The MARIHE (Master in Research and Innovation in Higher Education) programme offers a dynamic and international curriculum designed to equip students with comprehensive knowledge and skills in higher education policy, management, and innovation. It is a two-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) supported by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, delivered across seven partner institutions in Europe and Asia, with English as the language of instruction. The programme prepares students for leadership roles in higher education systems worldwide, developing critical thinking, research skills, and innovation management capabilities within the context of higher education governance and policy.
MARIHE is jointly conducted by University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK), Austria, as coordinator, together with Tampere University (TAU), Finland; Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (UASO), Germany; Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Hungary; University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal; Beijing Normal University (BNU), China; and Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), India.
What the Programme Looks Like
The programme comprises 120 ECTS spread over four full-time semesters. All students must study on-site and full-time, as remote and part-time study is not permitted for Erasmus Mundus programmes.
📘 In the first two semesters, all students study together in Austria (Krems) and Finland (Tampere), focusing on higher education systems, governance, teaching and learning, financial management, and research methods
🌏 In the third semester, students choose one specialisation in Asia and one in Europe
📝 In the fourth semester, students write their master's thesis at one of the visited specialisation hosts (in Europe or in Asia), and complete a mandatory 8-week internship that can be done worldwide
The third-semester specialisations are Educational Planning at BNU (China); Social and Commercial Entrepreneurship and Sustainability at TIET (India); Research Management and Digital Transformation at TAU (Finland); Leadership and Management at UASO (Germany); Institutional Research at UWK (Austria); Learning and Teaching at ELTE (Hungary); and Policy Analysis at UA (Portugal). While student preferences are considered, the final allocation to a host university and mobility track in the third and fourth semester is determined by the MARIHE Consortium, based on specialisation choices, organisational factors including visa requirements, and a balanced student distribution. Graduates receive either a joint, double or multiple master's degree, depending on their mobility track, awarded collaboratively by the participating universities within that track.
Please note the minimum mobility requirement of an EMJM: it must include compulsory physical mobility for all enrolled students, consisting of at least two study periods in two countries (each corresponding to at least 30 ECTS), of which at least one must be an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Erasmus+ programme, and both must differ from the student's country of residence at enrolment. For MARIHE, this means applicants resident in Austria or Finland cannot choose the specialisation in both Austria (UWK) and Finland (TAU).
Who Can Apply
MARIHE is open to applicants worldwide, from diverse academic backgrounds, and welcomes applicants from any field or subject. To apply, you must fulfil three admission requirements.
First, you must hold a conferred first university degree with a minimum duration of three years of full-time study, corresponding to at least 180 ECTS (in most cases a Bachelor's degree). The degree does not need to be in a specific field. If ECTS is not used in the country where your first degree was awarded, you need official proof of a successfully completed three-year period of study at higher education level. A cumulative recognition of several degrees (for example a 2-year Bachelor plus a 2-year Master) or the recognition of work experience is not possible, as only the first degree is considered for admission. You can still apply if you already hold one or more Master's degrees.
Second, you must show strong motivation and interest to learn and work in the field of development and management of research and innovation in higher education, with specific motives relating to your previous education, working experience (if applicable) and future career plans.
Third, you must have sufficient knowledge of English for academic purposes. Work experience is not an admission requirement, but it can be a strong advantage, especially if acquired while working for higher education institutions; if relevant, state it clearly in your CV and attach a confirmation from your employer.
Proving Your English Proficiency
MARIHE accepts exactly five English language test certificates:
🔹 TOEFL iBT, internet-based test: a minimum overall score of 92 (out of 120) with no section below 20 if the test was completed before 21 January 2026; or a minimum score of 4.5 (out of 6) with no section below 4 if completed on or after 21 January 2026. Scores from TOEFL ITP and TOEFL PBT are not accepted
🔹 IELTS Academic: a minimum overall score of 6.5 (out of 9) with no individual score below 5.5
🔹 PTE Academic: a minimum score of 62 (out of 90)
🔹 Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly CAE): a minimum result of grade C
🔹 Cambridge C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE): a minimum result of grade C1
All editions of these tests (test centre, paper edition, home or online edition) are accepted, and no other certificates (such as Duolingo or WAEC) or university letters are accepted. Book a test well in advance, as dates may be limited. Results are verified by the MARIHE Secretariat after the deadline during the eligibility check, and a certificate that has expired before it is received may not be verifiable, leading to rejection on formal grounds. If you receive your certificate after the deadline, you may request a late submission until 11 December 2026.
An exemption from the English test is only possible if you have successfully completed a Bachelor's, Master's or doctoral degree taught exclusively in English in any EU or EEA country, Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the UK, the USA, Zambia, or Zimbabwe; or upper secondary education completed exclusively in English in a school in any EU or EEA country, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK, or the USA. A student exchange year or semester does not qualify, and the awarding institution must be located in one of the listed countries.
Costs and Funding
The participation fee is EUR 18,000, but all students are exempt from paying it. There are two options of participation:
💶 Tuition Fee scholarship: for students without an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, the participation costs of EUR 18,000 for the whole four-semester study period are waived by the consortium
🎖️ Erasmus Mundus scholarship: a limited number of scholarships cover the participation costs and, in addition, provide a monthly allowance of EUR 1,400 per month for the duration of the programme, up to a maximum of EUR 33,600 for 24 months, contributing to travel, visa, installation, and subsistence costs
Applicants can apply as an Erasmus Mundus scholarship holder, as a Tuition Fee scholarship holder, or as both at the same time. Applying as both is strongly recommended, since it does not affect your Erasmus Mundus scholarship chances but may increase your chances of participating: if your Erasmus Mundus application is unsuccessful, you may still participate as a Tuition Fee scholarship holder if selected. All students, with or without an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, receive health and accident insurance meeting the minimum EMJM requirements and complying with the special clause for Austrian visa requirements. Please note that the first scholarship payment occurs after arrival in Austria, so costs before the programme start must be self-financed and cannot be reimbursed. Students with a previously awarded EMJM scholarship cannot apply for another one.
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The Application Process (Intake 2027)
MARIHE uses a two-round application process and accepts only electronic applications submitted through its online application portal (Evalato). An eligible application in the first round consists of exactly nine mandatory application documents, which all applicants must upload:
1️⃣ MARIHE Application Form: the Word template, filled in, dated and signed by hand, submitted as PDF, matching the data you enter in the online portal
2️⃣ Scanned copy of passport or national ID card, showing a photograph and personal data in English (a driving licence or employee ID is not accepted; a certified English translation is required if not in English or Latin alphabet)
3️⃣ Europass CV, using only the English template and, to minimise bias in the first review round, without a personal photograph
4️⃣ Letter of Motivation, on the provided Word template, with the AI declaration filled in and signed by hand, with no changes to the template formatting
5️⃣ Final university degree certificate(s) from prior university studies, or a Statement on expected first university degree if you graduate after the deadline (the diploma can then be submitted until 11 December 2026)
6️⃣ Transcript(s) of Records from all prior university studies
7️⃣ Proof of proficiency in English (an accepted test certificate, a valid exemption diploma, or a Statement on late submission)
8️⃣ Two Letters of Recommendation, submitted as two separate files, signed by hand or with an established digital e-signature (a signature inserted as an image or a typed signature is not accepted); at least one is recommended from a university lecturer who knows you from classes
9️⃣ Essay, on the provided Word template, with the AI declaration filled in and signed by hand
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All application documents must be prepared in English, or provided with an officially certified translation into English (done by a sworn, accredited translator bearing the translator's stamp, or by the issuing university with its stamp for university documents). Each document must be a single PDF of maximum 10 MB, named exactly as instructed. The use of AI tools must always be stated where used, especially in the Letter of Motivation and the essay, naming the tool, version, purpose and the part in which it was used; commissioning third parties to write texts (ghost-writing) is not permitted, and failing to declare AI use leads to rejection on formal grounds.
After the first review, shortlisted applicants are asked to submit one additional document, usually within 10 days of notice: a video (application document no. 10), preferably in MP4 format and a maximum of two minutes, in which you introduce yourself, explain your motivation, and answer why you would select yourself as an applicant (highlighting a maximum of three aspects). A simple mobile-phone or webcam video is sufficient, as long as you are well visible and audible, within the 10 MB file-size limit.
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For the application process, university documents do not require legalization, but this may be necessary after selection, during the admission process at University for Continuing Education Krems (selected candidates cover all legalization costs themselves). In addition to the required legalization, selected applicants with university documents from China must provide a certificate from the Austrian Academic Evaluation Center (Akademische Prüfstelle, APS) in China; this applies only to the admission process after selection, not the application itself.
How Applications Are Assessed
The review process mirrors the two-round application process. In Round 1, all eligible applications are scored independently by two reviewers against defined criteria: Academic Quality (40%), based on your transcripts and degree certificates; Motivation and Career Alignment (40%), based on your letter of motivation, CV, and recommendation letters; and Personal Skills (20%), such as resilience, collaboration, intellectual curiosity, and leadership potential. The Round 1 scores form a ranked shortlist. In Round 2, the same two reviewers assess your video for Motivation (50%) and Communication Skills (50%). The final score combines Round 1 (80%) and Round 2 (20%), and the MARIHE Admission Board forms a ranked list on which students are selected.
After submission you will receive an automatic confirmation e-mail, then an eligibility check, then the Round 1 review and results (shortlisted for Round 2, or rejected), then the Round 2 review, and finally the student selection, where you may be placed on the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship main or reserve list, the Tuition Fee Scholarship main or reserve list, or not placed. Candidates placed on a main list are offered a study place and, if applicable, an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, and must bindingly accept it by starting the admission process at University for Continuing Education Krems. Selection does not guarantee admission, which depends on timely submission of all required documents, including legalization of the first degree certificate where applicable, and approval by the university administration. Applicants may file a complaint within ten days of the selection result, but only to verify that the rules of procedure were correctly applied, not to appeal the qualitative outcome.
Career Prospects
Graduates are well-positioned to pursue careers across higher education institutions such as universities, colleges, and research institutes, government agencies and education ministries, international organisations like UNESCO, the World Bank and EU institutions, NGOs dedicated to education, educational consulting firms, and research and policy think tanks. Typical roles include managerial positions in academic administration and institutional management, analytical positions in policy analysis and institutional research, research-focused positions in educational studies and innovation, and leadership roles such as department head, programme director, or strategic planning positions, with a strong orientation toward both European and Asian higher education contexts.
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Key Dates
The Round 1 deadline is 21 September 2026 at 10:00 CEST, and the Round 2 deadline (for shortlisted candidates only) is 11 December 2026 at 10:00 CET. The programme starts in September 2027. For all inquiries, email marihe@donau-uni.ac.at, noting that answers may take some time and that individual consortium members should not be contacted separately.
