Ulysseus launches UlysseusCitiesMD, its first joint degree 

Representatives of the six partner universities (Miguel Ángel Castro, Rector of the University of Seville; Federico Delfino, Rector of the University of Genoa; Jeanick Briswalter, President of Université Cotê D’Azur; Stanislav Kmeť, Rector of the Technical University of Kosice; representatives from MCI | The Entrepreneurial School, and Minna Hiilos, President of the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences) celebrated today at Genoa the approval of Ulysseus CitiesMD –the first Ulysseus joint degree in Energy, Mobility, Transport and Smart Cities. Representatives from new Ulysseus member for the next Eramus + call, University of Münster and University of Montenegro, also attended of the event in Genoa.

UlysseusCitiesMD aims to offer a joint and fully transnational challenge-based programme that bridges the areas of Energy, Transport, Mobility and Smart Cities in an interdisciplinary way, to address the key challenges in energy transition and decarbonized systems, which are the key priorities in European politics. The curriculum is also designed to attract high-skilled students within and outside the EU, and it is aligned with the latest labour market and research & innovation needs, including a just transition towards renewable energies and the development of smart cities and urban areas.

Elements of jointness

UlysseusCitiesMD joint degree was designed jointly between the six Ulysseus partner universities, including its joint academic governance structure and its joint administration and financial management bodies. This joint strategy includes policies for admission, selection, recognition, teaching and training, supervision, monitoring, assessment, mobility, traineeships, and master thesis procedures, as well as a joint internal quality assurance system. Ulysseus students and Ulysseus Associated Partners had also a decisive role in the design and implementation of the joint programme.

Program of study

The program of study comprises 120 ECTS spread over two academic years (4 semesters, 30 ETCS each), with three core sections and an initial “Fundamentals” module. From the structural point of view, UlysseusCitiesMD offers flexible and modular pathways, with embedded mobility (physical, virtual or blended) and traineeships, which will be tailored to the students’ preferences for research, innovation or professional activity.

During the first year, the programme will provide students with a theoretical background in the specific technical and technological aspects of the smart cities of the future, while the second year is designed to be more flexible. The academic offer will cover cross-cutting aspects, including an intensive course on entrepreneurship, and other additional courses to enrich the technical curriculum, equipping students with cutting-edge knowledge and skills.

During the second year, students will have the possibility of doing an internship in a company or research group, which will allow them to dive deeper into their fields of specialisation. By the end of the second year, students will complete a master’s thesis which may enable them to pursue further doctoral studies.

Double degrees

Further to the work done at the previous Summits, and in order to strengthen the joint academic offer of Ulysseus, the Alliance has reached new agreements. In this sense, a new double degree agreement has been approved and signed during the second day of the Ulysseus Summit held in Genoa. This is a milestone that is aligned with Ulysseus’ vision to foster mobility opportunities and cooperation among its partner universities. On this occasion, the University of Seville and the University of Genoa signed a Double Degree in Medical-Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

About Ulysseus

Ulysseus is one of the 44 European Universities selected by the European Commission to become the universities of the future. Led by the University of Seville together with five other universities in Europe (the University of Genoa, Italy; Université Côte d’Azur, France; the Technical University of Košice, Slovakia; MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®, Austria; and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Finland), the project will allow students, researchers and graduates to move freely between universities, carry out internships in companies and start high-impact research projects.