M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management (MESPOM)
MESPOM is an Erasmus+: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management operated by four leading European. MESPOM prepares students for identifying and implementing solutions to complex environmental challenges, especially in an international context. Please visit the MESPOM website for full details.
The MESPOM study programme is in English and lasts two years. The students study in at least three out of six consortium universities: the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University (Sweden), the University of Manchester (UK), the Central European University (Austria), the University of the Aegean (Greece)
The Spring Semester of the 1st year MESPOM study programme takes place at the Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece.
The Department of Environment’s “Quality Assurance Policy for Postgraduate Studies” may be found here (in Greek).
Dear MESPOM Students, for answers to most questions that you may have concerning living on Lesvos, please consult the UoAegean MESPOM 2025 Information Guide. In case you have more questions, feel free to contact us!
You can pick up your student ID Cards by the Vodafone Shop which is located at Kavetsou 2 & Vournazon str (see here). the Vodafone shop is open on: Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays, between 08:30 – 14:00, and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, between 08:30 – 14:00 & 17:30-20:30.
Your UAegean student ID card that, in addition to free transportation to and from the university campus (by bus), gives you access to 50% off in all public transportation in Greece (except airplane tickets) and access to the University canteen.
WORKING PLACES at the Dept. of Environment (Xenia)
- Working Place 1: Computer Room is located at the ground floor of Xenia A building, at the end of the corridor next to the GIS Laboratory.
- Working Place 2: Room E, is located at the 1st floor of Xenia A building, on your left.
- Working Place 3: Room Γ1, is located at the 3rd floor of Xenia B building, at the end of the corridor.
Your working places, will be available Monday to Friday 09:00-21:00 and during weekends 09:00-21:00.
- The GIS Laboratory is located at the ground floor of Xenia A building, at the end of the corridor.
- When logging in a PC of the University of the Aegean, use your personal Username and Password provided to you by the Department of Environment.
- Your access to the Department of Environment, during weekends, will be feasible from the main entrance of Xenia A Building.
INTERNET ACCESS
University of the Aegean is connected to Eduroam wifi (education roaming service for network access). To use eduroam you will need to set up your laptop or smartphone. Visit the following website to download the eduroam installer. https://cat.eduroam.org/
Username: username@aegean.gr
Password: your personal password
MOODLE
Your Spring Courses will appear on the UAegean Moodle platform (accessible here). To log in to the Moodle site (AFTER your arrival on Lesvos), use your personal Username and Password provided to you by the Department of Environment.
PRINTING FACILITIES
A printer for MESPOM users is available at Working Place 3. You just need to connect the printer to your computer and run the drivers. If you want to use the scanner, please contact Val at the following email: hkaragianni@env.aegean.gr
University of the Aegean LIBRARY
You can have access to the Library of the University of the Aegean Catalogues, but you cannot borrow any books, through the following link: http://www.lib.aegean.gr/en
- Mrs. Val Karagianni (Chief Facilitator-Administrative contact)
Email: hkaragianni@env.aegean.gr ; tel.: (+30) 6945087068 - Mr. Michael Bakas (Facilitator-Administrative contact)
Email: mbakas@aegean.gr ; tel.: (+30) 6944654785 - Prof. Petros Gaganis (UAegean Mespom Coordinator-Academic contact)
Email: gaganis@aegean.gr
MANDATORY:
Assessment, Modelling and Scenarios for Ecosystems Management (ENV540, ‘ECOSYS’, 6 ECTS)
ELECTIVE (Students have to select courses adding to 10 ECTS in total):
- Applied Ecology (ENV541, ‘ECO’, 2 ECTS)
- Air Pollution and Climate Change (ENV511, ‘AIR’, 3 ECTS)
- Freshwater Resources: Natural systems, Human Impact and Conservation (ENV512, ‘WATER’, 2 ECTS)
- Aquatic Pollution and Wastewater Management (ENV513, ‘WASTE’, 2 ECTS)
- Environmental Applications of GIS: Spatial Analysis and Modeling (ENV531, ‘GIS’, 3 ECTS) – Prerequisite: “Spatial Analysis with GIS” @ CEU Winter Semester (or equivelant)
- Resilient cities & communities (Part 2): Sustainable Local Development & Tourism (ENV571, ‘TOURISM’, 3 ECTS)
- Research Design & Methods in Social Sciences (ENV581, ‘METHODS’, 3 ECTS)
See also the EXAM DATES 2025 for the elective courses and the UAegean MESPOM 2025 Student Handbook
WEEKLY 2025 schedule for all courses.
The teaching schedule for the elective courses is here. You can also find the teaching schedule of the mandatory course ‘Assessment, Modelling and Scenarios for Ecosystems Management’, here.
The courses’ tutors for the Spring semester of the current academic year are the following:
The following research papers are based on the (thesis) research of MESPOM students at the Department of Environment, University of the Aegean (the MESPOM students’name is in bold):
- Scheepens N., Stavrianakis G., Komba R., Sentas E., & Kizos, T. (2024). Indications of Understorey Management Practices impact on Vascular Plant and Arthropod Diversity in Olive Groves on Lesvos, Greece. Entomologia Hellenica, 33(2), 110–125.
- Aslam S., Tzoraki O. & Krasakopoulou E (2022). Anthropogenic litter in freshwater bodies and their estuaries: an empirical analysis in Lesvos, Greece. Environ Sci Pollut Res, 29, 16563–16575
- Botetzagias I., Tsagkari M. & Malesios Chr. (2018) Is the ‘Troika’ bad for the environment? An analysis of EU countries” environmental performance in times of economic downturn and austerity memoranda. Ecological Economics, 150: 34-51.
- Guerreiro S. & Botetzagias I. (2018) Empowering communities – the role of intermediary organisations in community renewable energy projects in Indonesia. Local Environment, 23(2):158-177.
- Simha Pr., Mutiara Z.Z. & Gaganis P. (2017). Vulnerability Assessment of Water Resources and Adaptive Management Approach for Lesvos Island, Greece. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 3:283-295.
- Beckham Hooff, S., Botetzagias, I. & Kizos, Ath. (2017). Seeing the Wind (Farm): Applying Q-methodology to Understand the Public’s Reception of the Visuals Around a Wind Farm Development. Environmental Communication, 11(5):700-722.
- Chandra Al. & Gaganis P. (2016), Deconstructing vulnerability and adaptation in a coastal river basin ecosystem: a participatory analysis of flood risk in Nadi, Fiji Islands. Climate and Development, 8(3): 256-269.
MESPOM theses undertaken in the University of the Aegean (by year of defence):
2025
- MASSA, Cecilia, “From Groceries to Growth Alternatives: Characterising Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale as a Real-Existing Degrowth in Milan, Italy” (Supervisor: Prof. Athanasios Kizos)
- WIDENSKY, Agnes, “Urban Heat Adaptation Measures in Austria” (Supervisor: Prof. Iosif Botetzagias)
- NAWAZ, Abdul Rehman, “Faith, Survival, and Mobility: A Q Study on How Farmers Perceive Climate Change in Rural Pakistan” (Supervisor: Prof. Iosif Botetzagias)
- BOHLER, Tabea, “Investigating Sense-Making and Resilience Perspectives of Austrian Micro and Small Enterprises Towards Flooding: A Qualitative Study” (Supervisor: Prof. Antonios Skouloudis)
2024
- SCHEEPENS, Nadia, Cultivating Agrobiodiversity for Harmony in the Groves: Assessing the Impact of Understorey Management Practices on Vascular Plant and Arthropod Diversity in Olive Groves on Lesbos, Greece (Supervisor: Prof. Athanasios Kizos)
- SOMOGYI, Monika, “Embracing the Rain: Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Drainage Systems in Greater Manchester through Socio-Technical Transition Theory”(Supervisor: Prof. Iosif Botetzagias)
2023
- LONGO, Gabrielle, “Blue Gyms: Assessing Outdoor Fitness Infrastructure as Urban Blue Space Design in Coastal San Diego” (Supervisor: Prof. Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi)
- OORT ALONSO, Ines, “A Gastronomical Exploration of the Adherence of a Traditional Mediterranean Diet to EAT Lancet’s Planetary Health Reference Diet: Can a Universal Food Sustainability Framework be applied at a local level? A case study in Ikaria, Greece” (Supervisor: Prof. Georgios Vasios)