• About EUA
• EUA Membership & Services
• EUA Work & Policy Area
• EUA Projects
• EUA Council for Doctoral Education
• Institutional Evaluation Programme
• EUA Events
• Publications
• Press Corner
• Job Opportunities at EUA

I. Primarily for prospective students

1. What is the difference between "joint", "double", and "integrated" programmes?

Unfortunately, there is no common definition of what constitutes "joint" degrees, "double" degrees and "integrated" programmes or curricula. Different terms are sometimes used to mean the same thing, and one term is sometimes used to signify different things.

EUA agrees with the common characteristics of joint degrees as outlined by the ENIC and NARIC Networks in their Recommendation on Joint Degrees :

• the programmes are developed and/or approved jointly by several institutions;
• students from each participating institution physically take part in the study programme at other institutions (but they do not necessarily study at all cooperating institutions);
• a students' stay at the participating institutions should constitute a substantial part of the programme;
• periods of study and examinations passed at the partner institutions are recognized fully and automatically;
• the partner institutions work out the curriculum joint and cooperate on admission and examinations;
• after completing the full programme, students either obtain the national degree of each participating institution or a degree (usually an unofficial "certificate" or "diploma") awarded jointly by the partner institutions;
• require that the providing and awarding bodies enter into appropriate agreements before a collaborative programme is validated or a joint award is made;
• Double degrees tend to indicate that two study programmes were developed together, and a student completes one before pursuing the second, receiving a double degree (two national degrees) upon their completion.

2. What are the advantages of studying for a joint programme/degree?

Recent graduates tend to cite the international learning environment of joint degrees as their greatest benefit. As study programmes that require students to study in different countries and universities with professors and peers from widely varying academic and cultural traditions, joint programmes place students in situations which require flexibility, openness to diversity, and creative approaches to learning. Additionally, many programmes provide students with the opportunity to improve their language skills and their understanding of different European environments. Generally, graduates have found that employers are favourable to the international experience offered by joint degrees and recommend the experience to other students interested in a challenging and creative degree.

3. Will my qualification be automatically recognised everywhere in Europe?

In most cases (due to legal difficulties and formal regulations) a joint curriculum with study periods at multiple institutions currently leads to just one national degree, often accompanied by a "joint certificate". This situation is due to the lack of explicit approval within national legislations to approve jointly-awarded university degrees. A national degree received from an institution participating in a Joint Masters programme is eligible for the same recognition as all other national degrees under the Lisbon Convention.

4. Where can I find information on existing Joint Masters programmes in Europe?

At the moment this information is not centralised so the best approach is to contact universities' international offices, or to search through universities' programme calendars. EUA recognises the need for one central information source, and we are looking into ways to organise such a service on our website.

5. Does EUA offer funding for students wishing to participate in a Joint Masters programme?

Unfortunately, EUA is not in a position to finance individual studies. Specific funding for Joint Masters programmes, to our knowledge, are not yet available either, leaving only national funds and Erasmus grants as options.

6. What programmes does EUA "recommend"?

The EUA Joint Masters Project was designed to learn from the experience of a variety of programmes and to generate useful recommendations for currently exisiting or future programmes. The Project was not designed to compare or evaluate existing programmes and has not included curriculum content in its study. EUA is therefore not in a position to recommend any programmes.

7. What is Erasmus Mundus / World?

Erasmus Mundus is the EU co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education which promotes the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. It tries to enhance the visibility and attractiveness of European higher education in third countries. It supports European top-quality Masters Courses and provides EU-funded scholarships for third-country nationals (i.e. citizens of non-European Union countries) participating in these Masters Courses, as well as scholarships for EU nationals studying in third countries.

The Commission estimates that around 480 students would participate in the programme by 2008, and approximately 100 programmes would be designated as "Erasmus Mundus Courses". The overall budget for the programme amounts to €230 million over a five-year period (2004-2008); the bulk of the budget, approximately 90%, goes into scholarships.

Please consult the European Commission website for more information

II. Primarily for interested university academics and administrators

8. Can I still apply to participate in the Joint Masters Project?

No, because the project finished in January 2004 with the publication of the report Developing Joint Masters Programmes for Europe.

9. How can I find partners to start a new Joint Masters programme?

The preliminary findings from our study indicate that the most successful Joint Masters programmes are established upon existing research contacts. Developing and sustaining a Joint Masters programme requires a considerable degree of trust that can usefully be found in relationships with established partners. Similarly, when considering whether to start a new joint programme, you should think seriously if there is an academic need to operate in a wider network as this is the most important criteria. If you are seeking partners in a country where you do not have contacts, EUA may be able to assist by putting you in touch with the appropriate university or national rectors' conference.

10. If I start a Joint Masters programme, how can I know how much it will cost my institution?

The Project's experience thus far has shown that it is difficult to be precise about the additional costs incurred by an institution offering a joint degree compared to a regular degree. Experience has also shown, however, that to succeed as dynamic and sustainable programme, international face-to-face meetings (not just virtual) for both academic and administrative staff in the entire network on a regular basis are essential. In addition, the costs of sharing teaching resources (ideally including professor mobility), the additional administrative procedures that arise with large numbers of mobile students, as well as introductory language training all need consideration. It is therefore essential that clear financial support from all institutions involved is agreed before undertaking such a programme. However, it is also likely that certain partner institutions within your network will be stronger and richer than others. For that reason, it is important to look at the resources available to the proposed network as a whole, and that consideration is given as to how best ensure fruitful and beneficial cooperation with institutions or countries that are less well-endowed.

11. Can EUA provide funding for the development of Joint Masters programmes?

Unfortunately, EUA, as a non-profit organisation financed by its members, is not in a position to finance the development of particular programmes.