The Erasmus Mundus action comprises:

• Lot 1: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) and
• Lot 2: Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (EMDM)

This action aims at fostering excellence and worldwide internationalisation of higher education institutions via study programmes – at Master course level – jointly delivered and jointly recognised by higher education institutions (HEIs) established in Europe, and open to institutions in other countries of the world. 

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters and Erasmus Mundus Design Measures represent two independent lots. There is no obligation to implement an EMDM before an EMJM. The award of an EMDM does not imply automatic funding under EMJM and the completion of an EMDM project is not an award criterion for an EMJM.

Lot 1: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)

The EMJM supports high-level integrated transnational study programmes at Master level ¹ delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions (HEIs) from different countries worldwide and, where relevant, other educational and/or non-educational partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study areas/professional domains.  

EMJMs are programmes of excellence and should contribute to the integration and internationalisation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The specificity of EMJMs lies in the high degree of jointness/integration among the participating institutions and the excellence of their academic content.

Objectives of the EMJM

The EMJM aims to enhance the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education in the world and attract talent to Europe, through a combination of:

1. institutional academic cooperation to showcase European excellence in higher education, and  
2. individual mobility for all students taking part in the EMJM, with EU-funded scholarships for the best students applying

Which are the criteria to be met to apply for Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters?

Eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible for an Erasmus grant, project proposals for Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters must comply with the following criteria.

Eligible participating organisations - (Who can apply?)

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and full affiliated entities) must:

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.an EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme or an eligible third country not associated to the Programme.

HEIs established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme must be holders of the ECHE certificate (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education).  

An ECHE is not required for participating HEIs from third countries not associated to the Programme, but they will have to commit to its principles.

Associations or organisations of HEIs, public or private organisations (including their affiliated entities) that contribute directly and actively to the delivery of EMJM (Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters), established in an EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme or in an eligible third country not associated to the Programme, may also participate but not as coordinator.

Additionally, the EMJM study programme may also benefit from the involvement of associated partners (optional).

At application stage² full partner HEIs must demonstrate to have fulfilled the external Quality Assurance (QA) requirements of their jurisdiction for the joint programme. This can result either (i) from having successfully implemented the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (if national legislation allows), (ii) or be based on a specific accreditation/evaluation of the joint programme, (iii) or of each national component on the basis of which the EMJM is composed.

Exception: organisations from Belarus (Region 2) and the Russian Federation (Region 4) are not eligible to participate in this action. 

Consortium composition (Number and profile of participating organisations)

Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 3 HEIs (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different countries, of which at least 2 different EU Member States and/or third countries associated to the Programme.

Geographic location (Venue of the activities)

Activities must take place in the eligible countries.

Duration of the project

Projects should normally last 74 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).

Previously funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMDs) and Joint Masters (EMJMs) can only apply for renewal at the earliest the year before the contract ends. In no circumstance can two editions of a Master funded by two different grant agreements start in the same academic year.

Where to apply?

To the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.

Call ID: ERASMUS-EDU-2024-PEX-EMJM-MOB

Before applying, please see the relevant FAQs in FTOP.

When to apply?

Applicants have to submit their grant application by 15 February at 17:00:00 (Brussels time).

How to apply?

For information, please consult Part C of the Guide.

 

Applicant organisations will be assessed against the relevant exclusion and selection criteria. For more information please consult Part C of this Guide.

Setting up a project

EMJMs are expected to fulfil the following requirements:  

1. Include a jointly designed and fully integrated curriculum adhering to the Standards for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) applicable on the date of the EMJM application. These standards cover all the key aspects of joint programmes, in terms of joint design, implementation, delivery and quality assurance.

Beyond the Standards for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes, EMJMs put the emphasis on the following joint/common implementation procedures:

• Joint student admission requirements and application, selection, fee policy, monitoring, examination/performance evaluation rules/procedures;  
• Joint programme design and integrated teaching/training activities including a jointly agreed language policy and a joint process for recognition of study periods within the consortium;
• Common services offered to students (e.g. language courses, visa support);
• Joint promotion and awareness-raising activities in order to ensure worldwide visibility of the programme as well as of the Erasmus Mundus scholarship scheme. The promotional strategy should include an integrated and comprehensive specific website (in English, as well as in the main teaching language(s) if different) providing all the necessary information about the programme for students and other relevant stakeholders such as future employers;
• Joint administrative and financial management by the consortium;
• Joint degrees are encouraged, if national legislation allows.

2. Be delivered by a consortium of HEIs and, where relevant other educational and/or non-educational partners, established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme. The consortium must involve at least three HEIs from three different countries, of which at least two must be EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.

   All full partner HEIs (from EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme) must be Master level degree-awarding institutions and award either a joint or a multiple degree attesting the successful completion of the EMJM programme to the students fulfilling the degree requirements.

The necessary institutional commitment of all the organisations participating in the EMJM consortium must be ensured prior to the enrolment of the first EMJM students in order to guarantee solid institutional embedding and backing. This commitment takes the form of an EMJM Partnership Agreement, which must be signed by all partner institutions (including associated partners if deemed relevant). Participating HEIs from third countries not associated to the Programme should commit to the principles of the ECHE in this Partnership Agreement. This EMJM Partnership Agreement will have to cover all academic, operational, administrative and financial aspects related to the implementation of the EMJM and the management of the EMJM scholarships (see below). A draft Partnership Agreement must be provided at application stage.

The EMJM study programme may also benefit from the involvement of associated partners (optional). These organisations contribute indirectly to the implementation of specific tasks/activities and/or support the dissemination and sustainability of the EMJM. Such contribution may for example take the form of knowledge and skills transfer, the provision of complementary courses or backing possibilities for secondment or placement. For eligibility and contractual management aspects, they are not considered as beneficiaries of the Programme funding.

3. Enrol excellent students worldwide. The selection, recruitment and monitoring of individual students fall under the sole responsibility of the EMJM consortium. Student selection must be organised transparently, impartially and equitably. Among these students, a number may benefit from an EMJM scholarship.

An EMJM enrols students at Master level who have obtained a first higher education degree or demonstrate a recognised equivalent level of learning according to national legislation and practices in the degree-awarding countries/institutions.The first generation of enrolled students should not start studying later than the academic year following the year of project selection.

In order to guarantee full transparency, and to define the rights and responsibilities of all enrolled students, both parties (i.e. enrolled students and EMJM consortium) must sign a Student Agreement upon student enrolment in the programme. The Student Agreement template must be published on the EMJM’s website.

4. Include compulsory physical mobility for all enrolled students: The mobility tracks and the mechanism for recognition of study periods among the partner institutions must have been agreed within the consortium at project application stage.

EMJM must include compulsory physical mobility for all enrolled students (EMJM scholarship-holders or not) consisting of a minimum of two study periods in two countries, of which at least one must be a EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. These two countries must be different from the country of residence of the student at enrolment stage. Each of the two mandatory study periods must correspond to a workload of at least one academic semester (30 ECTS credits or equivalent) ³ . Compulsory mobility periods cannot be replaced by virtual mobility. The rest of the study periods can be freely organised. All Master programme study periods must take place in full partner HEIs, or under their direct supervision.

Compulsory mobility periods cannot be replaced by virtual mobility (distance learning).

5. Promote the exchange of staff and invited scholars to contribute to teaching, training, research and administrative activities.
6. The successful completion of the joint EMJM programme must lead to the award of either a joint degree (i.e. one single diploma awarded by at least two HEIs from different countries, of which at least one must be an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme), or multiple degrees (i.e. at least two diplomas awarded by two higher education institutions from different countries, of which at least one must be a EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme), or a combination.

The degree(s) awarded to graduates must belong to the higher education degree systems of the countries in which the HEIs are based. The degree(s) must be mutually recognised by all the awarding full partner HEIs. Consortia should provide students with a joint Diploma Supplement at the end of their studies, covering the entire content of the Master programme.  

At application stage, EMJM proposals must present fully developed joint study programmes, ready to run and to be advertised worldwide immediately after their selection. There is no limitation in terms of disciplines.

The items here below should be included in the application as main expected deliverables during project implementation:

• Project website
• Promotion material
• Student Agreement template
• Degree template(s)
• Signed minutes of the selection meetings
• Internal / external quality review reports
• Sustainability / business plan.

Applicants are recommended to limit the number of deliverable categories to a maximum of 15 in total. 

Beside the financial contribution to run joint Master programmes (see below section on funding rules), any EM funded projects ending in the period 2021-2027 (including those that started during 2014-2020 period) may continue to run the course as Erasmus Mundus master for up to three additional editions after the end of the action, provided that the assessment of the grant agreements performed by EACEA at final reporting stage will result in a score of 75 or more. The concerned masters should commit to (i) continue respecting the objectives, scope, expected impact of the action, (ii) engage to ensure continuity with the previously funded Master programme and (iii) provide an activity report at the end of the period concerned.

Expected impact

At system level

• Foster academic cooperation within the EHEA and beyond by supporting joint teaching and qualifications, quality improvements, promotion of academic excellence;
• Enhance the international dimension of higher education through cooperation between institutions in Europe and abroad, and through mobility for the best students worldwide;
• Increase the synergies between higher education, innovation and research;
• Remove barriers to learning, improving access to high quality and innovation-driven education and making it easier for learners to move between countries;  
• Respond to societal and labour market needs;
• Contribute to the development of innovative education policies.

At institutional level  

• Provide European and non-European HEIs with more opportunities for structured and sustainable academic cooperation worldwide;
• Improve the quality of programmes at Master level and supervision arrangements;
• Increase the internationalisation and competitiveness of participating organisations;
• Support the creation of new networks and enhance the quality of existing ones;
• Increase the attractiveness of the participating organisation(s) towards talented students;
• Contribute to the internationalisation policies of HEIs by developing international awareness through their curricula and the design of comprehensive internationalisation strategies (institutional cooperation and cross-border mobility of people).

At individual level

• Improve the employability of participating students,  
• Improve key competences and skills of students;
• Forge new mind-sets and approaches to academic studies through international, interdisciplinary, intersectoral and intercultural experience;
• Enhance networking and communication capacities of the students;
• Increase the individual contribution to the knowledge-based economy and society.

Award criteria

Relevance of the project (maximum score 30 points)

Background and general objectives

Overall aims and general objectives of the project and their relevance in relation to the EMJM.

EU Values

The proposal is relevant for the respect and promotion of shared EU values, such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as fighting any sort of discrimination.

Needs analysis and specific objectives

• Project rationale and needs analysis on which the proposal is built;
• Issues/challenges/gaps and specific objectives that the project aims to address in academic terms, and with regard to societal and labour market needs.

Complementarity with other actions and innovation

• Strategy to foster excellence and innovation;
• Support to the modernisation and internationalisation strategy of the partner HEIs;
• Project uniqueness and added value when compared with the existing offer of master programmes;
• Strategy to increase the attractiveness, integration, internationalisation, and contribute to the policy objectives of the European Higher Education Area.

Quality of the project design and implementation (maximum score 30 points)

Concept and methodology

Jointness/integration of the EMJMtaking into account the requirements described under the section ‘Setting up a project’. In particular, the proposal describes:

• The academic programme and how excellence and innovative elements in the learning experience will be ensured across the consortium;
• The organisation of study periods including the minimum mobility requirements and the mutual recognition of the learning outcomes/credits;
• The principles and requirements for student application, selection, participation in the course, and student scholarship allocation;
• The services offered to students;
• The contribution of mobile staff and invited scholars to teaching, training, research and administrative activities;
• The specific support measures for facilitating equal and inclusive access to participants, and the enrolment of students/staff/invited scholars with individual needs linked to long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.

Quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation strategy

• The internal and external quality assurance measures of the master programme;
• Extent to which the jointly designed and fully integrated curriculum adheres to the Standards for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes in the European Higher Education Area;
• The joint degree/the degrees to be delivered and its/their recognition by the awarding full partner HEIs, as well as the joint diploma supplement.

Project teams, staff and experts

Project teams and how they will work together to implement the project.

Cost effectiveness and financial management

Management of EU funding, mobilisation of complementary funding, and budget plan.

Risk management

Identification of risks in the project implementation, and planning of adequate mitigating measures.

Quality of the partnership and the cooperation arrangements (maximum score 20 points)

Consortium setup

• Rationale for the consortium composition and complementarities of the partners; their added value for the EMJM implementation and how each partner draws benefit from its participation in the project.  
• Innovative character of the consortium and inclusion of partners with different levels of experience with the Erasmus Mundus action. If applicable:  
  • how the existing Erasmus Mundus consortium has been enhanced
  • how the cooperation with non-educational actors is organised and for which purpose.
• Definition of roles and tasks of each partner, and level of involvement in project activities

Consortium management and decision-making

• Cooperation arrangements, governing bodies and management tools in particular concerning the administrative and financial management;
• Institutional commitment of the partner institutions for the implementation of the EMJM;
• Adequacy of the draft Partnership Agreement for an effective management of the EMJM.

Impact (maximum score 20 points)

Impact and ambition

• Impact at system level (in and outside the academia, including general public and society), institutional level (partner organisations), and individual level (with particular emphasis on employability);
• Projections in terms of number of enrolled students within the timeframe of the project. Measures to ensure country balance in the recruitment of students.       

Communication, dissemination and visibility

• Promotion strategy in order to attract excellent students worldwide: target groups, tasks of the partners, and how students will be encouraged to contribute to the Erasmus+ identity/community;
• Dissemination, exploitation and visibility strategy.

Sustainability and continuation

• Mid/long-term development and sustainability strategy beyond the EU funding period, including the mobilisation of other funding sources;
• Synergies/complementary with other (EU and non-EU funded) activities that can build on the project results

 

To be considered for funding, applications must score at least 70 points, and must comply with the minimum pass score for each of the four award criteria (i.e. minimum 22 points for the category ‘Relevance of the project‘, minimum 15 points for the category ’Quality of the project design and implementation"; minimum 10 points for the categories ’Quality of the partnership and the cooperation arrangements‘ and ’Impact’).

Ex-aequo proposals will be prioritised according to the scores they have been awarded for the award criterion ‘Relevance’. When these scores are equal, priority will be based on their scores for the criterion ‘Quality of the project design and implementation’. When these scores are equal, priority will be based on their scores for the criterion ‘Impact’. If this does not allow to determine the priority, a further prioritisation can be done by considering the overall project portfolio and the creation of positive synergies between projects, or other factors related to the objectives of the call. These factors will be documented in the panel report.

What are the funding rules?

The EMJM grant is calculated on the basis of the following three components:

• a contribution to the institutional costs for the implementation of the programme;
• a maximum number of student scholarships to be awarded throughout the duration of the agreement.
• a top-up intended to cover individual needs of students with disabilities

This contribution is intended to finance at least 4 editions of the Master programme, each lasting 1 to 2 academic years (60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits).

Contribution to the institutional costs of the EMJM

This takes the form of a unit cost per enrolled student and is intended to cover part of the costs linked to the implementation of the EMJM programme.

The unit costs includes staff costs (teaching, travel), invited guest lecturers, promotion, dissemination, organisational costs (including full insurance coverage for the enrolled students, financial support to enrolled students with individual needs in case they are not covered by the top-up mechanism (see below), assistance with accommodation, and other student services), administrative costs, and all other costs necessary to implement a successful Master programme.

Selected projects cannot charge student application fees. Moreover, projects cannot charge tuition fees or other mandatory costs related to student participation in the course to Erasmus Mundus scholarship holders.
 
The maximum contribution to the institutional costs is:  750 Euros/month x DR x NRES

Where:

• DR = max. duration in months of the Master programme (i.e. 12, 18, 24 months)
• NRES = number of enrolled students (scholarship and non-scholarship holders) foreseen for the entire duration of the grant agreement.

Note that for the calculation of the grant, NRES will be capped at 100 (excluding top up scholarships for targeted regions of the world, if applicable).

Student scholarships

The scholarship will be a contribution to the costs incurred by the beneficiary students and shall cover travel, visa, installation and subsistence costs. It is calculated on the basis of a monthly unit cost for the entire period needed by the enrolled scholarship holder to complete the study programme (pro-rata of the actual number of days). This period covers study, research, placement activities, thesis preparation and defence, in line with the requirement of the joint Master. During this period, the scholarship can only be awarded in full, and to full-time students.

The scholarship is awarded for full-time enrolment, and will cover the entire duration of the Master programme (i.e. 12, 18, 24 months). A reduced duration of the scholarship is applicable in case of recognition of prior learning (with a minimum scholarship duration of one academic year).

Students who have previously obtained an EMJM scholarship are not eligible to apply for an additional scholarship under the EMJM.

EMJM scholarships can be offered to students from all over the world. However, consortia should ensure geographical balance – i.e. no more than 10% of the total number of scholarships awarded during project implementation should be awarded to candidates from the same nationality (this rule does not apply to top up scholarships for targeted regions of the world, if applicable).

Calculation of the maximum scholarship per student:

The scholarship is calculated as: 1 400 Euros/month x DS

Where DS = duration of the Master programme.

Calculation of the maximum EMJM scholarship amount for the duration of the grant agreement:

The maximum scholarship amount is calculated as: 1 400 Euros/month x DR x NRS
Where:

• DR = max. duration in months of the Master programme (i.e. 12, 18, 24 months)
• NRS = number of scholarships foreseen for the entire duration of the grant agreement (maximum 60, excluding top up scholarships for targeted regions of the world, if applicable)

Contribution to individual needs of students with disabilities

Contribution for individual needs are eligible if they fulfil the general eligibility conditions set in the grant agreement. They will be used for enrolled students (with or without scholarship) with disabilities (e.g. long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments), such as those related to the acquisition of special items or services (e.g. assistance by third persons, adaptation of work environment, additional travel/transportation costs).
 
The support to cover such individual needs of enrolled students, will take the form of the following special needs unit costs:

(a) EUR 3 000
(b) EUR 4 500
(c) EUR 6 000
(d) EUR 9 500
(e) EUR 13 000
(f) EUR 18 500
(g) EUR 27 500
(h) EUR 35 500
(i) EUR 47 500
(j) EUR 60 000

Calculation of the unit cost contribution per student:

Enrolled students will declare what type of items/services are needed and their cost. The applicable unit cost will be identified as the rate corresponding to or immediately lower than the estimated expenses. This unit cost is a contribution, and is not intended to fully cover the actual costs.

NB: costs below the lowest rate (i.e. less than EUR 3 000) will not be eligible for additional support and will have to be covered by the contribution to the institutional costs of the EMJM or by other funding sources of the beneficiary institutions.

Calculation of the maximum contribution allocated to the EMJM for the duration of the grant agreement:

At application stage, based on their estimation, applicants will request a maximum of two unit costs, corresponding to the highest unit costs available, i.e. max 2 x EUR 60 000. This amount will be used to allocate the unit costs to the concerned students.

At implementation stage, the unit costs will take the form of a monthly unit contribution, calculated as follows:

{special needs unit x (1/number of months)}

The number of months in the formula above shall correspond to the number of months the special needs items or services were used or produced for implementing the action, depending on the nature of the items or services. For one-off costs, the number of months shall correspond to 1.

Additional funds for students from targeted regions of the world

The applicants may apply for additional funds for students from third countries not associated to the Programme from the following regions: Regions 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 financed by the EU’s external action instruments.

EMJMs proposed for funding may receive up to 18 additional scholarships (including the corresponding institutional costs) funded by the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation – Global Europe Instrument (NDICI), and up to 3 additional scholarships (including the corresponding institutional costs) funded by the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) for the entire duration of the Master course. These additional scholarships are offered to respond to the external action priorities of the EU with regard to higher education and take into consideration the different levels of economic and social development in the relevant third countries not associated to the Programme. These scholarships will be allocated to the EMJMs selected for funding according to their ranking in descending order, and taking into account the available budget.

Further information on the amounts available under each budgetary envelope will be published on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal (FTOP). The funds will have to be used in a geographically balanced way and institutions are encouraged to recruit students in the poorest and least developed third countries not associated to the Programme.

The geographical targets and indicative budget share set for this action are the following:

• Region 1 (Western Balkans) : Particular focus will be on scholarships in the fields of climate change, environment and energy, digital technologies, engineering, sustainable growth and jobs
• Region 3 (Neighbourhood South): 8% of the budget available from NDICI.
• Region 5 (Asia): 23% of the budget available from NDICI. Priority will be given to least developed countries.
• Region 6 (Central Asia): 9% of the budget available from NDICI. Priority will be given to least developed countries.
• Region 7 (Middle East): 3% of the budget available from NDICI. Priority will be given to least developed countries.
• Region 8 (Pacific): 1% of the budget available from NDICI. Priority will be given to least developed countries.
• Region 9 (Sub-Saharan Africa): 31% of the budget available from NDICI. Priority will be given to least developed countries. A special emphasis shall also be put on migration priority countries. No country may access more than 8% of funding foreseen for the Region.
• Region 10 (Latin America): 24% of the budget available from NDICI. Maximum of 30% to Brazil and Mexico together.
• Region 11 (Caribbean): 1% of the budget available from NDICI.

The regional target budgets and priorities apply indicatively at project level and will be monitored at implementation stage.

Calculation of the final grant

The final grant will be calculated at final reporting stage on the basis of the number of scholarships awarded, the number of students enrolled and the actual number of unit costs allocated for individual needs, provided that the total amount does not exceed the maximum grant awarded. Projects will have flexibility to transfer funds between scholarships (excluding top up scholarships for targeted regions of the world, if applicable) and individual needs depending on the real needs and in accordance with the grant agreement. Transfers between budget headings and between funding instruments are not allowed.

More details are described in the model Grant Agreement available in the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal (FTOP).

Lot 2: Erasmus Mundus Design Measures

Erasmus Mundus Design Measures should enhance the capacities of universities to modernise and internationalise their curricula and teaching practices, pool resources, and for higher education systems to develop common mechanisms related to quality assurance, accreditation and recognition of degrees and credits. The support is also intended to explore and exploit the opportunities offered by the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes. Based on the high degree of jointness/integration among the participating institutions, such integrated transnational programmes should contribute to the integration and internationalisation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

Objective of Erasmus Mundus Design Measures

The main objective of the Erasmus Mundus Design Measures is to encourage the development of new, innovative, high-level integrated transnational study programmes at Master level. These design measures should involve Erasmus Mundus under-represented (a) EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and/or (b) institutions from these countries, and/or (c) thematic areas (see Erasmus Mundus Catalogue). Beneficiaries should provide a level of education corresponding to level 7 of the international standard classification of education ISCED 2011.

Which are the criteria to be met to apply for Erasmus Mundus Design Measures?

Elgibility criteria

In order to be eligible for an Erasmus+ grant, project proposals for Erasmus Mundus Design Measures must comply with the following criteria:

Who can apply?

In order to be eligible, the applicants must

• be legal entities
• be higher education institutions (HEIs) established in one of the eligible countries, i.e. an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or in an eligible third country not associated to the Programme.

Exception: organisations from Belarus (Region 2) are not eligible to participate in this action.

HEIs established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme must be holders of the ECHE certificate (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education).

An ECHE is not required for participating HEIs from third countries not associated to the Programme, but they will have to commit to its principles.

Venue of the activities

Activities must take place in the eligible countries.

Duration of the project

Projects should normally last 15 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).

Where to apply?

To the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.

Call ID: ERASMUS-EDU-2024-EMJM-DESIGN

When to apply?

Applicants have to submit their grant application by 15 February at 17:00:00 (Brussels time).

How to apply?

For information, please consult Part C of this Guide.

 

Applicant organisations will be assessed against the relevant exclusion and selection criteria. For more information please consult Part C of this Guide.

Setting up a project

The EMDM support the design of high-level study programmes at Master level ⁴ , jointly delivered by an international consortium of HEIs from different countries worldwide and, where relevant, other educational and/or non-educational partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study areas/professional domains.

EMDM are mono-beneficiary projects. The beneficiary will initiate contacts and collaboration activities in view of setting up a Master programme in line with the definition of an “integrated Master programme” (see section EMJM “Setting up a project”). At application stage, the beneficiary should identify the participating organisations. However, these will not take part in the signatory process of the grant agreement. The planned activities will be described under Part B of the application form and in a single work package.

By the end of the funding period, the jointly designed Master should:

• Offer a fully integrated curriculum delivered by a consortium of HEIs (composed by at least three HEIs from three different countries, of which at least two must be EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme);
• Aim at recruiting excellent students worldwide;
• Include compulsory physical mobility for all recruited students;
• Lead to either a joint degree (i.e. one single diploma awarded by at least two HEIs from different countries, of which at least one must be a EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme), or multiple degrees (i.e. at least two diplomas awarded by two higher education institutions from different countries, of which at least one must be a EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme), or a combination.

Also, the project is expected to have designed the following joint mechanisms:

• Joint student admission requirements and application, selection, monitoring, examination/performance evaluation rules/procedures;
• Joint programme and integrated teaching/training activities;
• A plan for common services offered to students (e.g. language courses, visa support);
• Joint promotion and awareness-raising strategy;
• Joint administrative and financial management strategy;
• A joint degree policy;
• A draft joint partnership agreement involving at least three HEIs from three different countries, of which at least two should be EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme. This agreement is intended to cover all academic, operational, administrative and financial aspects related to the implementation of the Master programme.
• A draft joint Student Agreement.

The above mentioned items should be included in the application as main expected deliverables at the end of project implementation.

The Master programme under development is expected to adhere to the Standards for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

It is encouraged to at least launch any accreditation/evaluation process before the end of the project, and explore the opportunities offered by the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (if national legislation allows).

Expected impact

• Provide European and non-European HEIs with opportunities for developing new partnerships;
• Improve the quality and foster innovation in programmes at Master level and supervision arrangements;
• Increase internationalisation and competitiveness of participating organisations;
• Increase the attractiveness of the participating organisation(s) towards talented students;
• Contribute to the internationalisation policies of universities by developing international awareness through their curricula and the design of comprehensive internationalisation strategies (institutional cooperation and cross-border mobility of people).

Award criteria

Relevance of the project (maximum score 40 points)

Background and general objectives

Overall aims and general objectives of the project and their relevance in relation to the Erasmus Mundus Design Measure and in particular the objective to develop new, high-level integrated transnational study programmes at Master level.

EU Values

The proposal is relevant for the respect and promotion of shared EU values, such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as fighting any sort of discrimination.

Needs analysis and specific objectives

• Rationale for the design of a highly integrated Master programme.
• Contribution to the development of new partnerships and potential to involve Erasmus Mundus underrepresented (a) EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and/or (b) institutions from these countries, and/or (c) thematic areas.

Complementarity with other actions and innovation

Project ambition compared to the offer of existing Master programmes and contribution to the attractiveness of the EHEA.

Quality of the project design and implementation (maximum score 20 points)

Concept and methodology

Adequacy and feasibility of the planned activities to achieve the objectives and expected outcomes.

Project management and quality assurance

• Measures foreseen to ensure that the project implementation is of high quality and completed in time.
• Planned steps to launch an accreditation/evaluation process for the proposed Master course, if possible taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes.

Project teams, staff and experts

• Foreseen operational resources (including participating organisations) in relation to the planned activities and outcomes.
• Definition of roles and distribution of tasks in the project team.

Quality of the partnership and cooperation arrangements (maximum score 20 points)

Consortium set-up

• Expected role of the participating organisations. Their contribution to the implementation of the project, and the design of the master programme.
• Rationale of their participation, added value and complementarity.

Impact (maximum score 20 points)

Impact and ambition

Expected impact and ambition of the new EMDM project.

Communication, dissemination and visibility

Activities foreseen for the promotion and dissemination of the new Master programme and project outcomes.

Sustainability and continuation

Envisaged steps to successfully launch/implement the new Master programme (including institutional endorsement) and foreseen measures to ensure its sustainability (including identification of possible sources of funding).

 

To be considered for funding, applications must score at least 60 points, and must comply with the minimum pass score for each of the four award criteria (i.e. minimum 20 points for the category ‘Relevance of the project‘ and 10 points for the categories ’Quality of the project design and implementation"; ’Quality of the partnership and the cooperation arrangements‘ and ’Impact’).

Ex-aequo proposals will be prioritised according to the scores they have been awarded for the award criterion ‘Relevance’. When these scores are equal, priority will be based on their scores for the criterion ‘Quality of the project design and implementation’. When these scores are equal, priority will be based on their scores for the criterion ‘Impact’. If this does not allow to determine the priority, a further prioritisation can be done by considering the overall project portfolio and the creation of positive synergies between projects, or other factors related to the objectives of the call. These factors will be documented in the panel report.

What are the funding rules?

This action follows a lump-sum funding model.

The lump sum contribution will cover the costs directly linked to the activities necessary to set up the new Master programme, such as meetings and conferences, studies/surveys, accreditation/evaluation process, etc. The contribution can also be used to cover staff costs, travel and accommodation costs, administrative costs and sub-contracted activities, in so far as relevant for the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus Design Measures.

The EU grant per project is as follows: EUR 60 000.

The grant parameters will be fixed in the Grant Agreement.

For the final payment of the grant, beneficiaries will need to provide evidence that the activities and outcomes foreseen in their application have been completed in a full and satisfactory manner.

More details are described in the model Grant Agreement available in the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal (FTOP).

 

Footnote

• 1 Level 7 of the International Standard Classification of Education ISCED 2011. ↩ back
• 2 Unless specific and official provisions linked to the implementation of Erasmus Mundus are in place at national/regional level (to be examined case by case by EACEA) ↩ back
• 3 Exceptionally, for study programmes of 60 ECTS credits each of the mandatory study periods can correspond to at least 20 ECTS or equivalent. ↩ back
• 4 LEVEL 7 OF THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF EDUCATION ISCED 2011. ↩ back