Internationalization plays a particularly significant role in postgraduate education, both at master's and doctoral levels. International multiple and joint master's degrees are both designed to enhance academic cooperation and mobility, but they differ in structure and implications. Joint degrees involve a single, integrated curriculum developed and delivered collaboratively by two or more institutions, typically resulting in one joint diploma endorsed by all participating universities. In contrast, multiple degrees involve students meeting the requirements of separate programs at each institution, resulting in two or more distinct diplomas.

Double and multiple degree programs have been offered for many years in numerous countries, as have joint master’s and doctoral programs. The Erasmus Mundus program was launched in 2004 by the European Commission delivering Erasmus Mundus joint master’s degrees that involve consortia of universities from different countries, offering integrated curricula and awarding joint diplomas.

This article analyzes the current state and prospects of Erasmus Mundus joint master’s degrees in the field of engineering in Spain.

In Spain, most universities now offer double degree programs in collaboration with other national institutions. Additionally, in recent years, international joint postgraduate degree programs have become increasingly common in Spain. The majority of these international joint master's programs involving Spanish universities are part of the Erasmus Mundus program.

As of 2025, the Erasmus Mundus catalogue includes 214 master's programs across Europe, with Spain participating in 99 of them (46%). Of these 214 programs, 74 are in the field of engineering, and Spanish universities are involved in 42 of them (57%).

The vast majority of the 42 Erasmus Mundus master's programs in engineering have a duration of two years (120 ECTS), with only three programs offering fewer than 120 ECTS (between 60 and 90 ECTS). The number of participating universities in these 42 programs ranges from a minimum of three (in 9 master’s programs) to a maximum of eight universities, only in one program. The most common number of participating universities is four, found in almost half of the programs (19).

A total of 120 different universities from 24 countries collaborate with Spanish institutions in these 42 Erasmus Mundus master's programs in engineering. Of these, 116 universities are from 21 EU countries, two from the UK, one from Turkey, and one from Japan. In addition to Spain's 20 participating universities, the countries with the highest number of partner institutions in the Erasmus Mundus engineering master’s programs are: France, with 24 universities; Germany, with 13 universities; Italy, with 10 universities, and Portugal, with 9 universities.

A total of 20 different Spanish universities (all public) participate in these 42 Erasmus Mundus master’s programs in engineering. Notably, two universities account for nearly half of the programs: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, in Barcelona, which participates in 11 Erasmus Mundus master degrees, and University of Basque Country, involved in 6 of these programs. Another six universities are involved in 2 or 3 programs, while the remaining 12 universities participate in one Erasmus Mundus master in engineering. Among these 20 Spanish institutions, six have acted as program coordinating university in at least one Erasmus Mundus program.

Keywords: Engineering education, Erasmus Mundus, international, joint degree, master’s degree.