Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and Systemic Transition

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Bachelor Sustainability and Systemic Transition

A new interdisciplinary, practice-oriented and strategic SUPSI programme designed to address the challenges of the transition towards a more equitable and inclusive, innovative and regenerative society. The new Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and Systemic Transition trains professionals capable of understanding the complexity of environmental, social and economic systems and of designing operational solutions to support individual and collective well-being.

I Bachelor, Master e Diploma SUPSI sono titoli universitari riconosciuti in Svizzera e all’estero. Come tali, sono protetti e allineati al quadro svizzero delle competenze a livello universitario (nqf.ch-HS) e direttamente paragonabili ad altri titoli universitari europei inseriti nel quadro europeo delle qualifiche (QEQ).

SUPSI Course Overview

Overview

  • Degree awarded

    Bachelor of Science SUPSI in Sostenibilità e transizione sistemica

  • Credits

    180 ECTS

  • Study modes

    Full Time (TP), from 3 years

  • Applications *

    (TP) November 16th, 2026 - April 30th, 2027

  • Start date

    September 2027

  • Language

    Italian, English

  • Semester fee

    From CHF 800.-

  • Location

    Mendrisio, Campus SUPSI
    Manno, stabile Piazzetta

*For further details see the "Admission and registration" section

A partire dall’anno accademico 2027–2028 è possibile frequentare un nuovo percorso formativo dall’impianto innovativo, che prepara professioniste e professionisti ad affrontare le complesse sfide ambientali, sociali ed economiche della transizione, sviluppando soluzioni orientate al benessere della popolazione, all’inclusione sociale e alla conservazione delle risorse naturali ed energetiche.

​​​​​​​Il Bachelor offrirà una preparazione solida e interdisciplinare per mettere in campo azioni pratiche e al contempo profondamente ancorate ai valori e all’etica della sostenibilità. La figura di coordinatrice o coordinatore della transizione sostenibile sarà in grado di operare in modo sistemico e trasversale, contribuendo all’implementazione concreta di strategie e misure di sostenibilità in ambito pubblico, privato o del terzo settore. 

Starting from the 2027–2028 academic year, it will be possible to attend a new study programme with an innovative structure, designed to prepare professionals to address the complex environmental, social and economic challenges of transition and to develop solutions oriented towards population well-being, social inclusion and the conservation of natural and energy resources.

Risponde a una domanda reale e crescente del mondo del lavoro

Forma figure di coordinamento in grado di gestire processi complessi

Prepara professioniste e professionisti capaci di collaborare con attori del territorio e altri professionisti attivi nella transizione, come ad esempio ingegneri, economisti, operatori sociali ecc.

Integra pensiero sistemico, competenze tecniche, relazionali e progettuali, offrendo un profilo unico a livello svizzero

​​​​​​​Il Bachelor offrirà una preparazione solida e interdisciplinare per mettere in campo azioni pratiche e al contempo profondamente ancorate ai valori e all’etica della sostenibilità. La figura di coordinatrice o coordinatore della transizione sostenibile sarà in grado di operare in modo sistemico e trasversale, contribuendo all’implementazione concreta di strategie e misure di sostenibilità in ambito pubblico, privato o del terzo settore. 

The Bachelor will provide a solid and interdisciplinary preparation to implement practical actions that are deeply rooted in the values and ethics of sustainability.
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  • It responds to a real and growing demand from the labour market
  • It trains coordination professionals capable of managing complex processes
  • It prepares professionals able to collaborate with local stakeholders and other professionals active in the transition, such as engineers, economists, social workers, etc.
  • It integrates systems thinking, technical, relational and design skills, offering a unique profile at Swiss level
The Sustainability Transition Coordinator will be able to operate in a systemic and cross-cutting way, contributing to the concrete implementation of sustainability strategies and measures in the public, private or third sector. ​
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A Bachelor's degree accessible through different educational paths
Applicants holding a diploma from the Scuola cantonale di commercio di Bellinzona or a professional baccalaureate obtained in Switzerland or equivalent are admitted directly, subject to available places and according to a ranking drawn up through an aptitude interview. Enrolment for the 2027–2028 academic year will officially open on Monday 16 November 2026.

Applicants holding an high school diploma are required to attend an aptitude interview, followed by one year of professional practice starting in October 2026. For further information, please consult the “Admission and application” section and/or contact the co-heads of the programme (see "Contacts").

SUPSI Bachelor, Master and Diploma degrees are university qualifications recognised in Switzerland and abroad. As such, they are protected and aligned with the Swiss Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (nqf.ch-HS) and directly comparable to other European university degrees included in the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

  • Models, contexts and systems

    Ability to critically analyse the socio-economic-environmental system by adopting principles of systems thinking and techniques for analysing complex systems​​​​​​​​​​​​.

  • Data collection and analysis

    Ability to use methodologies and data analysis techniques required by major international standards.
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  • Impact assessment and mitigation

    Ability to assess the impacts of phenomena, processes and products through appropriate environmental, social and economic performance indicators (ESG indicators: Environmental, Social and Governance) and to apply mitigation measures​​​​​​.

  • Design and management of sustainability measures

    Ability to design, implement and monitor strategies, policies, action plans and measures aimed at promoting population well-being, ensuring inclusion and equal opportunities, and improving the sustainability of processes, products and human activities.

  • Attitude and relationship

    Ability to design, implement and monitor strategies, policies, action plans and measures aimed at promoting population well-being, ensuring inclusion and equal opportunities, and improving the sustainability of processes, products and human activities.

The skills developed respond to a growing demand for professionals capable of integrating environmental, social and economic dimensions into decision-making and operational processes in public, private and non-profit contexts. Sustainability Transition Coordinators graduating from this Bachelor are professionals able to contribute to the analysis, design and implementation of transformative policies, projects and interventions, adopting a systemic, collaborative and impact-oriented approach.

Graduates will be able to:​​​​​​
  • support specialised technicians by facilitating inter-professional dialogue and interdisciplinary integration
  • translate complex objectives into coordinated actions, aligning strategies and operations
  • accompany projects in public, private and third sector contexts, acting as a bridge between policy, practice and participation
Thanks to a programme that combines theoretical foundations, operational tools and concrete applications through laboratories, internships and practice-oriented theses, graduates will be able to enter a wide range of professional contexts, both as employees and as external collaborators, contributing in a conscious and qualified manner to the concrete implementation of sustainability strategies and measures.

Graduates will be able to bring their transversal skills and transformative capacities into various professional roles, such as: ​​​​​​​
  • Coordinator of territorial development plans and strategies
  • Sustainability Officer / Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Assistant
  • Facilitator of integrated territorial projects (settlement systems, mobility, energy, social aspects)
  • ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Officer
  • ESG Data Analyst
  • Project Officer in public bodies, companies, NGOs and start-ups
  • Consultant for sustainable transition
  • Diversity and Inclusion manager
The 3rd year will offer the opportunity to enhance individual aptitudes and facilitate entry into the labour market through in-depth courses aimed at developing operational professionalism for specific contexts, such as public bodies, service companies, industries or non-profit organisations.

Once in the labour market, the Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and Systemic Transition provides access to continuing education programmes both within SUPSI (through courses such as SAS-Short Advanced Studies, CAS-Certificate of Advanced Studies, DAS-Diploma of Advanced Studies and MAS-Master of Advanced Studies) and at other institutions. For those wishing to pursue a Master’s degree, the Bachelor allows access to both generalist programmes and specialisation in specific fields, such as building management, innovation and the use of digital technologies for quality of life (smart city) or development cooperation.

The study plan trains the Sustainability Transition Coordinator, i.e. a professional capable of co-designing and implementing strategies, processes and initiatives that foster the transition from the current socio-economic system towards a more resilient and just system, capable of protecting natural resources while ensuring individual and collective well-being. 
 

1st and 2nd years

Follow a compulsory programme that enables students to acquire the theoretical and ethical foundations of sustainability and systems thinking, and then to deepen their understanding of how natural and social systems function and the techniques used to analyse and monitor their evolution.

From the 1st year, and more significantly from the 2nd year

Relational, collaboration and co-design skills will be developed, which are essential for understanding and managing complex phenomena according to a systemic logic. From the middle of the 2nd year onwards, the focus will shift to the design and management of sustainability measures necessary for transition, working on real cases and problems experienced by partner organisations and institutions.

3rd year

It will be possible to personalise the study path through the choice of advanced courses, a three-month internship, and the writing of the thesis. During the final year, students will therefore develop skills oriented towards specific contexts in which they will operate during their professional life, deepening the dynamics and tools specific to those fields.

  • Project workshops and real-world cases
  • Interdisciplinary applied projects
  • Seminars, workshops and conferences with invited professionals
  • Teaching based on Problem Based Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning
  • Integrated teaching with blended learning modes
  • Hackathon with mixed groups of students (1st/2nd/3rd year)
  • English language course in the 1st year (English language skills certification – level B2), followed by compulsory courses taught in English from the 2nd year onwards
  • Internships in public bodies, companies, organisations and non-governmental associations, in Switzerland or abroad
  • Italian language courses for non-native Italian-speaking students

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Three-month internship during the 1st semester of the 3rd year, in Switzerland or abroad, aimed at putting into practice the skills acquired during the programme. Students will be involved in concrete sustainability projects to apply their knowledge within the host organisation. Activities carried out during the internship will be governed by an agreement defining the educational and learning objectives and by an assessment of the skills acquired at the end of the placement.

In order to value the diversity of incoming educational backgrounds while ensuring that all students, depending on their disciplinary background, acquire the foundational knowledge required for the programme, enrolled students are offered a two-week introductory “bridging” course to be attended before the start of the academic year. The course will include mathematics, basic sciences and text comprehension. Students will be invited to attend the introductory course (or part of it) based on the results of the initial aptitude interview with the Bachelor’s heads and a self-assessment test of mathematics skills.
The 1st year provides theoretical, ethical and practical foundations on the functioning of natural and human systems, particularly promoting the acquisition of a mindset based on systems thinking. Technical-methodological skills for collecting and analysing environmental, territorial, social and economic data will also be provided. Students will begin to develop relational skills for collaboration and co-design. From the 1st year onwards, companies, organisations and associations will be involved in teaching to foster practical relevance and closeness to real-life situations and their inherent complexity.

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From the 2nd year, students will acquire technical skills to assess and mitigate negative environmental, social and economic impacts and to promote strategies, measures and initiatives with positive impact, starting to use sustainability and transition management tools.

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The 3rd year is aimed at professionalisation through the selection of elective courses, the internship, and the thesis: students will have the opportunity to conduct analyses, design solutions, approach the labour market and experiment with their future role as facilitators of transition. In order to align as closely as possible with the skills required for the internship and thesis, elective courses may be chosen from a set of professionalisation courses offered by the Bachelor itself or from courses proposed by other SUPSI Bachelor programmes.

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The Bachelor is offered as a full-time programme and allows students to acquire 180 ECTS over 3 years (6 semesters). One academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS credits. One ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of approximately 25–30 hours (lectures, guided study and individual study) and refers to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), the European system for the recognition, transfer and accumulation of university-level credits.

SUPSI Course Responsibles

Jenny Assi

Docente senior - Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care

Francesca Cellina

Ricercatrice senior e Responsabile Sostenibilità e società - Department of Environment Constructions and Design

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Applicants holding one of the following qualifications are admitted directly, subject to available places and to a ranking based on an aptitude interview assessing suitability for the programme:
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  • professional baccalaureate in engineering, architecture and life sciences
  • professional baccalaureate in nature, landscape and food 
  • professional baccalaureate in arts, creation and art
  • professional baccalaureate in economics and services and cantonal commercial baccalaureate from the "Scuola cantonale di commercio"
  • professional baccalaureate in health and social care
  • higher specialised school diplomas (with the possibility of recognition of some credits, depending on the sector).​​​​​​​

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​​​​​​​Applicants holding an high school diploma obtained in Switzerland or abroad are required to complete one year of professional practice before submitting the enrolment application.

The year of professional practice allows students to align with the skills required by the Bachelor, offers an initial operational contact with applied sustainability and fosters methodological, conceptual and practical preparation to successfully undertake the study programme.

The year of professional practice is organized as follows:
  • a personalised support program with SUPSI coaching, characterised by activities aimed at acquiring theoretical, methodological, and analytical skills in sustainability
  • a nine-month internship, civil service or volunteer experience to be carried out in public bodies, companies, non-profit organisations or local entities engaged in sustainable transition, in Switzerland or abroad
Specifically for 2026–2027:
  • specialised coaching programme (3 meetings): focus on sustainability concepts, systems and analysis methods and their operational application in the context of activities during the bridging year
  • by the end of August 2027: internship, civil service or practical volunteering in public bodies, companies or non-profit organisations, in Switzerland or abroad, with a total duration of at least nine months full-time
  • August–September 2027: presentation of a paper exploring a sustainability topic related to one’s experience and highlighting impacts, risks and opportunities for the organisation where the student carried out the internship
​​​​​​​Further information on the year of professional practice starting in October 2026 will be published shortly. For any questions, please contact the co-heads of the Bachelor (see “Contacts"). 

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Applicants may also be admitted to the Bachelor programme if over 25 years of age and without the required educational qualifications, but with training and work experience deemed relevant by the co-heads of the Bachelor.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​For this purpose, applicants may prepare an educational and professional curriculum certifying the skills acquired in topics related to those of the Bachelor, followed by an aptitude interview.

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Semester fee
The semester fee amounts to CHF 800 for students benefiting from the application of the Intercantonal Agreement on Universities of Applied Sciences (Swiss nationality or tax residence in Switzerland or Liechtenstein). For other students, the fee amounts to CHF 1,600. Specific agreements apply to students resident in Campione d’Italia.
Administrative costs

A flat-rate fee of CHF 200 per semester is required as a contribution to teaching and administrative costs of the Bachelor programme.

Application fee
Upon submission of the admission application, an online payment of CHF 200 is required. In the event of a late application, the required fee is CHF 300. The fee is non-refundable and may not be deducted from the semester fee.

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Scolarships
Various public or private bodies support students in financial difficulty. Further information. 
 

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Energy and water require an integrated vision. This programme trains professionals capable of connecting knowledge, managing complexity and building future sustainability

Angelo Bernasconi

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Training sustainability coordinators today to strengthen the businesses of tomorrow. We support this bachelor's degree program because companies are already being called upon to transform economic, environmental, and social challenges into levers of value and competitive advantage.

Nicoletta Casanova

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In a context in which municipalities are called upon to manage complex transitions – from the climate crisis to demographic ageing and digitalisation – the Sustainability Coordinator represents a strategic and forward-looking response

Marzio Della Santa

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Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and Systemic Transition

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