Erasmus Mundus

Erasmus Mundus is a European Union program approved in 2003 that aims to improve the quality of higher education in Europe and cooperation with other geographical areas in order to strengthen relations between European universities with similar institutions in other parts of the world.

 

The first phase of the program, which ended in 2008, contemplated various lines of action based on grants to students from third countries and financing master’s courses integrated with associate and candidate countries, as well as financing other collaboration actions and improvements to the attractiveness of the European higher education system.

 

A second phase (2009-2013) of the Erasmus Mundus program has now begun. The most interesting new developments are:

 

• Grants are also aimed at students from member states of the European Union.
• Financing is also aimed at integrated doctorate programs.
• Erasmus Mundus grants and other mobility aid.

 

These grants are awarded to European and non-European students by the group or consortium of institutions that are directly responsible for each of the master’s and doctorates selected and that are exclusively granted for studying the program in question. The grants, both for master’s and doctorate studies, are structured in two categories:

 

Category A grants (for students from EU member countries or from other countries but who have resided for a specific period of time in the EU) and

Category B grants (for students from third countries).

 

The amount will be based on these criteria but also based on other variables such as travel and settling-in, monthly allowance and contribution to the costs of the program. As well as student grants, the Erasmus Mundus program includes mobility aid for academic and educational staff to participate in activities for specific periods of time.

 

This aid is also granted by the group of institutions responsible for each program selected by Erasmus Mundus. The specific conditions relating to grants and aid will be set and defined by the Erasmus Mundus program guide and by the rules established in each application procedure that occurs over the life of program.

 

Joint master’s and doctorate programs

 

 

Joint master’s and doctorate programs presented by groups or consortiums of higher education institutions from EU Member States, with a minimum of three institutions from three different EU countries, will be selected and will receive financial aid based on annual application programs.

 

Their proposals must be formulated through high quality academic programs jointly organised by the institutions, with agreed guidelines and rules, which should include the following:

 

• Joint admission and evaluation criteria
• Mandatory requirement to study the program in at least two of the institutions in the group.
• Public prices for the program jointly defined by the participating institutions.
• Mutual recognition of the credits obtained from the institutions in the group.
• Culmination of the program in a joint qualification issued by the participating institutions or in double or multiple qualifications.

 

The selected programs will receive a subsidy from the European Commission for a period of five years. Furthermore, in addition to covering the organisation expenses and other costs, the main purpose of the subsidy will be to allow the institutions responsible for the program to be able to award grants to EU and non-EU students to study the master’s program.

 

The member institutions of the group will agree to issue annual application programs with the due publicity and with transparent and precise criteria for the awarding of these grants. Enquiries and applications for potential Erasmus Mundus grants for students should be sent directly to the universities and institutions responsible for the master’s or doctorate course that the applicant is interested in.

 

There is also a state information service: “Programa Erasmus Mundus, Directorate General of Universities, E-mail: erasmus.mundus@micinn.es This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . ”

 

Comparte: