Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 1 Workshop 3 01/12 Engineering, Environment, IT & Telecommunication

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 2 Where we are & where can we/do we want to go? Realistic reasons why candidates apply; Are the European societies aware of the potential of EMMCs; EMMCs added value for European & third country students/scholars; Long term sustainability; Implementation of a pan-European EMMC Curriculum; Students as our main pillars & ambassadors; Thematic Students workshops – Role of Alumni Associations;

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 3 Realistic main reasons why candidates apply Are we sure the EMMCs attractiveness and competitivity are high enough? Key futures that are really appealing when compared to other destinations: High value of the scholarship Help in getting the Visa Insurance scheme Guarantee of good international office services Safety However Variety of languages and cultures are seen as obstacles; Mobility may be appealing but is also an added difficulty & stress; Scientific excellence is not necessarily the first reason for their choice; Europe’s teaching methodologies & career prospects are not very promising;

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 4 Is Europe really aware of the potential of EMMCs Keep/ improve the quality of their courses via international collaboration (joining strengths); Projection of Smaller European Universities; Provide a good number of students: continuation of some courses, namely in the field of science & engineering; Research collaborations at European level (joint supervision of Master thesis) & with third countries (scholars and Action 3); Yet, any extra funding from the Science & Higher education ministries? Some consulates have not even heard of this programme! Are your colleagues really aware of this?

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 5 Is Europe really aware of the potential of EMMCs (cont.) Industries both national and multinational can recruit graduates trained at: a recognised high scientific level and in a multicultural environment; The European Society gains: little by little cities where EMMCs are being run receive students from rather different cultural backgrounds; Yet, little is known about these programmes at local.

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 6 EMMCs added value for European & third country students/scholars For students: Courses delivered in English World Expert lectures from the consortium & 3rd country scholars Possibility of mobility within the consortium Joint thesis Joint degree Multicultural environment Networking – an investment in the future! For scholars: Opportunity to strengthen research collaborations and/or start new ones; Opportunity to work on curriculum development and exchange teaching and assessment practices;

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 7 Long term sustainability Ensure EMMCs attractiveness and competitivity is really enough based on criteria Identified by surveys. Extra funding from Ministries of Science & Higher Education. Get companies to sponsor some students and/ or scholars. Get third countries to sponsor some students and/or scholars. Get international aid organizations to sponsor some students.

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 8 Similar efforts have been made at undergraduate level: Example: ECTN – European Chemistry Thematic Network Eurobachelor degree why not an “EuroMaster” degree Implementation of a pan-European EMMC Curriculum Drawbacks: Need for homogenisation of academic background; Impossible to specialise and go in depth into a particular field; Assets Complementarities of knowledge  innovation!

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 9 Students as our main pillars & ambassadors Any ECMMs success will depend on the graduates produced: If they are impressed with the services provided; If they reach a high scientific level together with other skills such as: languages; multicultural awareness/respect; team spirit; flexibility; Then Our graduates will certainly get the word around the world to future candidates and their employers will want to hear from them too.

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 10 Opportunity to - Disseminate these courses inside + outside the institutions - Disseminate the spirit of EMMCs - Show the high scientific level - Promote networking between students; scholars and companies; - Promote job opportunities - Help students to develop other skills. Thematic Students’ workshop – Role of Alumni Associations

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 11 EMMS 1 st cohort organised an workshop last year. -Raised awareness of the programme -Guests from industry and 3rd country scholar who attend learned a lot more about the programme. -Media coverage (though only at national level) -Helped 2 nd cohort to bond with 1 st cohort and find areas of common scientific interest. -Plans to take the initiative further are in the horizon and work is underway within the Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association. Thematic Students’ workshop (cont.)

Consortium: EMMS Speaker: Ana Barros 12 Conclusion EMMCs attractiveness and competitivity has to be improved if we aim at sustainability; ECMMs are of great interest to Europe as a whole (Universities; Companies; Societies). Therefore, decision-makers must understand fully the potential of ECMMS; The creation of a pan-European EMMC CV and degree may be a significant contribution. Graduates and the Alumni Associations will certainly be a major contribution Potential for inter-universities and inter-disciplines co- operation