The European master of science in nuclear fusion and engineering physics (FUSION-EP): 15 years of experience

Abstract

The aim of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) FUSION-EP is to provide a high-level research-oriented education and a well-integrated cultural experience within an international consortium of institutions leading the interdisciplinary field of magnetic fusion. The combined and harmonized teaching and research activities coordinated among eight partner universities in Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany and Spain offer a variety of competences in a field of crucial importance to the problem of world energy supply. Besides the ITER International Organization, there are 24 EU and non-EU academic and research associate partners. As the fusion community makes pace towards commercialization, the balance in research will shift from an academic-and-fundamental direction to a technology-and-industry-driven orientation. For this purpose, the programme offers two tracks: fusion science and fusion engineering. In addition, an advisory board keeps the curriculum in line with the research activities carried out by the associate and industrial partners. Internationalization, multidisciplinarity, and student mobility are inherent parts of the programme structure and philosophy. There exist several student and alumni initiatives leveraging meaningful connections within a global network. As a first step towards long-term sustainability, the consortium decided to transfer the programme coordination from Ghent University to Aix-Marseille University in 2019; the geographical, topical and professional proximity of ITER is expected to allow an optimal alignment of the programme with the professional needs of the emerging nuclear fusion industry.