Three countries, two years, an international perspective: EESIC, the 120‑credits master's degree in Engineering for Environmental Sustainability and International Cooperation, trains environmental engineers for a sustainable future. The programme is very dynamic, as students spend the first semester of study in Lisbon, the second in Valencia and the third in Trento. The fourth semester is dedicated to thesis research and includes a field experience in international cooperation in the area of environmental engineering in collaboration with a local organization. The new Erasmus Mundus Joint Master is one of the few coordinated by an Italian university, in this case the University of Trento. At the end of the programme, the participants obtain master's degrees in Italy, Portugal and Spain: three different diplomas that will help them start a professional career with an international horizon.
The call for applications has just been published. Applications for this first edition of Engineering for Environmental Sustainability and International Cooperation must be submitted by 10 February 2026. To participate, candidates must hold an undergraduate degree in civil-environmental engineering or a related field and have proficiency in English. The selection committee will also consider the applicants' motivation, experiences and performance in an online interview.
The new profile combines solid education in engineering with interdisciplinary and global skills, such as open-mindedness, a problem-solving attitude, intercultural understanding, and complex problem management skills. The programme helps create a European and global hub for sustainability in environmental engineering in view of international cooperation. The goal is to find context‑appropriate solutions that are sustainable in every sense and consider criteria that are not purely technical or technological. The consortium of partners offers students the opportunity to engage with very different communities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
The international mobility programme, with high academic standards, was approved at the end of a very competitive selection, as only 37 out of 195 project proposals received European Commission funding in the 2025 Erasmus Mundus call (Erasmus+). Coordinated by Marco Toffolon of UniTrento's Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, the programme brings together three partner universities, the University of Trento, Instituto Superior Técnico da Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal) and Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Supporting this consortium are 48 associated partners from all over the world, including universities, research centres, NGOs and engineering companies of all sizes.
The total European allocation for the programme is 4.6 million euros to fund 70 scholarships for four cohorts of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, starting from the 2026-2028 cohort. Each scholarship provides 1,400 euros per month for the duration of the programme. The most deserving students who are not awarded a scholarship will receive a 75 percent tuition reduction, and will therefore pay 2,000 euros per year instead of the standard 8,000 euros. The first cohort will begin in September 2026 with classes in Lisbon and continue the programme in autumn 2027 in Trento, after spending one semester in Valencia.
Information on the master's degree in Engineering for Environmental Sustainability and International Cooperation and the call for applications can be found at: https://eesic.eu/