Europe,Japan : Masters on Photonic Networks Engineering (MAPNET): Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2010

he MAsters on Photonic NETworks engineering (MAPNET) is a masters programme under the European Union’s Erasmus Mundus Programme. In particular, MAPNET is a full-time, two-year, international programme offered by a consortium of four universities and with the support of five international enterprises acting as associated members.

MAPNET Consortium

• Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Italy, acting as Coordinator;
• Aston University – UK;
• Technische Universität Berlin – Germany;
• Osaka University – Japan.

Associated Members

• Ericsson Research – Sweden;
• Deutsch Telekom – Germany;
• Mistubishi Electric Corporation – Japan;
• Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd – Japan;
• National Institute of Information and Communications Technologies – Japan.

MAPNET is focused on the competence related to the generation, manipulation, transport and detection of signals exploiting photons as a support to convey information. This area is currently recognized as one of the most significant within Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the enabling architectures for the future Internet. In fact, the increasing quantity and importance of data exchange and relevant services in next generation Internet requires to utilise in an efficient manner advanced technologies such as data transport over optical fibers.

The Masters program consists of 120 ECTS (two academic years, divided into four semesters). Each semester allows 30 ECTS to be gained. The first three semesters are based on traditional courses, lab exercise and laboratory sessions, while the last is based on independent work related to the Masters thesis.

Application

Admission Criteria

MAPNET will admit both European and third-country (i.e. non-EU/EEA-EFTA) students. Both EU and third-country applicants can apply for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

The Consortium jointly set the rules to be applied to the application, selection, admission and examination of applicants, along with those to relating to the resultant enrolled students.

A Selection Committee appointed by the Consortium will select candidates evaluating the following aspects:

• Non-EU applicants for the Masters Programme shall have a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecommunication Engineering, Computer Science or Physics;

• EU applicants for the Masters Programme shall have a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecommunication Engineering, Computer Science or Physics or have gained a minimum of 180 ECTS in one of these Bachelor degree programmes at the date of 31st July 2010;

• Study curriculum (average mark of all university exams, thesis mark, relevance of the curriculum and dissertation thesis to the Masters programme);

• Previous professional and/or research experience;

• Foreign languages skills (Candidates should have a good knowledge of the English language, proved by a proficiency certificate – TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge or other forms of statement – or a self declaration subject to verification through a possible oral interview. There is not an explicit minimum mark in English proficiency for admission;

• Two reference letters from people who have a reasonable knowledge of candidate skills/potentials;
• Motivation letter by the candidate;
• Publications relevant to the contents of the Masters programme.

The Committee reviews the certificates and curriculum vitae of each candidate. The Committee will select candidates by rating them using a scale with a maximum score of 100 points, divided as follows:

• Study curriculum (average mark of all university exams, thesis mark, relevance of the curriculum and dissertation thesis to the Masters programme), up to 50 points;
• Previous professional and/or research experience in the sector, up to 10 points;
• Foreign languages, up to 10 points;
• Motivation and reference letters, up to 20 points;
• Publications relevant to the contents of the Masters programme, up to 10 points.

In order to clarify some aspects of the received applications, the Selection Committee may require certain applicants to attend an interview (even through telematic means). Applicants who are required to attend an interview will be notified only via e-mail within ten days after the call deadlines.

Those who have been awarded an overall score of at least 60/100 points are eligible to be admitted to attend the Masters Programme. Three ranking lists will be provided:

1. A first ranking list will be provided on the basis of the applications received within January 3rd for the awarding of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarships category A. Depending on the number of scholarships that are assigned by the European Commission, a corresponding number of best-ranked students will be awarded scholarships, respecting the country balance criterion and the mobility constraints, as established in the above-mentioned European Commission Programme Guide. This ranking will be posted after January 31st, following the European Commission validation, along with a reserve list. Applicants above the eligibility threshold (60/100), but ranked in a position such that they are not eligible for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, will be re-considered for admission without scholarship in ranking list n.3.
2. A second ranking list will be provided on the basis of the applications received within April 30st for the awarding of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarships category B. Depending on the number of scholarships that are assigned by the European Commission, a corresponding number of best-ranked students will be awarded scholarships, respecting the country balance criterion and the mobility constraints, as established in the above-mentioned European Commission Programme Guide. This ranking will be posted after May 31st, following the European Commission validation, along with a reserve list. Applicants above the eligibility threshold (60/100), but ranked in a position such that they are not eligible for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, will be re-considered for admission without scholarship in ranking list n. 3.
3. A third ranking list will be provided for admission of students without scholarships (regardless of citizenship) building a new ranking list based on all applications received before May 31st, including those students who were not eligible for scholarships in either cat.egory A or category B applications. This ranking will be posted after June 30st along with a reserve list.

At the end of each selection procedures – according to the deadlines detailed in Application Deadlines – and after the European Commission validation, the Selection Committee will post on the Masters website the list of admitted applicants to the Masters. The results of the selection will be timely notified to those applicants who have been admitted to the Masters, via e-mail only, including the awarding of an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

Deadlines

The application site will be opened for EU and Third-country students applying for Erasmus Mundus Grant on 15 November 2009.

Deadlines

• Third-country students applying for Erasmus Mundus Grant under category A: 3 January 2010
• European Union students and non-EU students applying for Erasmus Mundus Grant under category B: 30 April 2010
• Third-country/EU students not applying for Erasmus Mundus Grant: 31 May 2010

Application Procedure

The candidates will be required to complete an application form posted on the Masters website and submit it in an electronic format along with:

• Curriculum vitae – covering educational background, cultural and professional experience and all other information that might help in the evaluation of the candidate;
• A copy of Degree Certificate (if applicable) and the relevant academic records and transcripts (reporting the final grade and grades earned in individual exams);
• A motivation letter;
• Two reference letters;
• A recent passport sized photograph;
• Copy of main page(s) of passport;
• Any other useful documentation for the assessment (English knowledge certificates etc.).

Please before applying read carefully the Admission Criteria section in order to verify your eligibility for the MAPNET Masters.

Applications with missing information will not be considered valid.

Requests for the completion of application documents must be fulfilled within two days of the e-mail notification sent by the Masters secretariat.

Tuition Fees and Scholarships

Tuition Fees

The Masters tuition fees differ depending on whether an applicant is considered a European or a Third-country student:

• European: € 3.500 per academic year;
• Third-country: € 6.000 per academic year.

Scholarships

EU and Third-country applicants to MAPNET can apply for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship in accordance with the criteria of the European Union. The application procedure and scholarships available differ depending on whether an applicant is considered an European or Third-country student.

Definition of eligible third-country applicants:

• Citizens coming from all countries other than:
  • The 27 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The UK)
  • The EEA-EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)
  • The candidate countries for accession to the EU (presently Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Turkey)

• Applicants cannot have been residents of, or carried out their main activities (studies, work, etc.) in, any of the above countries for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years.

The Erasmus Mundus programme provides for two different kind of scholarships:

• CATEGORY A: full-study scholarship covering all necessary costs during the study course period for third-country students, as defined above;

• CATEGORY B: financial contribution to the students that do not fall within the Third-country applicant definition (i.e. European students and Third country students having been residents of, or carried out their main activities (studies, work, etc.) in, any of the abovementiones countries for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years.

MAPNET students will have to carry out a period of study in at least two of the countries represented in the Consortium. Each of these mandatory mobility periods must include a volume of study/research or equivalent (e.g. field work, laboratory activities, work placement or thesis research, etc.) corresponding to at least:

• 15 ECTS credits or one trimester for Third-Country university or
• 30 ECTS in the case of European universities;

It is important to note that the two mobility periods should be carried out in two countries represented in the Consortium, different from the country in which the student obtained his/her last degree. The mandatory mobility periods cannot be replaced by virtual mobility, neither can they take place in institutions outside the Consortium.

The number of applications by Third-country students is limited to a maximum of 3 Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses. In the case a student apply to more than three Courses, he/she will automatically be excluded from the selection for an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship.

Individuals who have already benefited from an Erasmus Mundus scholarship are not eligible for a second scholarship.

Students benefiting from an Erasmus Mundus scholarship cannot benefit from another Community grant while pursuing their Erasmus Mundus Masters studies.

Erasmus Mundus scholarships are awarded exclusively for a full-time enrolment in one of the Course editions.