BIM A+ invited to share experience at Erasmus Mundus Annual Conference in Brussels

Proud to share BIM A+ experience at the Erasmus Mundus Annual Conference in Brussels 🇪🇺

On the 21st November, the European Master in Building Information Modelling was invited to present at the Erasmus Mundus conference on “The Sustainability of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programmes”. Our case study addressed a critical question facing joint programmes across Europe: how to maintain excellence and attract global talent while achieving financial sustainability beyond EU funding cycles.​

From Erasmus Mundus to self-sustainability

BIM A+ was designed from the start as a truly joint programme, currently including the University of Minho (Portugal) and the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia): one curriculum, two locations, shared teaching and supervision. After successfully completing our Erasmus Mundus funding period (2019-2023), we’ve continued to thrive through a strong academic cooperation agreement that keeps both partners aligned in tuition, integration, and student experience.​

What makes our model work

✅ The transition to self-sustainability came with evidence from Year 1, supported by several key factors:​

✅ Industry-driven relevance: 80% of dissertations co-supervised with industry partners from our network of ~40 associated organizations​

✅ Quality and care: Maintaining excellence through curriculum innovation and close attention to student needs​

✅ Alumni engagement: Building reputation and visibility through an active international community​

✅ Agility: Our one-year intensive format combining coursework with industry-linked research proves attractive to professionals from architecture, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering​

We’re grateful to the European Commission and EACEA for the opportunity to share our journey and contribute to the dialogue on sustainable joint programmes in European higher education. This strong partnership between University of Minho and University of Ljubljana continues to demonstrate that excellence and sustainability can go hand in hand.​