Public Policy

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The Erasmus Mundus Masters Program in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP) is a 2-year-long international Masters course funded by the European Commission. It directly responds to the educational needs created by the rapidly changing global environment and new public policy challenges. Mundus MAPP equips graduates with the conceptual knowledge and hard skills that are necessary for understanding and decisively intervening in contemporary transnational policy problems, from climate change to international terrorism or financial regulatory failure.

It provides a detailed and systematic understanding of how political institutions, processes and public policies operate and interact from the global political economy through to national and local levels with a direct focus on European engagements at these levels of governance. Inter-disciplinarity and practical application of conceptual knowledge are hallmarks of Mundus MAPP.

Four leading European universities joined forces to deliver Mundus MAPP: Central European University in Budapest (Hungary), Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals (Spain), the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University in the Hague (Netherlands), and the University of York (UK). Building on Mundus MAPP's successful track record, the integrated curriculum provides a uniform core of policy studies as well as modules specific to particular mobility tracks, drawn predominantly from the fields of International Relations, European Studies and Development Studies.

The four mobility tracks allow students to specialise in Political Economy and Development, Governance and Development, and European and Global Public Policy, respectively. Each mobility track includes a field trip to a relevant public sector organisation and an internship.

Mundus MAPP's unique combination of strong conceptual foundations with practice and policy-oriented learning will provide graduates with transferable skills and subject-specific knowledge for embarking on or furthering professional careers as policy-makers, policy-analysts and advisors in the civil service, international organisations or the corporate and non-governmental sectors, and for enrolling in doctoral programs in a range of relevant subjects. Mundus MAPP graduates will have a thorough knowledge of European policy making milieus and solid institutional and personal networks that will take them forward to leadership roles and constructive future engagements within Europe and the rest of the world.

The European Commission's Erasmus Mundus program provides scholarships to outstanding students from within and outside the European Union to attend Mundus MAPP and to visiting scholars to participate in teaching and research. The Consortium universities also support these students by offering partial tuition fee waivers to Erasmus Mundus scholarship recipients.

Starting from the study period 2012-14, students successfully completing a program will receive a Master of Arts in Public Policy jointly awarded by the two consortium institutions they attend, as well as a diploma supplement. The official approval (accreditation) of the degree by the relevant authorities in the countries where Mundus MAPP universities are located is in progress, expected to be completed by February 2012. For the mobility track involving ISS and IBEI see information below.

Information for current students (cohorts 2010-12 and 2011-13)

1. A foundation year in policy studies and research methods at either the University of York OR the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, finishing with a thesis;

2. An annual summer school, jointly taught by consortium academics and Erasmus Mundus visiting scholars, at the end of the first academic year, designed to provide maximum integration and interaction between Mundus MAPP students and academic staff at all institutions;

3. A second specialised year in the transnational dimensions of policy at either Central European University, Budapest, OR the Institut Barcelona dEstudis Internacionals (IBEI) finishing with an applied research or policy paper;

4. An internship at a relevant policy institution where students will have the chance to gain practical experience in policy analysis, normally after the second academic year.

Mobility tracks overview

First YearSummerSecond YearSummerI) ISS, The Hague summer school CEU Budapest Internship* II) ISS, The Hague summer school IBEI Barcelona Internship* III) York summer school CEU Budapest Internship* IV) York summer school IBEI Barcelona Internship*

*Students with significant work experience may be exempt from the internship requirement.

Summer school

Integration between years 1 and 2 is enhanced by a week-long summer school course, taking place every year, at one of consortium partner institutions each year. All Mundus MAPP students are required to take part in the summer course, ensuring that students taking different study paths at different institutions meet and exchange views and experiences. With completion of the summer school Mundus MAPP students will be able to earn credits recognised as part of their year 2 requirements and contributing towards their final degree. Part of the summer school's curriculum will be a core or fixed element focused on trans-European policy and governance while another part of the curriculum will change year after year, reflecting the complementary expertise of each of the partner universities, as shown below.

The summer school will be team-taught by academic staff from all four participating institutions as well as visiting Erasmus Mundus scholars. Importantly, scholars from some of the member universities of the GARNET Network will be invited to participate. The summer school will thus also create opportunities for students, visiting scholars and academic staff to interact with one another and in this way generate a sense of cohesion and facilitate the emergence of informal networks within Mundus MAPP as a whole. The summer school will also be open to previous years' Mundus MAPP graduates, thereby acting as a forum and meeting place for alumni and current students, visiting scholars and permanent staff. Mundus MAPP students will be required to submit written work for assessment.

Summer school agenda 2008-2012
YearVenue/HostCore componentsSpecial focus (tbc)2008 York/Univ. of York Regional integration in the world: Issues and prospects The challenge of further enlargement to European governance 2009 Barcelona/IBEI Policy transfer and regional governance European governance and International Relations 2010 Budapest/CEU European public policy and governance International partnerships for development and European governance 2011 The Hague/ISS European public policy and governance Public administration and European public policy 2012 Barcelona/IBEI European public policy and governance tbc

Internship

The aim of the internship component of the programme is to provide students with the opportunity to experience the policy process at first hand and deepen conceptual understanding with policy work. Internships normally take place after completing the academic requirements in year 2 of the programme. Although students need to secure placements themselves, consortium institutions facilitate internships by providing information, advice and support. Students with significant and relevant work experience may apply for an exemption from the internship requirement.

Degrees and accreditation

Mundus MAPP graduates will receive double degrees comprising of two of the following degrees as well as a diploma supplement at the end of their study period:*

InstitutionDegreeApproval/accreditation of degreeInstitute of Social Studies, The Hague MA in Development Studies Netherlands Ministry of Education (1998). OR University of York MA in Public Administration & Public Policy York operates with its own charter from UK parliament. In combination with: Central European University, Budapest MA in Public Policy CEU Institutional accreditation by the Hungarian Accreditation Board based on Act LXI /2004 (as of 10 March 2005). CEU absolute charter/institutional accreditation with the US New York State Department of Education (NYSED) (1991) and with the US Middle States Commission for Higher Education (24 June 2004); MPP degree registration with NYSED (4 October 2004). OR Institut Barcelona dEstudis Internacionals Master's in International Relations IBEI has been recognised by the regional government as an Inter-University Institute for research and graduate teaching ('Universitats, Recerca i Societat de la Informació' Department of the Catalan Government, 22-7-2004). The Master's in International Relations is awarded jointly by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the Universitat de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. The programme is accredited by the Spanish Accreditation Agency ANECA.

* Please note that both MA degrees will be awarded upon completion of the full Mundus MAPP programme.

Mundus MAPP curriculum at IBEI

Programme structure 2010-2011:
Programme start and end date: 27 September 2010- 30 September 2011 (plus internship)
First semester: 27 Sept 2010 - 4 Feb 2011 (Exams, research project and essay hand-in period: From 31 January to 4 February 2011).
Second semester: 14 Feb 2011 - 17 June 2011 (Exams, research project and essay hand-in period: From 13 to 17 June 2011).
Summer period (July-September 2010): preparation of final research project
Deadline for submitting the final research paper: 30 September 2011

The IBEI Admissions Office offers a personalised service for future students, providing information and answering doubts or queries about the programmes. Furthermore, it receives and monitors all the documents submitted by the applicants, notifying them of acceptance, or not, to the chosen programmes.

Erasmus Mundus scholarships for students
Erasmus Mundus scholarships are available for students accepted to Mundus MAPP. The Mundus MAPP universities select candidates in a competitive process from among eligible applicants, and forward the names to the European Commission for approval under the Erasmus Mundus Programme. Please note that candidates are NOT required to apply directly to the Commission for funding (indeed this is not possible). A condition of the scholarship is acceptance to Mundus MAPP.
Candidates who are awarded an Erasmus Mundus scholarship are required to complete the entire 2-year long Mundus MAPP program, and will receive both their degrees only upon completion of the full program. Completion of year 1 alone, for instance, will not be recognized with a degree.

Eligibility for Erasmus Mundus scholarships
There are two types of scholarship offered by the European Commission. Both categories of scholarship recipients also receive financial support from the Mundus MAPP universities in the form of partial tuition fee waivers (reduced tuition fees).
Students accepted to Mundus MAPP who DO NOT come from any of the countries listed below, and who are not residents nor have carried out their main activity (studies, work, etc.) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in the countries listed below, are eligible for "Category A" scholarships:
- Member States of the European Union,
- EEA-EFTA States (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).

All other students accepted to Mundus MAPP are eligible for "Category B" scholarships, i.e., students who come from one the countries listed above, or have resided or conducted their main activity in one or several of the countries listed above for more than 12 months in the past 5 years.
The number of scholarships for each category of individuals (students from categories A and B) are determined in the autumn by the European Commission on a yearly basis, and varies between 7 and 17 students scholarships each year.

NOTE: At least two of the countries visited during the Erasmus Mundus Master Course studies must be different from the country in which the scholarship holder has obtained his/her last university degree.

Individuals who have already benefited from an Erasmus Mundus scholarship are not eligible for a second scholarship in order to follow the same or another Erasmus Mundus Master Course.

Students benefiting from an Erasmus Mundus scholarship cannot benefit from another EU grant while pursuing their Erasmus Mundus masters studies.
Erasmus Mundus scholarships are awarded exclusively for full-time enrolment.
Financial conditions

The value of the scholarships is a total of 48 000 for Category A, and 20 000 for Category B for the duration of the programme (two academic years).

Mundus MAPP tuition fees are normally 11,000 per academic year (22,000 for two academic years). However, part of this fee is waived by the Mundus MAPP universities for Erasmus Mundus scholarship recipients. The value of these partial tuition fee waivers is 3,000 per academic year for Category A scholarship holders, and 7,000 for Category B scholarship holders. Consequently, Mundus MAPP scholarship recipients cover the following fees from their scholarships:

8,000 per academic year (16,000 total for two years) for Category A scholarship recipients; and
4,000 per academic year (8,000 total for two years) for Category B scholarship recipients.

On the basis of a written agreement, the applicable fee is directly deducted by the Consortium from the students' Erasmus Mundus scholarships. The remainder of the scholarship ( 16,000 per academic year for Category A and 6,000 per academic year for Category B scholarship recipients) is paid to the students' bank accounts in monthly instalments.