Deadline:
December 31, 2025
Location(s)
Italy Portugal Spain United Kingdom
Rome, Coimbra, Oviedo, Nottingham
Overview
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Sustainable Transportation and Electrical Power Systems (STEPS JMD) provides advanced education to prepare highly qualified electrical and electronic engineers in two areas of the highest technological content and professional requirements in the energy sector: Electrical Transportation and Power Systems, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and on sustainability issues. The Electrical Power Systems strand will allow for accommodating the large academic demand on that sector. It is oriented towards power electronics and their use in power systems applications, also covering design analysis and operation of power systems. There is also a Sustainable Transportation strand, focused in power electronics and energy management in electric vehicles and other mobility applications.
Details
Consortium at glance
The EMJMD STEPS is promoted by a partnership led by the University of Oviedo (ES), together with the University of Nottingham (UK), the University of Rome (IT) and the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (PT). Prestigious international universities, as the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Illinois (USA), the University of Santa Maria (BR) and the University of Yeungnam (KOR), and 16 global leading companies in energy and transportation sectors are associated members. Companies will be offering internships, and some senior staff will be teaching courses.
Course structure
Students will carry out the courses in at least 3 different countries, with 2 alternative mobility tracks: Coimbra-Nottingham-Oviedo or Rome-Nottingham-Oviedo. Students will also have the opportunity of an internship in an associated university or company in Europe, America or Asia. Course will be taught in English but students will have the opportunity to work in at least other 3 EU official languages.
Students will attend a 2-week introductory course at the University of Oviedo, to meet other colleagues, University coordinators, etc. Semester 1 will be a Levelling Course to compensate knowledge for different educational background. Students wishing to focus on ST strand will spend this first period in Rome, while the focusing on EPS will attend lectures in Coimbra. Semester 2 will be devoted to the study of advanced subjects on ST and EPS in Nottingham. During Semester 3 students will complete their specialization in either of the proposed strands in Oviedo. Finally, in semester 4 students will carry out an internship in one of the associated Universities or world leading company, and a guided research aimed at the preparation of the Master thesis.
First semester
Introductory course during the 1st semester. The Master will kick-off with an introductory two-week course to be delivered at the University of Oviedo. It will be a 3 ECTS course introduction to Renewable Power Systems, Electrical Traction and Energy Efficiency. Students will be provided with all the information about the content and organization of the course. The introductory course will also be attended by the Coordinators from the other partner Universities, members of the IAB and some of the leading associated companies, such as Ford, ABB, Siemens-Gamesa. Members of the IAB (see IAB composition in A.3.1) will be giving specialized seminars. Top technical and management staff of the associated companies will give seminars about the state of the art of the involved technologies in Electrical Power Systems, Electric and Hybrid Electric vehicles and Energy Efficiency. Besides, the Students Mentoring Programme (SMP) (see A.2.1 and A.3.4) will be presented and organized in collaboration with professors of the universities involved in the program. The introductory course will be also useful for student networking.
The rest of the EMJMD STEPS 1st semester courses will be offered in the University of Rome and Instituto Superior de Engenheria de Coimbra (ISEC). Conceived as a levelling course, students will receive the theoretical specialized training in Sustainable Transportation and Power Systems, offering the possibility of balancing their previous academic and professional background and acquire the appropriate and relevant knowledge to undertake the further specialization. These universities will be delivering the basic subjects needed to consolidate previous knowledge concerning the key technologies involved in the Erasmus Mundus Master Program. The EMJMD STEPS Academic Committee (see A.3.1) will recommend the appropriate destination for accepted students, either Coimbra or Rome, depending of their academic background and their career interest. Modules offered in each of the Universities and their corresponding ECTS will be:
University of Rome
Sustainable transportation:
- Power Electronics
- Electric Power Systems
- Electrical Machines
- Control of Electromechanical Systems
- Mechanical Background
- Dynamic Analysis and Control of AC Machines
- Digital Control and Microcontrollers
- Power Systems for Electrical Transportation
- Foreign language
Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra
Electrical Power Systems:
- Power Electronics
- Electric Power Systems
- Electrical Machines
- Power Plants
- Distribution Systems
- Electric Power Systems Control and Operation
- Microcontrollers
- DSP and Communications
- Digital Control
- Introduction to Programming
- Foreign language
Out of the full offer, students will choose subjects up to 27 ECTS. Students attending to Rome will particularly focus on subjects related to Sustainable Transportation, thus expending more efforts on the dynamic control of AC machines, particularly PMM, extensively used in traction applications; power electronics and AC drives needed for the power conversion and digital systems commonly used for the implementation of control algorithms. Additionally, mechanical background needed for the understanding of basic mechanics later used during the 3rd semester for the hybrid vehicle design. The students attending courses in Coimbrawill be focusing on Electrical Power Systems. Subjects are focused in the needed background on generation and distribution but also with subjects leading to the integration of power electronics in power systems, including digital implementation and communications competences later needed for the development of FACTS, HVDC, microgrids and smartgrids technologies. It is also worth noting, that both Universities will be offering complementary courses to ensure a full range of curriculum combinations. The distribution of students between Coimbra and Rome helps increasing the academic offer (up to 82 ECTS between both Universities), and therefore reduce the number of students in each subject to achieve a more personalized and higher quality education in an area of high technological content.
Second semester
In 2nd semester students will move to Nottingham in order to learn the needed power electronics basics applied to one of the proposed strands. Students might freely choose among several different topics, however, two different specialization lines are proposed, allowing focusing the learning process either on Sustainable Transportation or Electrical Power Systems. In the Sustainable Transportation strand they will be focus on the energy storing, conversion and drives technologies, whereas in the Power Systems strand, electrical power conversion technologies, from generation to distribution processes will be the key aspects. It is worth noting the emphasis in practical content in those subjects extended with a project.
University of Nottingham
Sustainable Transportation:
- Power Systems for Aerospace, Marine and Automotive Application
- Advanced AC Drives + Project
- Advanced Electrical Machines (with Project)
- Foreign language
Electrical Power Systems:
- Renewable Generation Technologies
- Energy Storage
- Advanced AC Drives + Project
- Distributed Generation and Alternative Energy
- Foreign language
Summer School
At the end of the 2nd semester, the student will participate in the Summer School (3 ECTS). The students from the different strands will be mixed in groups and will be given an open design project to implement, through team-work and to develop other skills. During three weeks, the students will work together in order to complete the project and a short report and oral presentation will be used for the course evaluation. A board of at least 6 people (one representative for each partner institution plus to invited people from the associated partners, acting as scholars) will evaluate the projects and an award will be given to the highest marked project as a proof of recognition.
Third semester
In 3rd semester students will move to Asturias and will attend the term at the Polytechnic School of Engineering of Gijón, at the University of Oviedo. The two offered strands will allow the students to focus on electrical/hybrid vehicles design or in power systems and renewable project management. Again, students can freely choose among all the offered subjects. It is worth noting that courses may be combined to strengthen the engineering or the management dimension. However, it would be highly recommended that they keep the consistency of their curriculum, pursuing the specialization in either of the proposed technology areas. For Sustainable Transportation, modules are designed to cover all electrical and mechanical issues in the design of hybrid/electric vehicles but also the integration of these new actors in the electrical network. For Power Systems strand, additionally to the required technological knowledge, the modules include topics related to the management of electrical power systems, including development of renewable energy projects. It is worth noting the subject for cooperation and electrical development which keeps an eye on the deployment of electrical energy in third world countries. The offered courses will also have a large amount of practical contents, including an end of semester laboratory.
University of Oviedo
Sustainable Transportation:
- Design of hybrid (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV)
- Energy storing and recovering in power systems and hybrid/electric vehicles
- EMC
- Applied simulation to electrical transportation
- Analysis and Simulation of Railway Power Systems
- Sustainable Transportation Laboratory and Project
- Foreign language
Electrical Power Systems
- Electrical Energy and Cooperation for Development
- Project Management for Conventional and Renewable Energy applications
- Electrical Markets
- Economic and Financial Analysis
- Applied simulation to power systems
- Power Systems Laboratory and Project
- Control of Power Converters for FACTS and HVDC applications
- Smartgrids and Microgrids
- Foreign language
Fourth semester
In 4th semester students will move to any of the 4 Universities or of the 16 companies associated members to carry out the internship and prepare the Master thesis. Student will have the opportunity of a professional internship in a leading company in the automobile or power generation industry plus a guided research aimed at the preparation of the Master thesis. Internships will be devoted for the development of the Master Thesis in an associated partner university or company of the EMJMD STEPS programme. Internships will be co-tutored by a Master's professor and an external person belonging to the associated partner. All the students will have the possibility of having the internship period, with a maximum of two students staying at each associated partner. The selection of associated Universities and companies has been made on the basis of their high specialization on the Master topics.
The Master's Thesis will be a written report of the student's personal work and is aimed at developing independent and scientific thoughts and applications. Master Thesis will be connected to the activities to be developed during the internship and one chapter of the Master Thesis will describe the Internship activities and the outcomes that may be relevant to the Thesis. Thesis topics will be offered by the Master Academic Committee at the beginning of the 3rd semester. Students will have up to 15th October to make their choices, with the assistance of the Mentoring Professor. The Master Academic Committee will confirm the Master thesis assignments by 15th November.
The thesis will be supervised by a PhD Professor belonging to any of the partner Universities and may also be co-directed by a professor or tutor from the associated organization where the student is carrying out the internship).
Master Thesis Module:
- Internships: 12 ECTS
- Master Thesis: 18 ECTS
Application
The application process for the EMJMD STEPS consists of 2 steps:
- First, applicants will have to fill out and electronically submit the application form within deadline via the Application System on the dedicated EMJMD STEPS website.
- Afterwards, the selected candidates will have to send in hard copies all required attachments by post, post stamped before the assigned deadline.
The Indicative application and admission calendar for each edition of the EMJMD STEPS will be:
- Application procedure information: 1st October.
- Application submission deadline: 31th December.
- Selection process: January - February
- Informal notification to candidates on selection process results: 15 -31 March aprox.
- Official decision on Masters' accepted students: mid-end May aprox
- Start of enrolment: 1st June aprox.
- Deadline for confirmation on scholarship acceptance: 20th June aprox
- Deadline for completing enrolment documentation: 30th June aprox
- Confirmation of acceptance deadline for students from the reserved list: 1st July
- Deadline for completing enrolment documentation for students from the reserve list: 15 July aprox.
- End of enrolment: 31st July
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
To be eligible for the EMJMD STEPS master programme the applicant should fulfil these minimal requirements:
- Be holder of a Bachelor degree in Engineering (a minimum of three years' study at a university and of a minimum of 180 ECTS, or equivalent according to the regulations in the country of origin and to the European regulations)
- International students attending the EMJMD STEPS Programme and whose first language is not English, are required to have an appropriate grade/score in an approved examination in English language equivalent to level B2 before they can register on an academic programme. The following are recognised English Language qualifications by the EMJMD STEPS for this course:
- The Academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS): This is available world-wide through British Council Centres and we would request a score of 6 with no less than 5.5 in each element.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with at least 79 point and at least 17 points in the writing section, 18 in reading and 20 in speaking.
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) with at least 55 and no less than 51 in each element.
- Further criteria for self-funded students - in addition to meeting the English Language requirement, candidates must also have a high 2:2 or equivalent in Electrical and/or Electronic Engineering, or other relevant degree recognised by the UoN.
Any English test will need to have been taken within 2 years of registration onto the course.
Students who have taken their education entirely in the medium of English and can demonstrate that they have completed a recognised degree or have successfully completed the whole of their secondary education up to and including the equivalent of year twelve in one of the countries on the UKBA list of countries will automatically receive and English language waiver. More information about English language requirements and equivalences can be found here or contact postgraduate-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk
Dates
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
The EMJMD STEPS will select some students to be awarded with individual Erasmus Mundus scholarships according to the Student selection criteria approved by the EACEA.
The number of scholarships for each category of individuals will be defined on a yearly basis.
Partner country students
Students whose nationality is one of the Erasmus+ Partner Countries and who are not residents nor have carried out their main activity (studies, training or work) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in a Programme Country are considered as Partner Country students; The five-year reference period for this 12-month rule is calculated backwards as from the submission deadline (defined by the consortia) of applying for an EMJMD student scholarship.
Programme country students
Students whose nationality is one of the Erasmus+ Programme Countries count as Programme Country students.
Please note that, as Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway entered the Erasmus+ Programme as "Programme Counries", scholarship applicants who are nationals of these countries should be considered as Programme Country students.
Contribution to travel and installation costs
- 1000 EUR per year per scholarship holder resident of a Programme Country for travel costs.
- 2000 EUR per year for travel costs + 1000 EUR for installation costs for scholarship holder resident of a Partner Country whose location is situated at less than 4.000 km from the EMJMD coordinating HEI.
- 3000 EUR per year for travel costs + 1000 EUR for installation costs for scholarship holder resident of a Partner Country whose location is situated at 4000 km or more from the EMJMD coordinating HEI.
A contribution to installation costs is offered only to students residents of a Partner Country (1000 € for the entire course). It is an incentive to help covering the additional costs related to the issuing of visas, residence permits, etc. as well as temporary accommodation needs upon arrival in the first Programme hosting HEI.
It is the responsibility of the consortium to verify the place of residence of the student candidate. The place of residence should be verifies on the basis of the provision of:
- A residence certificate issued in accordance with the candidate's municipality normal registration rules;
- A certificate from the candidate's place of work, study or training issued by the employer or institution in question.
Contribution to subsistence costs (for both programme and partner country scholarship holders)
1000 EUR per month for the entire duration of the EMJMD study programme (24 months maximum).
Contribution to subsistence costs must not be given to:
- Scholarship holders for the EMJMD periods (study/research/placement/thesis preparation) spent in their country of residence
- Partner Country Scholarship holders for the EMJMD periods exceeding three months (indicatively the equivalent of 15 ECTS credits) spent in any Partner Country.
- Only a maximum of 2 students from a specific country will be accepted (i.e. a maximum of 2 students from Spain, a maximum of 2 students from Iran, etc.)
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
