemi, Finland.
The programme brings together the expertise of universities, organisations, and professionals who are passionate about creating a more just and sustainable world.
WiT Programme in a nutshell
| Who can apply? | Anyone with a master's degree or equivalent experience |
| How long do I study? | The programme runs for 3.5 months, from September until mid-December, 2026 |
| What are the outcomes for a participant? | The participants will acquire strategic and practical knowledge about methods, tools and procedures in intercultural and multi-stakeholder environments |
| What are the credits? | 12 + 12 ECTS |
| What is the tuition fee? | 45 EUR/ECTS, 1080 EUR in total, for those with non-degree study rights at 911±¬ÁÏÍø |
| Mode of study? | On-site and hybrid |
| Language? | English |
WiT Programme requires full-time attention
The WiT Programme is a demanding programme, supported throughout by teachers, mentors, and field professionals. Unlike conventional academic programmes or professional training courses, it offers an intensive, intellectually and practically immersive experience that encourages participants to think, work, and collaborate in new ways. Beyond the classroom, the programme fosters the community of participants through social activities, structured reflection, and dedicated time for consolidating learning.
You should expect:
- Full-time engagement for 4 weeks online + 4 weeks in the field + 7 weeks in Aalto campus working on the final report
- Deep critical reflection and dialogue
- Collaborative, interdisciplinary work
How learning is done on the WiT Programme
Learning is not confined to lectures.
In the WiT Programme learning is conducted through:
- Dialogues and critical seminars
- Applied case work
- Embodied and creative practices
- Shared meals, social activities and informal encounters
- Collective reflection and writing
These social and relational elements are not extracurricular; they are central to our pedagogy. The WiT Programme provides a comprehensive, integrative, and embodied learning experience.
Why study the WiT Programme?
The rapid changes in societal and environmental contexts highlight the critical need for collaboration between academia and practice-oriented organisations. The WiT Programme addresses pressing global challenges, including lack of climate adaptation and resiliency, uncontrolled urbanisation, global poverty, and endangered built and cultural heritage.
To tackle these complex issues, the programme fosters sustainable collaboration between academia and practice-oriented organisations and humanitarian NGO’s in vulnerable communities globally.
The WiT Programme brings together professionals from diverse backgrounds to work in interdisciplinary and multicultural teams, enhancing their holistic understanding of how to address wicked problems in the fields of humanitarian architecture, emergency response, and sustainable development.
Our experts employ cutting-edge pedagogical methods in theory and practice, rooted in resilience and systems thinking. The programme advances decolonised practices by working alongside international organisations and local communities, ensuring mutual knowledge creation and sharing with a focus on real-world impact.
The programme’s problem-based and transformative learning approach is applied through real-life case studies, developed in collaboration with our partner organisations and informed by topical academic research and projects.
Career prospects
The Aalto WiT Programme equips participants with strategic and practical skills essential for careers in humanitarian architecture, emergency response, and sustainable development. Graduates develop expertise that is increasingly valued by international organisations, public and private sector organisations, sustainability and development consultancies and research and academic institutions.
Join the Aalto WiT Programme and take your career to the next level in the dynamic and evolving humanitarian field.
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