Programme background & rationale

The European Joint Master’s in Strategic Border Management reflects and supports Frontex’s strategic approach to advance and promote highest standards in cooperation and interoperability at EU borders and the harmonisation of professional standards while respecting diversity of Member States’ Border Guard organisations. This programme also protects and promotes fundamental rights within border management and border control activities. It aims to empower European Border Guard Managers to rely on and apply professional judgment by equipping them with knowledge and skills that are benchmarked and evidence-based, providing a stimulating and innovative environment for teaching, learning and research.

The EJMSBM is designed to enable mid- to high-level border guard managers across the EU to advance the practice and theory of European border management, to encourage further developments in the field and to enrich the learning experience for all participants. The underlying rationale for the programme includes the strong demand for higher standards of education in the border management sector, in particular for education which is focused on skills and competences acquired through problem-solving in an applied professional context, as well as evidence-based knowledge developed in formal academic and disciplinary structures. It prepares participants to collaborate with other professionals in an interdisciplinary and international context within the
border management sector. The Master’s Programme is completely learner-centred focusing on the relevance of the learning requirements for operational competence.

The structure of the EJMSBM is well suited to achieve important outcomes for the learners, the teaching institutions and the agencies involved in this programme. It brings academic credibility to the expertise that exists in BG organisations, foster and enhance collaboration and cooperation across the EU and address challenges faced by BG organisations with a European solution, a flexible learning paradigm that aligns with each MS’s training system and creates a standard for collaborative learning. The learners are offered an opportunity to learn in a context that reflects the operational reality, to advance best practice in Border Guarding by studying together and to reinforce the European dimension of the border guard job whilst contributing to the creation of a European border guard cultures at higher levels.

Our vision

The programme aims to advance and promote highest standards in cooperation and interoperability at EU borders and the harmonisation of professional standards, as well as protecting and promoting fundamental rights within border management and border control activities. It aims to empower European BCG Managers to rely on and apply professional judgment by equipping them with knowledge and skills that are benchmarked and evidence-based, providing a stimulating and innovative environment for teaching, learning and research.

Duration & structure

The duration of the European Joint Master’s in Strategic Border Management programme is 18 months (not including summer and winter season breaks). The programme constitutes 90 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits, where one ECTS credit reflects 28 hours of student learning activity directly related to the programme outcomes. The programme is delivered over three stages. Each stage represents one semester of full-time study, carrying 30 ECTS credits. Detailed structure of each stage cant be found here.

Funding

All costs related to the mobility periods, which are an essential and compulsory element of this programme, including enrolment fees, travel expenses (including local travel), accommodation and meals are covered by grant allocated to the consortium by Frontex.