Erasmus Mundus courses are very prestigious because of the strict criteria under which funding is given. Courses must be of high academic quality, able to attract top students and involve international academic and industrial partners.

“The interesting thing about this year’s European selection is that most partnerships also involve non-European universities, and businesses are now a part of most of the consortia,” said Piet Henderikx of the KUL’s international office. The six new courses are:

• Master in Economics and Management of Network Industries under Professor Johan Driesen, as part of a consortium of institutions, including Johns Hopkins University, University of Texas in Austin, Harbin Institute of Technology and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as well as enterprises in the energy sector like Endesa, Gas Natural and Red Electrica de Espana

• Master in Bioethics under Professor Paul Schotsmans, in cooperation with the university hospitals of Leven, Nijmegen and Padua

• Master in Territorial Development under Professor Dominique Vanneste, in cooperation with the Don Bosco Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro

• Master in Membrane Engineering under Professor Ivo Vankelecom, with applications in the food industry, water quality and kidney dialysis, working with industrial partners in Denmark, France and the Czech Republic

• Doctorate in Membrane Engineering, as well as in prevention of mobility loss with ageing, under Professor Sabine Verschueren, together with the Australian Centre of Clinical Research Excellence and companies such as Smith & Nephew Belgium, KUL spin-off Tigenix, Motek Medical of the Netherlands and Manchester Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technology from England