Erasmus Mundus
"What were the main difficulties? First of all, it was a real challenge to understand the curriculum? The European system requires a high level of independence from students regarding the subjects they study?"
Madina Dzagurova, North Ossetia State University, participant of EM ELPIS 2 – European Legal Practice of International Studies
The Erasmus Mundus programme is a higher education co-operation and mobility programme promoting the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. It supports European top-quality Masters and Doctoral Courses and enhances the visibility and attractiveness of European higher education in third countries, including Russia.
If you are a graduate Russian student and wish to continue your postgraduate studies in Europe, you can apply for one of the available Erasmus Mundus Master or Doctoral Courses, which are listed here:
Erasmus Mundus for Students
"Western education has shown a lot of positive qualities and characteristics for me. I gained skills that are very different from those I could have gained at my home university in Moscow. I think there are two distinct features in the European teaching style. Firstly, the material contains a lot of real life examples and has an applied character and secondly, it requires a lot of independent study".
Vitaly Dolgov, Moscow State Technical University, participant of EM Master's Programme in Mechanical Engineering
How to apply
Courses at the Master's level are open to graduate students who have already completed university degree course of at least three years. There are presently no thematic restrictions or favoured subject areas for Erasmus Mundus Masters' Courses. All fields of study and disciplines are welcome: Please look through the list of available Master's Courses. An integrated study programme offered by an Erasmus Mundus Master's consortium has the following features:
Joint criteria for admission and examination: Students should be able to apply to a single programme with common standards for admission, a common application procedure and a joint student selection process. Examinations passed at one institution of the consortium are automatically and fully recognised by the other institutions of the consortium.
Course integration: Provision of a jointly developed curriculum or full recognition by the Erasmus Mundus Master's consortium of courses developed and taught separately but that make up a single standard course.
"The Euro-Aquae programme, as with many other programmes of Erasmus Mundus, requires geographical flexibility and mobility. During two years of study, every student goes to at least three universities. I spent my first semester in Cottbus in Germany at Brandenburgische Technische Universitat Cottbussa? I spent my second semester in Newcastle-upon-Tyne University in the UK. Unlike the young University of Cottbus, this is an old university with its own traditionssa? I returned to Cottbus for the third semesterra? Now in my fourth semester, I am doing my internship at Halcrow in the UK. This company is one of the leading consultants in the area of water flood protection and is highly respected all over the world".
Konstantin Vasiliev, Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnic University, participant of EM Euro-Aquae Programme
Mobility: A period of study in at least two of the three institutions participating in the consortium. Potential students must know the sequence of study periods in the various hosting institutions and the various mobility combinations when they apply for the course. In a consortium of three partners (A, B and C), mobility combinations would normally be A+B, A+C, B+C and A+B+C.
Guaranteed award of a recognised joint, double, or multiple degree upon graduation: A double degree is a minimum requirement. A double or multiple degree is defined as two or more national diplomas issued officially by two or more institutions involved in an integrated study programme. A joint degree is defined as a single diploma issued by at least two of the institutions offering an integrated study programme. The degrees are recognised in the countries where the degree-awarding institutions are located.
An Erasmus Mundus Masters' Course carries between 60 and 120 ECTS credits at the Masters' level. 60 to 120 ECTS credits correspond to courses lasting from one to two academic years. Erasmus Mundus Master's Courses provide students with the possibility of using at least two European languages spoken in the countries where the institutions offering the Erasmus Mundus Master's Courses are located. However, the use of at least two languages does not mean the courses are taught in two different languages. Nor are the institutions obliged to use their national languages as the language of instruction. However, institutions should have a clearly identifiable language policy to promote the national language. This may include language training or other induction courses (e.g. "survival language" and cultural induction) regardless of the language of instruction.
"This is a new and entirely different programme from what we are used to in Russia. It is absolutely innovative in terms of teaching methods and approaches. I can’t say it is better than the Russian universities' programmes because it’s simply different".
Ekaterina Tsvetkova, participant of MESPOM - Master of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management
Funding
Student mobility: €21,000 per student for a one-year course (10 study months x €1,600, plus a fixed amount of €5,000 for travel expenses, tuition fees, etc.), or €42,000 per student for a two-year course. Grants are paid to students by the individual consortium.
Deadline for applications
Applicants (students) should submit their applications by the deadline set by the Erasmus Mundus Masters' Consortium they are applying to using the application system provided for by the Master's Course in question and following all the relevant instructions given by the application system.
Erasmus Mundus for Scholars (academic staff)
If you are a scholar (academic or professional) you may also contribute to and benefit from Erasmus Mundus.
How to apply
You can apply for a three-month scholarship to carry out scholarly work (teaching and/or research work) for a given Erasmus Mundus Masters' Course in Europe. You will work in one or more of the higher education institutions running the Course of your choice. These scholarships are awarded to the best scholars on a competitive basis. You are invited to chose an Erasmus Mundus Masters' Course and apply directly to the Erasmus Mundus Masters' Course of your choice.
Funding
Scholar mobility: €13,000 per scholar (3 months x €4,000, plus a fixed amount of €1,000 for travel expenses)
Grants are paid to scholars by the individual consortium. Please note that scholars must provide their own insurance cover.
Deadline for applications
Application deadlines vary from course to course. The respective consortium will provide information about specific admission requirements, application forms, and deadlines. The consortium offering the course decides which receive scholarships on the basis of merit. Scholars are advised to contact the coordinator of the course of their choice with any questions related to the course.
Full information on Erasmus Mundus courses is available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/index_en.html.
Please consult the "Opportunities for students" or "Opportunities for scholars" sections and read the "Frequently Asked Questions". For further information, please contact the Erasmus Mundus team at: EAC-Erasmus-Mundus@ec.europa.eu
You can download a guidebook on Erasmus Mundus Masters and PhD programmes 2011-2012 (in two parts) here:
