Program Overview

Master's Degree International CHARM-EU "Global Challenges for Sustainability"

The CHARM-EU alliance of universities offers a transdisciplinary and international master's degree program on the theme of sustainability. This joint degree program allows future students to follow a common curriculum among the nine partner universities of CHARM-EU within a truly interconnected European campus. Students will have the opportunity to study at least one semester in one of these prestigious institutions.

Program Overview

The program is designed to address global challenges and promote sustainability. It is a four-semester program (120 ECTS) taught in English, and it is open to holders of a bachelor's degree in any discipline. The program aims to provide students with advanced knowledge in sustainable development and equip them with the skills to tackle global societal challenges.

Curriculum

The program consists of four semesters:

1st Semester

A preparatory phase comprising three mandatory modules: Social Innovation, Sustainability, and Transdisciplinary Research.

2nd Semester

A flexible phase comprising several modules, with the requirement for students to choose one of the four tracks:

• Water:
  • Extreme variations in the water cycle and their complex consequences
  • Measures and adaptation strategies in water management
  • Resilient cities: water in urban environments
• Health and Life Sciences:
  • Health systems and policies
  • Health challenges
  • Healthy lives and well-being
• Food:
  • Link between food, health, and environment
  • Food systems and their transformations
  • Socially just and sustainable food systems
• Energy and Sustainable Cities:
  • Emerging technologies and smart cities
  • Sustainable urban planning
  • Resource management and resilience
  • Policy, climate change, and the future of sustainable cities

3rd Semester

An experimentation phase that allows students to undertake an internship in a professional environment in various types of organizations (private companies, public institutions, non-governmental organizations, research laboratories, etc.).

4th Semester

A capstone phase where students work in collaboration with their peers, academic staff, and external actors (e.g., companies or associations) on a concrete sustainability challenge in Europe or worldwide.

Admission Criteria

The program is open to students who hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline. Students must justify a C1 level in English at the beginning of the program in September 2026.

Tuition Fees

• Free for European students (EU/EEA) who completed their last year of study in France.
• 5,000 for students with European citizenship.
• 24,000 for students from outside Europe.

Additional Information

It is possible for students to apply for mobility grants within the framework of the Erasmus+ program. The degree is recognized in France as a degree-granting master's degree.

Program Partners

The program is delivered by nine prestigious universities:

• University of Barcelona (Spain)
• Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)
• Utrecht University (Netherlands)
• Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest (Hungary)
• University of Montpellier (France)
• Ĺbo Akademi University (Finland)
• University of Würzburg (Germany)
• Ruhr-West University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
• University of Bergen (Norway)

Unique Pedagogical Model

The program is centered on students who become actors in their learning. Based on the resolution of authentic and concrete problems, the program offers students the opportunity to work with international peers and civil society actors to resolve complex societal issues related to sustainable development. It also implements an innovative competency-based assessment method, with individual mentoring by a tutor throughout the program and regular feedback on results and means to progress.