EMMC-ChIR - Erasmus Mundus Master in Chemical Innovation and Regulation

The EMMChIR has been renewed and will start in Sept/Oct 2025, involving the University of Algarve, the University of Bologna and the University of Barcelona, and a large network of Associated Partners from all over the world.

Overview

Chemicals play an irreplaceable role in everyday life. However, their use involves a risk: some may be highly toxic to humans and to the environment, or they may cause physical and chemical hazards.

To ensure a toxic-free environment, modern society demands chemicals strategies for sustainability. International chemical regulations such as the European REACH are an essential step in the right direction, promoting innovation to design safer chemicals and search for innovative chemical applications.

ChIR prepares professionals with the scientific, regulatory and economic knowledge necessary to manage the risks of chemicals and to meet responsibilities over chemical legislation worldwide. Its multicultural environment fosters innovation while exploring the most recent trends on chemical circular economy and sustainability.

The master duration is 2 years: 1 year of taught modules and 1 year of internship, research project and thesis.

By the end of the programme each student will:

• have a thorough understanding of international regulations on the use of chemical substances;
• be able to design new safe chemical products;
• be able to project a business plan for the commercialization of new chemical products;
• understand the industrial implementation of new processes;
• understand circular economy and its implications in chemical safety;
• evaluate environmental, toxicological, physical and reactivity risks of chemical substances.

Teaching takes place in one of the Universities of the consortium. Lecturers are specialists from all the partner institutions. The Host University rotates every year.

In the 2nd year each student moves to a second country of the consortium to complete the internship, research project and thesis. Part of the research project can be done in collaboration with one of the associated partner institutions of the Consortium either in Europe, in Brazil, China, Japan, India, Argentina or Uruguay.

The final Qualification obtained is a Join Master Degree in Chemical Innovation and Regulation awarded by the three Universities of the ChIR Consortium.

Employability

80% of ChIR graduates are employed within the first year following graduation. ChIR graduates gain an in-depth knowledge in chemical design, industrial processes, marketing, risk assessment and chemicals regulations. The ChIR programme is designed to attend the needs of chemical companies, research centers and regulation bodies. It opens student’s perspectives for bright professional careers as risk assessment experts, regulatory affairs specialists, regulatory scientists, regulatory professionals.

The ChIR programme is a second cycle degree that grants access to third cycle degrees in the fields covered by the course. In particular, it is an excellent step towards a doctorate degree.