Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Futures

How can we ensure a humane livelihood for all while respecting planetary boundaries? There is no single answer to this question. Sustainable futures take different forms across regions, societies, and communities. Thinking and acting on sustainability requires navigating ambiguity and complexity.

This multidisciplinary Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minor explores the role of frugal innovation and frugality in shaping sustainable futures across the globe. Frugality is about doing more with less—being resourceful, efficient, and intentional in how we use materials, energy, and knowledge. Across cultures and traditions, frugality has long been seen as a way to balance human needs with environmental constraints. In innovation, this mindset translates into frugal innovation: creating simple, affordable, and effective solutions to pressing challenges in healthcare, water, energy, housing, and agrifood.

By minimizing resource use while maintaining impact, frugal innovations offer a promising approach to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Since the early 2010s, this concept has gained traction among academics and policymakers as a powerful driver of sustainable development.

In the first part of this minor, you will explore different perspectives on frugality and frugal innovation through the lenses of technology (design & engineering), entrepreneurship & business, and human progress & sustainability. In the second part, you will apply your knowledge in practice: for 10 weeks, you will work in a small multidisciplinary team on a real-life frugal innovation challenge—either in the Netherlands or abroad. This field assignment allows you to combine insights from your own study background with hands-on experience. Beyond subject knowledge, this minor will help you develop essential 21st-century skills: dealing with uncertainty, critical thinking, negotiating, building trust, and teamwork. These skills are crucial for shaping sustainable change—because transformation happens through the collective effort of individuals working together. Are you eager to dive into a cutting-edge approach to innovation? Do you want to explore how frugality and frugal innovation can drive sustainability? And are you up for an international, real-life challenge?

If so, this LDE minor is for you! We work in small groups to enhance your learning experience. Join us and become part of the future of frugal innovation. Maximum number of students: 40 Prospectus number: 5000MFRINN Language: English Registration: via EduXchange see More Info 15 May (13:00hrs) until 30 June 2025

This minor requires full-time study from September 2025 until the last week of January in 2026. Experiences of students in previous editions of the minor show that it is difficult to combine participation in this minor with other studies or retake exams. The minor forms a continuous program with its own assignment rhythm including the field assignment, in which for reasons of group cohesion and collaboration, a partial stay either in the Netherlands or abroad is not allowed.   The minor has a layered first come first serve admission procedure. A maximum of 40 students- equally distributed among the three LDE universities will be admitted and an equal distribution among disciplines will be aimed for.