Erasmus Mundus was launched in 2004 as a higher education cooperation programme funded by the European Commission and continued until 2013. Beginning in 2014, Erasmus Mundus became part of the Erasmus+ funding scheme umbrella which lasted until 2020. The Erasmus+ scheme was renewed for the period of 2021-2027 and is expected to triple the number of participants.
About Grenfin
About Grenfin
The GrEnFIn EMJM is a collaborative degree program offered by the University of Bologna (Italy), Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich (Germany) & Paris Dauphine – PSL University (France).
It is funded by the European Union under the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) framework and proudly carries the Erasmus Mundus label.
The program is supported by internationally renowned associated partner institutions as well as highly engaged large and small enterprises (LSEs and SMEs).
The program’s objective is to cultivate Sustainable Energy Experts (SEEs), proficient professionals capable of addressing evolving challenges in the energy sector with a comprehensive global perspective.
In steering the transition to a more sustainable economy, SEEs play a crucial role by integrating a spectrum of competencies.
These include engineering expertise in green energy sources, proficiency in sustainable economics, and quantitative skills in risk management and financial engineering.
Hence, the GrEnFIn Master provides advanced interdisciplinary education that aligns with evolving competencies for digital and green transitions, including deep-tech, in accordance with the objectives outlined in the European Commission’s New European Innovation Agenda.
The program is conducted in English, welcoming students from around the world.
The mobility schedule includes study phases at each of the three universities and an internship/research assistantship during the fourth semester. Throughout the program, students will engage in international summer/winter schools, visits to research institutes or companies, and open events to connect with external stakeholders.
The courses will be taught by local academic experts, professionals, and visiting scholars.
Successful students will receive multiple degrees from all three universities, equipped with contemporary technical skills and cutting-edge knowledge that align with stakeholders’ requirements.
Coupled with the cultural and language dimensions, graduates will possess the capabilities needed for successful professional and academic careers.
Useful links
Useful Links
The Degree
The degree
GrEnFIn EMJM is a 24-month Erasmus Mundus Master programme offering120 ECTS, culminating in a multiple degree issued by the three partner universities :
- UNIBO, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Italy
- LMU, Ludwing-Maximilian University, Germany
- UPD, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL, France
Notably, the project builds upon the knowledge and outcomes derived from a previous Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance
“GrEnFIn” (Call EAC/A03/2018, GA 612408), particularly those involving collaborative efforts for the issuance of multiple degrees.
This legacy has fostered a strong and lasting connection with both the frontier scientific community and key industry players in the energy and finance sectors, ensuring a continuous dialogue between academic research and real-world applications.
The GrEnFIn educational approach is meant to respond to societal and labor market needs by providing stakeholders in the Energy Sector (energy providers, private companies, research institutes) with European, highly interdisciplinary skilled professionals capable of facing changing challenges in the field.
This includes guaranteeing stable and sustainable access to energy, which aligns with the EU2030 programme‘s transition to a low-carbon energy sector,
the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement as well.
Therefore, the multidisciplinary nature of the GrEnFIn EMJM is crucial for equipping students with the skills to analyze and manage challenges arising from the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The proposed educational path comprises four main academic subjects :
- quantitative tools for climate science and finance/energy economics;
- engineering of renewable resources;
- advanced statistics;
- IT.
These domains are seamlessly woven into three pioneering curricula meticulously structured
to foster distinct and specialized competencies.
The GrEnFIn EMJM stands at the forefront of aligning with key European Union policy frameworks, including the European Green Deal and the overarchindigitalization agenda.
Objectives
Objectives
We have identified key gaps and educational needs through a comprehensive needs analysis conducted during the previous Knowledge Alliance “GrEnFIn” project, which included a large-scale stakeholder survey.
This process allowed us to clearly define the emerging skills gap and to focus on
the profile of a new professional figure to be trained.
While the different groups of stakeholders consulted—ranging from academia to industry—may have had varying motivations, goals, and expectations, they all converged on a shared priority : theurgent need to educate a new professional capable of addressing the challenges of the energy transition and broader environmental transformation.
Specifically, the professional figure highly recommended by the stakeholders, that we called
SEE – Sustainable Energy Expert, is expected to have the following abilities :
- To possess the ability to navigate future changes in external scenarios (due to climate change impact) and internal ones (due to technological progress and innovations).
- To be capable of addressing future societal and economic challenges arising from global warming.
- To have a profile that proves beneficial in managing the transition process, whether at the enterprise level or institutional/regulatory levels.
Curricula & degrees
Curricula & degrees
The multidisciplinary need coupled with the specialized knowledge related to the complexity of the transition process and the multiple role the SEE will play in it, led to differentiate the professional
figure by favoring the focus of training on one of the following specific contributions :
- Assisting the production system in identifying the optimal energy supply strategy by evaluating its impact in terms of risk and ensuring compliance with regulatory directives.
- Creating customized financial products enabling companies to hedge and manage inherent risks associated with renewable choices.
- Assisting the company’s financial management in identifying the optimal asset allocation policy aligned with ESG objectives to minimize environmental impact.
The triple role identified has led to the structuring ofthree curricula that aim to train the Sustainable Energy Expert in : “Renewable Technologies”, “Environmental Finance”, and “Climate & Business Science” respectively.
Therefore the specializations define three curricula aimed at educating the figure of
“Sustainable Energy Expert” with specific focuses on certain skills expected by the stakeholders consulted :
- “Renewable Technologies”: Educates an expert with engineering knowledge focused on renewable sources and implementable technologies for energy production and storage.
This is complemented with economic-financial training to address the energy transition with awareness of its production, business, and risk implications. - “Environmental Finance”: Educates a quantitatively skilled expert with environmental knowledge to support energy transition by designing risk control solutions
and new derivative products. Finance meets sustainability in this track. - “Climate & Business”: Emphasizes forecasting, mitigation, and adaptation skills for managing sustainable market transitions, with focus on methods tailored to corporate environments.
Although the project stems from multiple specialized fields, the curriculum structure allows customization.
Students retain flexibility within each track to explore topics aligned with personal interests and career ambitions.
Successful GrEnFIn EMJM students will receive a second cycle multiple degree, leading to the
delivery of three diplomas with diploma supplements from the partner universities :
- UNIBO: Master Degree in Greening Energy Market and Finance
- LMU: Master in Financial and Insurance Mathematics
- UPD: Master in Economics and Finance
The degrees reflect each HEI’s expertise and roles within the program. This structured flexibility supports interdisciplinary learning while ensuring recognition of specialization.
The issuance of three diplomas—covering Statistics (UNIBO), Mathematics (LMU), and Economics (UPD)—ensures immediate recognition of graduate profiles, making the training highly distinguishable in the professional world .
About Erasmus Mundus Joint Master
About Erasmus Mundus Joint Master
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) are high-level, integrated transnational study programmes :
- at Master level
- resulting in the award of either a joint or multiple master’s degree
They are delivered by:
- an international partnership of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from different countries worldwide
- and other educational and/or non-educational partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study area(s) or professional domain(s)
EMJMs include the award of scholarships to excellent students for their participation in one of these Master programmes.
The Erasmus Mundus action aims to :
- foster excellence
- encourage worldwide internationalization of Higher Education Institutions in Europe via study programmes jointly delivered and jointly recognized by HEIs established in Europe, and open to institutions in other countries of the world
- increase the HEIs ranking of top universities at global level
- institutional academic cooperation to showcase European excellence in higher education
- individual mobility for students taking part in the action
- facilitates the recruitment of the best students on a highly competitive market
- aims at ensuring that the cooperation tools and approaches currently developed in Europe within the framework of the Bologna process (e.g. ECTS, diploma supplement, joint degree mechanisms, European quality assurance procedures) are widely disseminated and recognized beyond Europe
Disclaimer :
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.