Building a truly European Master’s in AI and Social Robotics applied to Global Health

Developing a European degree that connects countries, disciplines, and educational systems is a complex process that takes shape step by step. On October 8 and 9, 2025, the academic committee met in Tours (France) to advance the design of the Artificial Intelligence and Social Robotics applied to Global Health Master’s programme, one of the key initiatives developed within the NEOLAiA alliance. This task is carried out by the University of Tours as part of WP 2 (Teaching & Learning – P 2.3).
The two-day hybrid meeting brought together both academic and administrative professionals from Örebro University, University of Suceava, University of Jaén and University of Tours, reflecting the collaborative spirit required to build such a programme. On this occasion, Sara Carbone (University of Salerno, Italy), Javier Cardinal (University of Jaén, Spain), Pia Bro-Nygardhs (Örebro University, Sweden) and Stéphanie Germon (University of Tours, France) shared their perspectives on how this European multiple degree is gradually taking form.
 

How do you build a truly European degree programme? 

Pia Bro-Nygardhs: The most important thing is to know each other. Our first meeting focused on analysing the academic and administrative capacities of each university — that’s the basis of the whole project. Once you understand who your partners are and how they work, you can start building something meaningful. Because all the institutions involved are part of the NEOLAiA alliance, we were able to solve some issues more quickly. Trust and familiarity make collaboration much smoother.

Javier Cardinal:  A key step is understanding the differences between countries: their educational structures, regulations, and accreditation systems. The process would be easier if the EU could establish a common framework to facilitate the creation of joint degrees.

How does the diversity of countries and disciplines contribute to such a project?

Pia Bro-Nygardhs: Diversity is important. It’s a learning process: we all discover how each education system works. 

Sara Carbone: This programme also follows the NEOLAiA pillars, which encourage collaboration across disciplines and cultures. It gives students, researchers, and administrative staff the opportunity to experience different academic approaches and benefit from cooperation across Europe. For students and teachers, it’s a unique chance to travel, meet colleagues from different contexts, and access external expertise from all around Europe. 

What are the main challenges and rewards of working across different higher education systems?

Pia Bro-Nygardhs: One of the biggest challenges is understanding how each education system operates — its rules, its calendar, its regulations. For example, the timing of candidate selection and the start of semesters varies a lot. Luckily, some members of our committee have strong experience in international programmes, and the support of international offices in each university is essential. Despite the difficulties, the reward is huge: learning how to solve problems together and building a shared academic culture.

Stéphanie Germon: One of the main challenge is coordinating the application timelines across all partner universities, ensuring consistency in the reception of applications, the evaluation process, and the number of candidates ultimately accepted.

How has the partnership between our universities evolved during the development of this common Master’s programme?

Sara Carbone: The relationship between our universities has become stronger and stronger. The project has allowed us to connect people from different institutions and to establish an active academic committee.

Stéphanie Germon: Over time, the collaboration has become much more fluid — positions have softened, communication has improved, and we now have a clearer dialogue with our governing bodies. Each meeting makes us more aligned.

What do you hope future graduates will take away from this experience, beyond academic knowledge?

Sara Carbone: Intercultural awareness, openness to the world, and the ability to work and learn within different cultural and educational frameworks.

Javier Cardinal: Beyond technical skills, we want them to understand how to collaborate across borders and disciplines. That’s a vital skill for the future of European research and innovation.

What advice would you give to other teams wishing to create a European Master’s degree?

Stéphanie Germon: Anticipate as many scenarios as possible. Administrative issues, candidates’ numbers, mobility gaps, failed exams, or even a partner leaving the programme, etc. All these cases should be planned in advance. The more alternatives you have, the stronger your project will be.

Javier Cardinal: I’d say: make sure your universities are complementary. Build on each partner’s strengths and collaborate closely at every step. That’s what makes a European Master’s truly work.

What’s a multiple degree?

It’s an academic program that allows a student to earn more than one degree during their studies. Such programs often offer greater career opportunities because they help students develop diverse skills in multiple fields. However, they also require more effort and time, since the student must complete a heavier and more demanding course load.

More information about European multiple programs