EMMIR – European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations

The European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) is the first African-European-Asian Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in migration studies and is jointly run by three African, four European, and two Asian partners, facilitated by a wider network of associate partners. EMMIR is a unique study programme focusing on migration through an intercultural approach. It equips students with profound theoretical and methodological skills in migration studies and allows them to conduct fieldwork primarily in African, Asian and European contexts. It is designed as a multidisciplinary two-year master’s programme (120 ECTS) that addresses important contemporary issues in a still emerging field of study. The programme counts more than 220 graduated students from 62 different countries and receives more than 400 applications every year for the 30-35 available study places. It is one of the world’s excellent, transnational master’s programs with a joint degree and has been awarding a so-called Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree since the first year of graduates. 

EMMIR integrates knowledge from migration studies, intercultural relations, and a wide variety of intersecting fields, such as gender studies, cultural studies, education, and development studies. The programme is jointly run by a consortium of nine African, Asian, and European institutions:

• Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany (coordinating).
• Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan.
• Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda.
• University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
• University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
• University of Stavanger, Norway.
• University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group in Kolkata, India.
• Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata, India.

The network also includes 34 associated universities and research centers in 15 countries and 16 partners from the employment market. 

Since 2011, the programme runs under the European label of excellence, Erasmus Mundus. It is fully accredited and graduates are awarded a joint degree by all EMMIR partner universities. EMMIR includes study periods in both Europe, Asia, and Africa. Student’s mobility is understood as a key to mutual understanding of different views and cultures of migration and movement and will sharpen intercultural sensitivity.

As a multi-perspectival study programme in migration studies, it provides state of the art education in theoretical concepts, empirical and hermeneutic methods plus issue-based transdisciplinary approaches to migration and inter/transculturality. Teaching and research in EMMIR addresses issues that currently rank highly on the global agenda – and need expertise on transnational, transcultural, and transdisciplinary level. Migration and mobility, flight, displacement and refuge – globally and (supra)nationally discussed primarily on a policy level – touch decisive dimensions in economic and social development, demography, international relations, political theory, and cultural cooperation, to name some of the key areas. Sustainable answers bridging the interests of nation states (incl. their welfare systems and labour markets) with human rights, democratic values and globality have still to be found. Research on inter/transcultural relations and inter/transcultural communication is closely linked to these questions and frequently key to the understanding of challenges and conflict.

The programme strongly encourages the students to critically evaluate the existing body of knowledge, concepts, and theories as well as terminologies, and to conduct their own research projects. The students experience the benefits and the challenges of an international learner group, in which diverse backgrounds of fellow students and teachers offer innovative perspectives for the study of migration. The programme is also embedded in a wide network, comprising national and international (non-)governmental institutions as well as professionals in the private and the public sector. The language of instruction is English, but the students are encouraged to enhance their multilingual skills.

Authors:

Dr. Lydia Potts

Michal Musialowski 

Date:
29.06.2022

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