Core values
- A unique course program that maximises radiation of the long-standing experience and the scientific excellence of the Higher Education Institutes constitutin gthe TROPIMUNDO Consortium and that leads to a joint degree;
- A mobility within Europe pluss a unique full semester mobility in situ including both classroom and field courses in the Caribbean, Amazonian, African, Asian or Oceanian wet tropics at participating universities;
- A clear study Trajectory in which fundamental understanding of one or multiple most-threatened ecosystems, or their components (incl. biota and abiotic factors and humans), is followed by research tools to study, understand, and manage them with the aim of biological conservation;
- A full semester MSc Thesis research in collaboration with one or more TROPIMUNDO Full or Associate Partners (see below)
- Intensive contact with different cultures and languages, which stimulates content and language integrated learning.
Joint Master Degree
Upon graduation students will be awarded a Joint Master degree by the European institutes visited by the student. In addition, each student will receive a Europass Certificate signed by all participating higher education institutes involved.
Find out the legal provisions of the degree-awarding institutions(this also includes a summary description and detailed course descriptions of graduated student cohorts)
Basic student requirements
- An internationally accepted Bachelor in Science degree (i.e. equivalent to 180 ECTS) with a major in Biology, Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or equivalent from an accredited university. Prospective applicants should check the FAQ to see which BSc are likely to be considered equivalent and which are not;
- Students must be able to demonstrate proficiency in English or in English + French. However, in the 1st and 3rd semester extra-curricular language courses are offered to improve language skills needed on the student's study Trajectory. More information on language requirements can be found in the online Application, Information and Management Tool (AIM-tool);
- A personal evaluation of the applications will be done by the Selection Committee composed of all Local Coordinators.
Trajectory in 4 semesters
The consortium is composed of 9 institutes in Programme Countries (European) and 8 higher education institutes in Partner Countries (non-European). In a first semester, students start at a European institute of their choice to acquire similar competences. In a second semester field experience and courses will take place in a university in a tropical region. The third semester will cover a specialisation in a European university different from the first semester. The fourth semester is dedicated to the MSc Thesis and students return to where they started out. Every Trajectory of 4 semesters constitutes a unique combination of courses and expertises.
In-depth information available:
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are 9,000 EUR per year for students from Partner countries (largely outside Europe) and 4,500 EUR per year for students from Programme countries (largely European). Self-funded students will receive a restitution of 500 EUR for each 4500 EUR paid. Tuition fees are to be paid to the coordinating institute an include consortium enrolment fees and the insurance cost. The tuition fees do not include costs related to visa and preparatory documents, accommodation, additional insurance costs, living expenses and travel and transportation costs. However, EC-funded students have additional cost coverage.
Find more information here.
Scholarships
TROPIMUNDO Candidates can also apply for an
EC scholarshipopen to applicants from all nationalities. Applications are scrutinised based on excellence criteria (see below).
Applying for Tropimundo
The following information sections are extracted from the online Information and Application Module.
Awards & Laureates
TROPIMUNDO awards two annual prizes:
- The TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award, awarded to the student with the highest overall course average.
- The Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award, awarded to the student with the highest thesis mark. The eponymy is in loving memory of the TROPIMUNDO alumnus Lorenzo Borella and is described here in English, Italian, French and Dutch). This award was originally named the TROPIMUNDO Best Thesis Award.
External prizes awarded to TROPIMUNDO theses are also indicated below.
2023 Laureates:
As there was no student intake in 2021 due to the COVID19 pandemic, no TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award has been awarded in 2023.
Elissa PELSMAEKERS (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
2022 Laureates:
Jasmine LIU (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Alvise DABALÀ (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
2021 Laureates:
Kristine BUENAFE (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Anne Marieke de GEEST (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
2020 Laureates:
Thibault NEVE DE MEVERGNIES (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Hugo DUCRET (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
2019 Laureates:
Maël DORE (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Giovanna WOLSWIJK (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
Ilke GELADI (Public Prize of the
Jacques Kets Award)
Rafaela DE ALBUQUERQUE RIBEIRO (
VLIZ Master Thesis Award)
2018 Laureates:James HAGAN (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Thomas LUYPAERT (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award and
Jacques Kets Award)
Meenakshi SHANKAR POTI (
VLIZ Master Thesis Award)
Liam LACHS (
VLIZ Master Thesis Award)
2017 Laureates:Catherine TURNER (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Elena QUINTERO BORRERO (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
2016 Laureates:Barbara HENDUS (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
João NUNES DE MATOS FARMINHAO (Lorenzo Borella Memorial Award)
2015 Laureates:Mathil VANDROMME (TROPIMUNDO Best Student Award)
Daniel MONTECINOS LLERENA (TROPIMUNDO Best Thesis Award)
Students & Alumni
TROPIMUNDO students and alumni have the opportunity to become a member of the
Erasmus Mundus Association - EMA.
2023 TROPIMUNDO Graduates
Sentiment analysis of content posted on social media to map public perception on mangrove, saltmarsh, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems
| Name |
Country |
Thesis title |
| BUNCHERD, Natcha |
 |
Population genetic structure of Octopus mimus in the East Pacific |
| DOGNY PIETTE, Clara |
 |
The footprint left by pre-Columbian Amerindians on vegetation: Analysis of the floristic composition of tree communities in French Guiana |
| DROUET CRUZ, Huran |
 |
The lightning thief: how much mangrove biomass is lifted when lightning strikes a mangrove forestry concession and at which socio-economic risk for the local manager ? |
| HOPPE, Sophie |
|
Sentiment analysis of content posted on social media to map public perception on mangrove, saltmarsh, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems |
| KRATZ, Fanny |
 |
Unravelling the secret life of cacao pollinators – behaviour, breeding habitats and relationships across the Neotropics |
| LAGUMBAY, Irene |
 |
Community structure, biomass and carbon stock of mangroves in areas vulnerable to typhoons in Eastern Visayas, Philippines |
| OLGA, Berhanu |
 |
Land use/land cover changes due to gold mining in the eastern Guji, Ethiopia: a time-series analysis based on Landsat satellite data |
| PELSMAEKERS, Elissa |
|
Assessment of macro- and microplastics in the mangrove bay of Gazi (Kenya): identity, quantity, distribution and sources |
| XXXXXX |
 |
XXXXXX |
2022 TROPIMUNDO Graduates
| Name |
Country |
Thesis title |
| AYITEY, Samuel |
 |
Physicochemical parameters and bacteria as indicators of sewage pollution in Negombo Lagoon, Sri Lanka |
| BERNARD, Tom |
|
Bird diversity and feeding guilds in Kalametiya Lagoon, Sri Lanka |
| COLOSIMO, Agostina |
 |
Seed dispersal of an exotic tree (Azadirachta indica) by capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) in a fragmented dry forest in Costa Rica |
| DABALÀ, Alvise |
 |
Priority areas to protect mangroves and maximise ecosystem services |
| FOURCHAULT, Léa |
|
Designing cross-sectoral, surface-toseabed protected areas in the Indian Ocean |
| GOVENDER, Maheshwaran |
 |
Turtles, tourism, and conservation: An investigation of stakeholders and their discourses on sea turtle management in southern and southwestern Sri Lanka |
| HAZARD, Quentin |
|
Ecological impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on an insectivorous bat community in a Malaysian hydroelectric reservoir |
| HEYERES, Martin |
|
A global databases approach to establish a Red Listing of Mangrove Ecosystems across the Indo-West Pacific region |
| KRAUSS, Jacob |
 |
Range and Distribution of Seychelles Black Parrot (Coracopsis barklyi) |
| LHOSUPASIRIRAT, Papichaya |
|
Impacts of Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) on stakeholders’ perceptions: A case study in Thailand |
| LIU, Jasmine |
|
Effects of phylogenetic relatedness and neighborhood crowding on tropical tree performance |
| MARUFATUZZAHAN |
 |
Investigating bioactive skin peptides in the Neotropical tree frogs Trachycephalus resinifictrix and Osteocephalus taurinus (Anura: Hylidae): A transcriptome study |
| MELO FLÓREZ, Lina |
 |
Towards sustainable mangrove management using Ostrom’s framework |
| MITCHELL, Laetitia |
|
Song structure comparison between two humpback whale populations sharing the same breeding area in Nicaragua |
| MURGUEITIO CALLE, Amalia |
|
A spatially heterogenous coral bleaching event in eastern Sri Lanka: impact and recovery patterns of reefs and fish assemblages |
| MUTHUTHANTHIRIGE, Deshika |
 |
The Impact of seed size and varying N:P supply on seedling establishment of tropical plants |
| NAANDAM, Yennupaak |
|
Characterization of a polyhydroxyalkanoate producing strain isolated from the Bidong Island in Terengganu, Malaysia |
| NYANDWI, Alphonse |
 |
Succession of vegetation in the mangroves of Unawatuna, Galle, Sri Lanka: comparisons of current and historic vegetation structure and stratification |
| PATHAK BROOME, Aranya |
|
Global variation in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships in rock pool metacommunities |
| PERUZZO, Sofia |
|
Mangrove social-ecological system in Jaffna Peninsula: mapping stakeholder perceptions for mangrove conservation |
| RAÑISES, Dina Mae |
|
Intra- and interspecific variation in genome size of the coral genus Agaricia from Curaçao |
| SEROUX, Morgane |
|
Exploring potential fisheries benefits of high seas marine reserves using a bio-economic size-spectrum model. |
| THANGASAMY, Needhi |
|
The selfish herd effect in social insects: a literature review and a field test on a tropical social wasp |
| TORRES, Michael |
|
A multidisciplinary approach to gain sustainable improvement of rice productivity through the co-cultivation with the fern Azolla |
| TURQUAND, Maud |
|
Characterization of ubiquitous interactors of the plastid transcriptional complex during the transition from dark to light |
| VANNOZZI BRITO, Vitor |
 |
Modelling native tree species distributions in the face of climate change to inform species selection for coffee agroforests in the Western Ghats, India |
| VERCRUYSSE, Camille |
|
Seed and pollen dispersal of Terminalia superba Engl & Diels (Combretaceae), a Central African forest tree species |
| ZAKRZEWSKI, Sara |
|
Rapid morphological adaptation to novel environments in a globally invasive species, the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) |
2021 TROPIMUNDO Graduates
| Name |
Country |
Thesis title |
| ASANTE, Frederick |
|
Bench-marking the value of mangrove ecosystem goods and services in Ghana |
| BOCANEGRA SANCHEZ, Victor |
 |
Changes in mangrove forest cover along the Fonseca Gulf in the Pacific coast of Honduras since 1974 to 2021 using satellite imagery |
| BOUEIZ, Maya |
 |
A pelagic marine reserve network in the Pacific Ocean that best protects critical habitats |
| BUENAFE, Kristine |
|
Benefits and costs to pelagic fisheries of conservation-sensitive, climate-smart closures in the Pacific Ocean |
| CHEN, Danyang |
 |
Historical forestry for charcoal trade in Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve, Malaysia |
| CUINAT-GUERRAZ, Soline |
|
Mammalio-limnology: exploring the structuring role of large mammals in pond landscapes |
| de GEEST, Anne Marieke |
 |
Simulating failure scenarios of an overburden stockpile at the Grasberg mine, Papua, using AW3D30 and Gravitational Process Paths |
| DOURADO BATISTA, Carlos |
|
Assessing man-ecosystem relationships between Caiçara traditional communities and Mangroves affected by extreme events and COVID-19 in the southeastern of Brazil |
| FERNANDEZ MATO, Pol |
 |
Biotic and abiotic environment explains genetic variation in an ancient, widespread tropical rainforest tree |
| GARCIA VALDEZ, Fernanda |
|
The complex of Ficus thonningii Blume in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a numerical taxonomic approach |
| GILBERT, Molly |
 |
Sleeping tree selection and camouflage potential in the nocturnal and gliding Sunda colugos (Galeopterus variegatus) from Langkawi Island, Malaysia |
| GUILLEMINOT, Julie |
|
Changing small islands: tourism conservation interactions in Pulau Kapas, Terengganu, Malaysia, through the combination of Social Network Analysis and Q methodology |
| JAAFAR, Ridwan |
 |
The big picture: Disentangling drivers of dung nutrient stoichiometry of mammalian herbivores in African savannas |
| LEONG AI TING, Rachel |
 |
Human dimensions of bat conservation in view of the COVID-19 pandemic – an urban perspective |
| MEYERS, Barbara |
|
Distribution of arbuscular versus ectomycorrhizal associations in tropical ecosystems and their differential role on the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and soil enzyme activity |
| MILJEVIC, Iva |
 |
Chemical assay and anatomical localization of terpenoids in Encephalartos spp. (Zamiaceae) |
| NGENDAHIMANA, Ephrem |
|
Mangrove ecosystem functions, goods, and services in Southern and North-western Sri Lanka; insight towards ethnobiology and mangrove conservation |
| OFORI, Samuel |
|
Mangrove and lagoon ecosystem degradation caused by shrimp farming in the Pambala-Chilaw Lagoon Complex, Sri Lanka |
| OSBORN, Amanda |
|
Seagrass survival strategy in Peninsular Malaysia: A multi-species investigation of reproduction and dispersal |
| RIDDER, Grace |
|
Possibilities and limitations of hierarchical modeling of species communities to uncover the climate niches of African tree species |
| SAHA, Anik |
|
Evolution of crustaceans' genome size: a role for eco-physiological and life-history traits? |
| SERNA RODRIGUEZ, Karen Melissa |
|
Socio-ecological sustainability of fishery systems in Sri Lanka: A view from fishers perspective |
| SOUZA DE AZEVEDO, Victor |
|
Evaluating habitat loss of giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) populations in South America regarding fires and deforestation: a meta-analysis |
| VAN de SANDE, Eliza |
|
Do symbiotic relationships influence feeding in insectivorous Nepenthes plants? |
| VANEGAS GONZALES, Maria Juliana |
|
Evaluation of the sexual reproductive characteristics and spawning of Acropora species in Pulau Bidong, Malaysia |
| VARGAS RIVERA, Gersey |
|
Remote, but connected: The COxI haplotypes of five widespread butterflies of the remote Azores archipelago |
2020 TROPIMUNDO Graduates
| Name |
Country |
Thesis title |
| AFFHOLDER, Oscar |
|
The effects of anthropization on the French Guyana forest dung beetles’ communities |
| AGNIHOTRI, Ananya |
|
Studying variation in the morphological traits of Estrilda astrild with climate and environment across Sub-Saharan Africa |
| BARMAN, Sanzib |
|
Effects of different nitrogen concentrations on the growth and proximate composition of Tetraselmis chuii |
| BOURGES, Aymeric |
 |
King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) envenomation, functional venomics and antivenom neutralization: A status quo review |
| BRÖRKEN, Charlotte |
 |
Mainstreaming biodiversity in development co-operation: Impact of international governance dynamics on provider strategies |
| CHEUNG, Cheuk Yiu |
 |
The feeding ecology and behaviour of Haberma tingkok Cannicci & Ng, 2017, with a review on phylogeny of tree-climbing mangrove crabs |
| DERVAUX, Brieuc |
 |
Chemical ecology of lone and cluster nesting social wasps in the tropical rainforest |
| DOMINGUEZ MARTINEZ, Rosa Mar |
|
Conservation of the high seas: designing climate-smart reserves in the Indian Ocean |
| DUCRET, Hugo |
|
Genetic population structure of Clark's Anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) and phylogeographic comparison with three congeners in the Indo-Malay Archipelago |
| GIRARD--ANG, Thaïs |
|
Evolution and biogeography of Palmkings and Jungle Queens (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Amathusiini) |
| KLEIN, Jan Lukas |
|
Floristic diversity patterns in Western Central Africa: A new forest typology for Gabon |
| LEWANDOWSKI, Sacha |
|
Heavy metals pollution profiles in selected upland tributaries of Sri Lanka; insight into sources and health risk with particular emphasis on Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu) |
| NÈVE DE MÉVERGNIES, Thibault |
|
Tackling the African weaver ants’ interspecific interactions in Senegalese mango orchards to optimize their biological control potential |
| SAUVAIRE, Maxime |
|
Long term monitoring of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting at Chagar Hutang, Redang Island, Malaysia: morphometry and reproductive output |
| TEIMOORY, Hossein |
 |
Spatial distribution of heavy metals in water area and surface sediments of the Kalametiya Lagoon in Sri Lanka and accumulation of heavy metals by Typha angustifolia; Eco-sustainable phytoremediation for wetland management |
| TULEY, Lucy |
|
Investigating ontogenetic shifts in the diets of dugongs using stable isotope analysis of tusk collagen |
| VAN WEYNBERGH, Marianne |
|
From egg to adult: Larval host plant use by three Danaines (Lepidoptera) in Australia |
| WARD, Abigail |
|
Assessing the potential of marine fish and parasite transfer across the Panama Canal |
2019 TROPIMUNDO Graduates
| Name |
Country |
Thesis title |
| AL-SAADI, Athraa |
 |
Biosynthesis, chemical and molecular characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoates produced by new bacterial strains isolated from Redang and Bidong islands in Terengganu, Malaysia |
| ALAYA JOYA, Laura Melisa |
|
Promoting dialog among stakeholders and surrounding communities in the framework of socio-ecological resilience: A case study in the Serranía de los Yariguíes, Santander, Colombia |
| ALEMU, Solomon Chanie |
|
Abundance and foraging ecology of Black-and-white colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) in Nech Sar National Park, Ethiopia |
| BORDBAR, Farzaneh |
|
The alien flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: taxonomic composition, origin, mode of introduction and functional traits |
| BROHOLM, Tessa |
|
Spatial ecology and population size of Oreophrynella quelchii on Roraima-tepui, Guyana |
| CHEVALIER, Valentin |
|
Phenology of acoustic communities: analysis of two contrasted seasons in New-Caledonia |
| CHONG, Ho Yee Fiona |
|
Ecological functioning of mangroves: a biological traits analysis |
| DE ALBUQUERQUE RIBEIRO, Rafaela |
|
Designing climate-proof marine protected areas: a case study in South America |
| DORE, Maël |
|
Effects of Müllerian mimicry on community composition and climatic niche evolution in Neotropical butterflies |
| GELADI, Ilke |
|
Galapagos landbirds and agriculture: Assessing the potential for working landscapes in the agricultural zone of Santa Cruz, Galapagos |
| GOPALAKRISHNAN, Lavaniadevi |
 |
Using historical records and Landsat imageries to explore the changes in mangrove cover in Peninsular Malaysia |
| KHATTAR, Jennifer |
|
An interdisciplinary approach on exploring the perspectives of plant intelligence |
| M. TAWFEEQ, Mohammed |
|
Characterization of culturable bacterial communities associated with cage cultured fish under different stocking densities in Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu, Malaysia |
| MANZI, Olivier Jean Léonce |
|
Impacts of human activities on the forest-savanna ecotone: plant successions of Poaceae in malagasy savannas and the dynamics of a palm “Bismarckia nobilis Hildebrandt & H. Wendl” |
| MCINTOSH, Ophélie |
|
The phylogenetic and molecular patterns of the reflectin protein family in coleoid cephalopod species |
| RAO, Manisha Narayan |
|
Comparing communities of Arauca, Colombia, based on their relationship with natural resources and perceptions of conservation initiatives |
| SALIU, Ibrahim |
|
The forester, the pilot and the geometer: an accuracy analysis of tree heights measured using forestry techniques, UAV and hypsometers (in tropical and temperate trees) |
| SHAIKH, Mohammed Hisham |
|
The control of the cnidarian host, Exaiptasia pallida, over proliferation of its algal endosymbiont, Breviolum minutum |
| TSAI, Dino Chueh Yu |
 |
Efficacy of tissue culture-based in vitro screening method for drought tolerance in Mung beau (Vigna radiata l.): a preliminary investigation |
| WOLSWIJK, Giovanna |
|
Distribution of mercury in sediments, plant and animal tissues in Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve, Malaysia |
Find more TROPIMUNDO graduates from longer ago HERE.
RECENT PRESS COMMUNICATIONS
22 June 2020 17:00 CET
The information in this website may be subject to changes from one year to another.
