EMQAL is a master course for laboratory managers and scientists who wish to implement and manage Quality Systems in analytical laboratories, or work in Quality System environments in accredited analytical laboratories.
The master is offered by a Consortium of five European universities and one Chinese university:
- University of Algarve (Portugal, PT)
- University of Barcelona (Spain, ES)
- University of Bergen (Norway, NO)
- University of Cadiz (Spain, ES)
- Gdask University of Technology (Poland, PL)
- Central South University (China, CN)
Applicants are divided into two categories: Category A and Category B. – Category A applicants come from a Third Country and were not residents nor have carried out their main activity (studies, work, etc.) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in an European Country. Third Country means a country that is not a European Country”. More concretely, the Erasmus Mundus programme distinguishes three different groups of countries:
a) The Members states of the European Uni0n;
b) Other countries or potential candidates possibly on the same footing as Member States (this category includes Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo under UNSC Resolution 1244/99, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Switzerland); these countries are considered as third countries unless there is an establishment of the participation of the country concerned in the EM programme
c) Third countries.
– Category B applicants do not fulfill the Category A criteria defined above.
Scholarship
The European Commission provides a limited number of grants (ERASMUS MUNDUS studentships) for selected Category A and Category B students.
A Category A EM studentship for EMQAL totals 38000€ and covers:
- payment of the tuition fees for the whole EMQAL course (12000€)
- travel expenses (2000 €)
- A monthly allowance of 1333.33 € /month, for 18 months.
A Category B EM studentship for EMQAL totals 15000 € and covers:
- payment of the tuition fees for the whole EMQAL course (6000€)
- A monthly allowance of 500€/month, for 18 months.
Eligibility
- Strong Academic Background in appropriate disciplines- this means candidates must hold a high education diploma issued by a competent High Education authority attesting the completion of a degree equivalent to a 1st cycle (180 ECTS), in a field where analytical laboratories play an important role. This may be a degree in Chemistry, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biochemistry, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Clinical Analysis, Medicine, etc.
- Demonstrated command of the English language- this means the candidate must prove he/she can understand, speak and write English proficiently enough to take the majority of modules, which are taught in English. (TOEFL scores paper 575 / computer 232, Internet based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT™ ) total score 94, International English Language Testing System, IELTS scores 6.5, etc.)
- Adequate financial resources
When you apply there is no guarantee that you will be considered for an ERASMUS or ERASMUS MUNDUS studentship so you should be fully aware of the financial costs of the programme. All candidates must take the financial aspects in consideration when applying. The studentships are extremely competitive and only the very best students in a field of many excellent applicants will be awarded the studentships. You should indicate clearly if you are relying on ERASMUS, ERASMUS MUNDUS or other studentships to finance your study. Individuals who have already benefited from an Erasmus Mundus Master studentship are not eligible for a second studentship in order to follow EMQAL. One individual may apply only to a maximum of three Erasmus Mundus Master courses at the same time. Candidates who do not comply with this rule may have their applications cancelled by the EACEA.
How to apply?
The application is made online, and is the same for European and Non-European candidates. Please register at this website. You will then be sent an email with instructions on how to complete the online application form.
After completing your online application you are required to send the the following documents:
- A completed and signed copy of your printed application;
- A copy of your motivation and your personal statements;
- A completed and signed copy of the Declaration for Applicants (see below)
- An identification document (passport or identification card);
- Diplomas or certificates of your academic degrees, including a list of all disciplines in your degree (also provide a translation to English if the language is other than English or a language of the consortium: Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian or Polish);
- Any diplomas or certificates that may help you in the selection procedures (for example English proficiency tests)
Your application will only be complete when we receive these documents. You are required to send a pdf file containing copies of these documents by email to [email protected] and a hard copy of all documents by post mail (stamp date before the deadline for applications) to the address displayed below. The deadline for the application is 31 December 2011.
Contacts
Postgraduate Admissions Officer
Secretaria dos Mestrados
FCT-Gambelas Campus
University of Algarve
8005-139 Faro
Portugal