• Graduation

    Erasmus Mundus Joint Master - EMJM

  • ECTS-Points

    120

  • Learning format

    Blended learning

  • Duration

    4 semesters

  • Costs

    EUR 18.000,--

  • Admission requirements

    According to curriculum

  • Language

    English

The critical role of research and innovation in fostering growth and sustainable development has triggered significant shifts in research, innovation, and higher education sectors globally. These shifts move from regulation to deregulation, steering to market dynamics, and administration to management, granting higher education and research institutions increased autonomy. This evolution necessitates professionals adept at navigating these changes, linking systemic and institutional transformations, and developing management skills for the changing landscape within higher education and research institutions.

The "Research and Innovation in Higher Education" (MARIHE) Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s program addresses this need by offering a curriculum that provides a deep understanding of these change processes and their impact on education systems, and labor markets. It covers three main areas: "systems in transition," focusing on global and regional developments; “interactions between systems and institutions”, particularly in research and innovation funding; and the “institutional perspective”, emphasizing change management. The program also emphasizes transferable skills such as critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

Students in the MARIHE program benefit from significant mobility and intercultural experiences, studying in at least two European countries and one Asian country over four semesters. An internship during the third semester offers practical insights into the field, facilitated by enterprises and organizations related to the course's focus. Graduates receive a joint or double degree, preparing them for the evolving demands in research, innovation, and higher education management.
Attila Pausits

Preparing higher education, research and innovation for the future calls for ambitious and skilled managers, analysts, researchers and policy makers.

Prof. Dr.
Attila Pausits

Study Program Director - Department for Higher Education Research

Need more information?

Find everything you need to know on our program website:

MARIHE Website

Any questions?

We’re here to help.

Benefit from our study program

  • MARIHE is a unique global Master program on higher education, research and innovation. It is a 2-year full time study journey in Europe and Asia - a truly international experience. It offers full Erasmus Mundus scholarships for applicants with a first university degree from all around the world.

  • MARIHE is jointly conducted by an international consortium with partners from Austria (University for Continuing Education Krems as coordinating institution), China, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, and Portugal, thus providing a global perspective on higher education, research and innovation. 

  • In this Master program, students can choose between several specialisations: one out of two specialisations in Asia and one out of five specialisations in Europe.

  • unique

  • a variety of options

  • global/international perspective

The next student intake with available Erasmus+/Erasmus Mundus scholarships is in October 2025, with the application period opening in autumn 2024. For more information, please refer to MARIHE website

MARIHE logo

Erasmus+ logo

The full-time study program with 120 ECTS can be completed within 4 semesters (2 years). Students have the same mobility track in the first two semesters (Krems/Austria and Tampere/Finland). In the third and fourth semester, students chose their specialization in Asia (Beijing/China or Patiala/India) and in Europe (Krems/Austria, Tampere/Finland, Osnabrück/Germany, Budapest/Hungary, or Aveiro/Portugal).

ECTS
1st Semester, University for Continuing Education Krems/Austria

All students study together in the 1st and 2nd semester.

  • Contents

    Education/innovation & research sector related EU policies and activities, their impact and actions on HE etc.

  • Contents

    The rationales and objectives of the major changes in tertiary education and research system towards NPM, deregulation, autonomy and marketization.

  • Contents

    The nature and thematic areas of HE research and innovation studies.

  • Contents

    Key terms, concepts, theories, methods and challenges of teaching and learning.

  • Contents

    HE institutions as a specific organisational type, role and functions of the different organisational units, basic processes, key challenges of management etc.

  • Contents

    Philosophical bases of social science research methodology, basics in developing quantitative research design etc.

2nd Semester, Tampere University/Finland

All students study together in the 1st and 2nd semester.

  • Contents

    Central features of the different HE, research and innovation systems; concepts of globalisation, internationalisation and regionalisation in HE etc.

  • Contents

    The special nature of HEIs as organisations in terms of culture, structure and the process  of organising the production of education, research and innovation.

  • Contents

    The role and impact of higher education with regard to the present-day societal challenges.

  • Contents

    Different financial and management environments and their linkages to financial management of HEIs; the rationales behind different approaches in funding; HE, research and innovation as economic goods.

  • Contents

    The concepts and dynamics of entrepreneurship and innovation in HE and HEIs; the connection of entrepreneurial HEIs and entrepreneurial education.

  • Contents

    Philosophical bases of social science research methodology, particularly qualitative research method; conceptual and analytical framework, data collection etc.

3rd Semester: Specialization Asia, Beijing Normal University/China - Educational Planning and Development

Students chose between the two specializations offered by the Asian partners.

  • Contents

    Histories, reforms and challenges of HE system in seven Asian countries.

  • Contents

    Review of the key concepts, cases, approaches and research in the field of educational planning.

  • Contents

    Theories and approaches of comparative education as well as a global landscape of theories, policies, practices, cases, problems and debates in higher education reforms.

3rd Semester: Specialization Asia, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology/India - Sustainable Education and Social Entrepreneurship

Students chose between the two specializations offered by the Asian partners.

  • Contents

    Histories, current processes and challenges of HE system in Asia, different types of systems, processes and issues.

  • Contents

    Understanding of the fundamentals associated with the creation of social and commercial enterprises.

  • Contents

    Preparing future educational leaders to drive sustainability initiatives within higher education institutions.

3rd Semester: Specialization Europe, University for Continuing Education Krems/Austria - Institutional Research

Students chose between the five specializations offered by the European partners.

  • Contents

    The use of data in institutional decision making processes, the sequences and steps of the process of institutional research etc.

  • Contents

    How to develop and design institutional research projects, to combine recent information and future scenarios towards planning etc.

3rd Semester: Specialization Europe, Tampere University/Finland - Research Management and Digital Transformation

Students chose between the five specializations offered by the European partners.

  • Contents

    Fundamental knowledge and skills in research and transfer management in the field of higher education through the lens of problem-based learning.

  • Contents

    Key developments and policies in Europe and OECD countries and key pillars of digital transformation in higher education and research settings.

3rd Semester: Specialization Europe, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences/Germany - Leadership and Management

Students chose between the five specializations offered by the European partners.

  • Contents

    Theory and practice of organizational development and change management; the context of competitive, market-oriented research and tertiary education systems; self-leadership etc.

  • Contents

    The concepts and processes of strategic management, leadership styles, change management, organisational culture and internal resource allocation mechanisms.

3rd Semester: Specialization Europe, Eötvös Loránd University/Hungary - Learning and Teaching

Students chose between the five specializations offered by the European partners.

  • Contents

    Programme design and learning outcomes; the process of programme design, implementation and evaluation in higher education, etc.

  • Contents

    Theory and practice of innovation in teaching and Learning in Higher Education, the role of researching teaching and learning for creating innovation

3rd Semester: Specialization Europe, University of Aveiro/Portugal - Policy Analysis

Students chose between the five specializations offered by the European partners.

  • Contents

    How public policies can contribute to increase the relationship between S&T and development and how S&T systems can be organized to optimize this relationship.

  • Contents

    Study and analysis of the core aspects of higher education policies, organization and management.

3rd semester: Internship
  • Contents

    The pertinent issues and the main challenges of HE research, innovation, management and leadership.

4th Semester: Master Thesis

Possible at all seven partners.

  • Contents

    Apply the basic principles of research writing processes and techniques.

Follow our MARIHE Website for open application periods!

Admission requirements

  • First university degree quantified as three years of studies (full time) corresponding to 180 ECTS 
  • Sufficient knowledge of English for academic purposes

Application process

  1. Online application via the MARIHE Application Database as either Erasmus Mundus scholarship holder or self-funded student during the application periods (cf. information on MARIHE Website).
  2. Carrying out the selection procedure (review process within consortium).
  3. In case of selection: Starting the admission process at University for Continuing Education Krems as coordinating institution (via UWKonline platform - for selected participants only!).
  4. If applicable: Carrying out the legalization process of the first university degree certificate.
  5. Admission to the program.

MARIHE awards either a Joint Degree or Double Degree:

  • In the specialization Institutional Research: Master of Administrative Sciences
  • In the specialization Research Management and Digital Transformation: Master of Administrative Sciences
  • In the specialization Leadership and Management: Master of Science
  • In the specialization Learning and Teaching: Master of Science
  • In the specialization Sustainability Education and Social Entrepreneurship: Master of Arts in Sustainability Education and Master of Science (Continuing Education) 
  • In the specialization Educational Planning and Development: Master of Arts in Education and Master of Science (Continuing Education)
  • In the specialization Policy Analysis: Master in Administration and Public Policies and Master of Science (Continuing Education)

Detailed information are available on MARIHE website.

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