Study on Joint Programmes

During the last decade joint study programmes have become an increasingly important element in the educational strategies of many European higher education institutions (HEIs). Although the idea of joint study programmes was introduced to the European HE cooperation already in 1976 their development has been substantially boosted through the implementation of the Bologna Process and especially through the Erasmus Mundus programme.

The Erasmus Mundus National Structures of 15 countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom) are implementing an Erasmus Mundus Action 3 project called “INTERUV: Joint Programmes - facilitator for university internationalization".  But how many European HEIs have taken this as an action to be completed?  One of the project aims, is to find out whether and how joint study programmes are included in HEIs mission and/or development strategies, and whether they are used as a tool for internationalisation.

During this period there has also been a significant change in the legislation of the European countries, removing most formal obstacles for joint degrees among institutions from different countries. Nevertheless, many obstacles still exist, on different levels.

In the communiqué from the last ministerial Bologna Process summit (conference of ministers responsible for higher education, Bucharest, April 2012) HEIs were called to “adopt and implement their own strategy for their internationalisation”. Thus, in the framework of the INTERUV project, we would like to find out more about the internationalisation strategies of the European HEIs,  and the role, if any, played in it by joint study programmes. We will use the feedback received to provide HEIs with a picture of the current situation in each of the countries and help them to build or innovate their own internationalisation strategies. A benefit that can only be achieved if we all join our forces.