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Towards EUPeace Joint Programmes
The development of Joint Master’s Programmes and degrees represents one of EUPeace's "flagship" projects. Our Alliance intends to:
- develop two programme pilots – one in the humanities and the social sciences and one in the STEM subject areas – for the deep integration of curricula based on the broad roll-out of the European Track. The two pilots will be followed by three additional degrees.
- integrate the experience of the European Track, the Research Hubs, and the Living Peace Lab into the development.
Our approach to developing these programmes will be very pragmatic. We will develop programmes fostering strategic development interests of the Alliance members to build competence, test ideas and ensure buy-in. Building on those assets, it is our aim to establish five joint programmes in the next years and to always keep in mind the positive developments around the proposed European Degree by the European Union.
Below, you’ll find a list of current initiatives potentially leading up to an EUPeace Joint Programme. If your university is interested in actively contributing to any project, or simply finding out more about it, you can get in touch via the email addresses reproduced in the sections below. We will be organising a series of "expert workshops" between March and June 2025, with the aim of establishing and developing interest in specific subject areas — and with initial planned foci on the areas of computer science, data science and AI; international economics; and One Health/Global Health.
For general enquiries, or to suggest new ideas, you’re very welcome indeed to contact the Alliance’s Coordinator of Work Package 2 (“Transforming Curricula”), Dr. Robert Craig, at: eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de.
Current initiatives:
Interdisciplinary Joint Degree: Security & Conflict Transformation
Current involvement: Marburg University, Comillas Pontifical University, University of Sarajevo, Çukurova University
NB. This project is linked to the EUPeace Research Hub 'Security & Conflict Transformation'.
The EUPeace Alliance is committed to the promotion of peace, justice and inclusive societies through higher education and research. As part of this mission, a flagship initiative within EUPeace is the development of a Joint Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS). This programme aims to equip future European decision-makers with the expertise to address contemporary global challenges through a peace-oriented, interdisciplinary approach. The specific focus of the curriculum is currently under negotiation. Topics under discussion include international security, human rights, migration, climate change and sustainable development.
The development of the programme will take place in four phases over twelve months. The first phase focuses on strengthening collaboration between partner universities, assessing existing curricular strengths and designing a preliminary programme structure. The second phase involves securing institutional support, stakeholder engagement and market research to assess student demand. In the third phase, the curriculum is refined, taking into account academic coherence, financial sustainability and administrative feasibility. The final phase consolidates institutional commitment through a Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out a roadmap for implementation. By the end of the first year, a fully structured and approved plan for the Joint Degree in PACS will be in place, providing the basis for launching the programme.
The project is being developed collaboratively by Marburg University , Comillas Pontifical University, the University of Sarjevo and Çukurova University with support from the EUPeace Fund. These institutions bring together expertise in peace and conflict studies, international relations, and global governance, ensuring a robust and dynamic academic offering. The PACS network may expand further to include additional partners as the project progresses.
Those interested in learning more about the initiative or exploring collaboration opportunities are encouraged to reach out to the coordination team:
Dr. Stéphane Voell (UMR): voell@uni-marburg.de
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Bonacker (UMR): thorsten.bonacker@uni-marburg.de
Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
"Water4All": Water Resources
Current involvement: University of Limoges, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg University
The universities of Limoges, Giessen, and Marburg are in the process of developing a joint Master’s programme in the general area of Water Resources Management, for which they have received seed money from the EUPeace Fund (for more information on the project itself, see here). The exact disciplinary and thematic focus (and foci) of the planned programme will be taking shape over the course of March and April 2025 – so watch this space for further updates.
The “Water4All” programme will be developed along the lines of the European Union's proposed European Degree. Mobility within the EUPeace Alliance will play an integral role in a jointly devised and specially tailored curriculum: alongside study at their home university, students will be expected to spend a semester studying at each of the two partner universities.
To find out more, and to discuss possible collaboration opportunities, please contact the project leaders:
Prof. Laurent Billonnet (UNLIM): laurent.billonnet@unilim.fr
Prof. Dr. Christoph Müller (JLU): christoph.mueller@bot2.bio.uni-giessen.de
Prof. Dr. Peter Chifflard (UMR): peter.chifflard@geo.uni-marburg.de
Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
Global Health / One Health
Global Health: Interest so far registered by: Justus Liebig University Giessen, University of Calabria, Çukurova University
One Health: Interest so far registered by: Justus Liebig University Giessen, University of Sarajevo, University of Limoges
Plans are currently at an early stage of development for a joint Master’s programme in the area of Global Health. A highly interdisciplinary programme, this would combine the biomedical sciences with substantial elements drawn from the social sciences, cultural studies, and the humanities. Taking as its focus "health" and "medicine" in their multiple dimensions, and with a clear commitment to the universal right to health, the programme would be very strongly oriented towards the alliance's central values and principles of peace, justice, and inclusivity.
The project has been initiated by Prof. Dr. Michael Knipper, Professor of Global Health (with a focus on migration and medical humanities) at JLU Gießen. He is actively seeking interest in collaboration from colleagues working across the EUPeace Alliance in relevant and related fields in the biomedical and social sciences, as well as in the cultural studies and humanities.
Plans are also in development for a further Master's programme with the working title One Health, which would be more explicitly biomedical in focus, and which would likely draw strongly upon the human and veterinary medical sciences. So far, the universities of Giessen, Sarajevo, and Limoges have expressed interest in collaborating on such a programme.
There is scope to link these projects closely to the EUPeace Research Hubs 'Inclusive Health and Well-Being', and 'Migration and Human Rights'.
We are hoping to organise expert workshops for scientists interested in collaborating in these areas over the spring period (provisionally in the course of March-May 2025).
In case of interest, or to find out more about “Global Health”, please contact: Prof. Dr. Michael Knipper (JLU): Michael.Knipper@histor.med.uni-giessen.de; and Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
In case of interest in “One Health”, please contact Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
Computer Science, Data Science, AI
Interest so far registered by: University of Sarajevo, Çukurova University
This has been proposed as a high-potential area for the development of joint Master's programmes in the Alliance. The thematic area has been defined as broadly as possible, so as to allow as much scope as possible for collaborations across the partner universities.
We are hoping to organise expert workshops for scientists interested in collaborating in this area over the spring period (provisionally in the course of March-May 2025).
In case of interest, please contact: Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
International Economics (focus on the Economics of Global Risk)
Interest so far registered by: Justus Liebig University Giessen, Comillas Pontifical University, University of Calabria, University of Sarajevo
There is interest in the Alliance in developing a Master's programme in the general field of international economics, and initial conversations have taken place. It is likely that such a collaborative programme would build on modules that are already being offered for the existing English-language M.Sc. at the JLU, “Economics of Global Risk”.
The list of institutions provided just above is neither definitive nor exhaustive – and it may very well change depending on developing interest and priority.
We are hoping to organise expert workshops for scientists interested in collaborating in this area over the spring period (provisionally in the course of March-May 2025). More specific details will be published here as and when they become available.
In case of interest, please contact: Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
Agronomy, Agricultural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Nutritional Sciences
This has been proposed as a high-potential area for the development of joint Master's programmes in the alliance. The thematic area has been defined as broadly as possible, so as to allow as much scope as possible for collaborations across the partner universities.
Conversations are currently taking place between the universities of Giessen and Calabria around possible collaboration on a double degree in the area of the nutritional sciences.
If your university would be interested in exploring collaboration opportunities in either this or any of the listed related areas, please do get in touch, in the first instance, with Dr. Robert Craig (WP2 Coordinator): eupeace.wp2@uni-giessen.de
