World Café Workshop on Joint and Multiple Degree Programs at BME

BME recently hosted an interactive World Café–style workshop dedicated to the development of joint and multiple degree programmes. Organized within the framework of the EELISA European university alliance and the Digital Twins center of excellence, the event brought together vice-rectors, vice-deans, program leaders, academic staff, administrative experts, and student support representatives.

The workshop aimed to foster strategic dialogue and strengthen institutional alignment in the field of international education. Attendees discussed how joint and multiple degree programs can support long-term institutional goals, contribute to accreditation processes, and enhance global visibility and competitiveness.

András Nemeslaki, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, gave an overview of joint international master’s programs

To set the stage for discussion, three concrete examples were presented:

• The Digital Twins for Infrastructures and Cities international master’s programme, a successful joint initiative, is launching its fourth cohort. It is currently undergoing the joint accreditation process. The Hungarian Accreditation Committee (MAB) has never carried out a formal joint degree accreditation procedure.
• The SSI Erasmus Mundus programmes provided insights from more than 12 years of experience, highlighting established practices in curriculum development, consortium coordination, and international student management.
• The ME3+ Erasmus Mundus programme offered a perspective on continuous improvement through its ongoing application process, emphasizing learning and adaptation in competitive funding environments.

Tamás Lovas introduced the Master program in Digital Twins for Infrastructures and Cities

The core of the event was a dynamic World Café session structured around three key topics: strategic motivation and institutional frameworks, educational and administrative organization, and student support services. Participants rotated between discussion tables, enabling them to engage with multiple perspectives and exchange ideas across roles and disciplines. This format supported dialogues between viewpoints and addressing shared challenges.

The workshop encouraged participants to reflect on their own programmes, identify bottlenecks, and explore opportunities for collaboration. It also promoted the idea of initiating new joint and multiple degree programmes, with a strong emphasis on leveraging international networks such as EELISA and Erasmus Mundus. By sharing proven practices and practical experiences, the event supported the development of more coordinated, innovative, and sustainable course offerings.

Readers interested in these programmes or in joining future initiatives can explore available opportunities on the BME Xplore platform or contact the organizers here for further information and collaboration possibilities.

Rector’s Office, Communications Directorate