The Mundus Journalism Consortium - a collaborative venture

The Erasmus Mundus programme is built upon a rich history of collaborative research and teaching among European and non-European universities

In 2004, this collaboration reached a new level with the formation of a Consortium aimed at attaining Erasmus Mundus Consortium status from the EU, facilitating the offering of Erasmus Mundus master's degrees. Following a successful application, the Consortium was granted the Erasmus Mundus label and received Mundus funding in 2005.

Subsequently, in September 2005, the inaugural edition of Mundus Journalism, Media, and Globalisation welcomed 27 students from diverse backgrounds worldwide. Since then, our programme has experienced remarkable growth, with nearly 600 applicants per edition, allowing us to now accept approximately 90 outstanding students annually. This expansion has enriched our Mundus family, comprising nearly 1500 alumni spanning over 100 countries across the globe.

Renewed Erasmus funding powers Mundus Journalism’s resilience-focused next chapter 

Like all Erasmus Mundus Consortia, the Mundus Journalism Consortium must periodically reapply to the European Commission to continue offering the programme under the Erasmus Mundus framework.

In July 2025, the Consortium received excellent news from the EU Commission: our renewed application was approved for continued funding. The updated programme — featuring strengthened global partnerships and an enhanced curriculum that deepens the integration of academic and journalistic perspectives — was selected as one of only 37 programmes to receive funding out of 195 eligible applications submitted across Europe.

We are now finalising the Grant Agreement for the approved proposal with the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), ensuring that the next generation of Mundus Journalism students can continue to benefit from this unique international collaboration.

The renewal builds on our long-running programme that blends rigorous scholarship with newsroom-ready practice and will place resilience at the heart of the next phase—preparing future journalists to navigate uncertainty while defending democratic values and public trust. 

This funding has never been more important. Across the world, journalists face overlapping pressures - conflict and disasters, mis/disinformation accelerated by AI, polarization, climate-driven crises, increased precarity, and threats to press freedom and safety. This funding enables the consortium to prepare our graduates to report with accuracy, courage, and care. 

Building on nearly 20-years of success, the updated programme includes: 

• Alongside established specialisations focused on Politics & Communication, Totalitarianism & Transition, Cultures & Contexts, we have added a new Crisis & Conflict specialisation that deepens analytical and practical skills in high-risk, high-complexity reporting. 
• A dedicated Resilience Committee to strengthen student wellbeing, mentoring, and pedagogical support throughout the two-year joint degree journey. 

The Mundus Journalism Consortium 2025 and beyond

Delivered across Aarhus University (coordinator), University of Amsterdam, LMU Munich, City St George’s University of London, and Charles University, the consortium and its master’s degree programme connects students with five vibrant media ecosystems and an active global alumni community. 

We are proud of this renewed funding and of our dedicated team, and we look forward to the years ahead. We extend our sincere thanks to the European Commission, whose continued support recognizes the value of our program and urgency and relevance of training our next-generation of journalists.

As shown on the map below, the Mundus Journalism Consortium is meticulously developed by selecting premier Degree Awarding Partners and Associated Research and Educational Partners. Together with our Associated Professional Partners, they deliver a cutting-edge Master’s programme focused on cultivating analytical and critical perspectives on journalism, media, and globalisation.