An Institutional Award and a Best Poster Award for Unipd participation in the Erasmus Mundus Programme

28.05.2024

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Erasmus Mundus programme, the European Commission initiative that provides for the joint delivery of master’s programmes (equivalent to master's degrees in Italy) in collaboration with international partners, conceived and carried out jointly by a group of higher education institutions. Joint Master programmes involve at least three institutions from at least three different countries and multiple associated partners from both academic and non-academic sectors; they include periods of study, research, internships, preparation, and discussion of a thesis.

For this reason, the University of Padua was awarded an Institutional Award as it is among the 10 institutions that have participated in the Erasmus Mundus programme for the longest time. “For its outstanding contribution to the success of the Erasmus Mundus action within the Erasmus+ programme, as one of the select few institutions with the longest and largest participation in this action, and as a beacon of excellence in the delivery of Erasmus Mundus programmes.”

The award was presented by the European Commission on Monday, May 27, in Brussels. It was received by Mara Thiene, delegate for Joint Degrees and International Rankings at the University of Padua. “The University of Padua has been participating in this programme since 2004, with 39 joint degree programmes,” commented Mara Thiene. “The Erasmus Mundus programmes have had an extremely positive impact on our University, in terms of expanding collaborations with foreign universities, the ability to attract quality students from all over the world, the adoption of innovative teaching methodologies, implications for the reputation of our University also in international rankings, and finally a significant improvement in administrative processes and services offered to students. This recognition is the result of an institutional strategy that our University has pursued and supported over time, aimed at supporting internationalization and specifically joint degree programs.”

At the conference, the University of Padua also won a second award: the Master CCD–STeDe received the Best Poster Award “for its outstanding and tangible way of showcasing the impact of this Erasmus Mundus Master Programme at multiple levels.”