The programme consists of four semesters (two years), in total 120 ECTS, 30 ECTS in each semester with one compulsory period of mobility in the second half of the second semester (15-30 ECTS) and another one throughout the second semester of the second year (30 ECTS).

In particular, based on the existing University of Groningen Research Master track on Islands and Sustainability, the ISLANDS study programme will be delivered in English organised in four half semesters:

1a (from 1 September to mid-November), 1b (from mid-November to end of January), 2a (1 February – end of March) and 2b (1 April until the end of the academic year, including the summer).

In the first year, during the first two quarters (half semesters 1a, 1b) all ISLANDS students will be based at the University of Groningen and will choose from a set of set courses adding up to 10 ECTS in Advanced and Specialized Research Methods and Techniques and another 15 ECTS of courses in Thematic Theoretical Specialisation. They will also take carry out a 5 ECTS Joint Multidisciplinary Research Project (JMRP) and will also take another 10 ECTS for an Individual Research Training course (IRT). Depending on the destination of the mobility, the JMRP and IRT components might be taught in either Groningen or at the island partner in the second half of the first year. In addition, a key integrative aspect of the ISLANDS course (taught with contributions of all partners) will be a course entitled Scientific Reading, Debating and Reflecting (5 ECTS) taught in semester 1a, 1b and 2a.

During the second year of the ISLANDS programme all students will be based at the University Groningen for the first semester where they will take 5 ECTS for a module on Research Process and Proposal Writing, a 5 ECTS Advanced Research Skills module, a 5 ECTS course on Scientific English Writing. They will also have to select additional modules (not those taken in year 1) accounting for a total 10 ECTS on Thematic Theoretical Specialisation and a 5 ECTS course on Advanced and Specialized Research Methods and Techniques in the Social, Economic and Spatial Sciences with contributions (in the form of guest lectures from Faculty members) from the island-based partner universities. In the second half of the second year the second compulsory period of mobility will take place in an island-based partner university where all ISLANDS students will work on their Master thesis with additional supervision from the University of Groningen and other partners as needed.

Throughout the second year there will also be monthly meetings (but with no ECTS) and workshops on Scientific Reading, Debating and Reflecting. It is envisaged that academic staff from the island-based universities will contribute to the teaching of the courses Individual Research Training and Joint Multidisciplinary Research Project, via online teaching and/or teaching visits at Groningen as well as possible student travel (depending on the nature of the projects undertaken and supervised) to the island-based universities for periods up to three weeks during the first semester of the first year; such travel will be carefully organised around the teaching timetable to ensure that there will be no clashes with lectures and exams at the University of Groningen). In some cases, these courses are fully taken at the island-based university.

The ISLANDS programme is offered as a double-degree programme. Upon successful completion of the joint programme students will receive a degree from the University of Groningen (with an acknowledgement that this is an ISLANDS programme) and a degree from the island-based partner University where the student undertook the compulsory period of mobility. In addition, on receipt of both diplomas, the University of Groningen will also issue a certificate stating that they have completed the double degree on the basis of having completed the two constituent single degree programs (which will be named in this certificate).