European funding for University of Glasgow-led Masters programme

The University of Glasgow is calling for postgraduate students to apply for its first-ever course to be supported by the European Commission’s prestigious Erasmus Mundus programme.

The two-year International Masters in Russian, Central and East European Studies (IMRCEES) programme will receive funding to support up to 17 student scholarships and 35 academic exchange visits. The value of the funding for the 2012/14 edition of the IMRCEES course is around €800,000.

The IMRCEES is offered by a University of Glasgow-led consortium consisting of 10 partner universities and a network of international non-academic partners stretching from Canada to Azerbaijan.

The Erasmus Mundus double-degree course, the only one of its kind available at a UK university, is intended for students wishing to pursue a career in government policy-making, the business world, diplomatic service, international organisations and media.

It offers students a year of study in Glasgow followed by a second year at one of five partner universities. Each of the universities, in Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Poland or Kazakhstan, offer a unique specialist study track as well as tailored language training. Dissertation research opportunities are available at the Consortium’s associate universities in Azerbaijan, Canada, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine. Opportunities for student internships also exist within the IMRCEES consortium’s network of non-academic partners.

The Erasmus Mundus programme, launched in 2004, is administered by the European Commission and provides financial support for higher education institutions as well as scholarships for individuals.

Clare McManus, IMRCEES Academic Director at the University of Glasgow, said: “Less than one in 10 applications for Masters courses to receive Erasmus Mundus recognition are successful, so we’re very pleased that the IMRCEES programme has achieved this recognition. Scholarships for Masters degrees are also comparatively rare so it’s fantastic that access to this unique course has received this support.

“The history of the former socialist region of Russia and Central and Eastern Europe has had a huge impact on the shape of the world and it will continue to do so in the 21^st century.

“Graduates from the course will be equipped with the skills to address the socio-economic, political and security challenges of the EU and its neighbours in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Caspian Sea Basin, Russia, and Central and Eastern Europe including the Baltic Sea regions.”

Applications for the IMCREES programme are welcome from European and non-European students. European applicants are eligible for a scholarship of up to €23,000 and non-European applicants will receive a €48,000 scholarship. Academics can apply to visit Glasgow for a minimum of two weeks to deliver masterclasses or relevant teaching modules and successful applicants will receive €1,200 per week to cover their travel and accommodation costs. University of Glasgow academics can also apply for teaching research visits to non-European consortium partners.

For the IMRCEES course commencing in September 2012, there are seven scholarships available for European students and nine scholarships available for non-European students. Additional scholarships are available to students through the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window scheme, which aims to enhance international partnerships between universities. The scheme offers scholarships to students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Moldova, Tunisia, Ukraine and the Western Balkans.

Applications for student scholarships will be accepted until 15 January 2012, and for visiting academic scholarships until 31 March 2012. These scholarships will be awarded annually. on Erasmus Mundus and the IMRCEES programme, visit http://www.glasgow.ac.uk/erasmusmundus/imrcees


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