Joint study programmes, since their first appearance in the 1970s, have been increasing their role as an efficient and attractive tool of internationalisation in higher education. The level of awareness of joint programmes’ benefits as well as knowledge about their preparation and implementation is far from satisfactory. Moreover Member States of the EU understand the need to expand cooperation in form of joint study programmes  to the neighbouring countries. Why are joint study programmes considered an attractive and efficient tool for internationalisation? Because they demand exchange of thoughts, ideas and experience, bring together people coming from different cultures and traditions, accumulate expertise of teachers and researchers representing universities with different missions, visions and profiles. They contribute to learning and professional mobility, cultural awareness and peaceful development of civil societies. The EU and its neighbours need more high quality, interdisciplinary, innovative and attractive joint study programmes.

Conference objectives:

• to gather people from 15 EU/EEA countries, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Moldavia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) – representatives of HEIs, offices dealing with educational programmes, as well as institutions active in higher education for which the issue of joint study programmes is challenging and needing further development;
• to provide examples of high quality joint study programmes, especially Erasmus Mundus Master Courses;
• to offer platform for exchange of experience, views, ideas, expertise and thus to enhance participants’ knowledge about preparation and implementation of joint programmes;
• to improve probability for future joint study programmes offered by partnerships involving EU/EEA countries and their today’s neighbours.

The conference was attended by ca. 150 participants, including ca. 100 from EU/EEA and 50 from the Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus.

The participation in the conference was open only for invited participants.

The conference was co-financed within Erasmus Mundus programme of the European Union.