Established in 2007, the programme was admitted in 2008 to the prestigious Erasmus Mundus excellence initiative of the European Union – as the only European programme in the field of Urban Development offering a joint double-degree structure. Partner universities included Université Pierre-Mendès-France / Université Grenoble Alpes (Grenoble), Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (Barcelona), and Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata.”

Funding through the Erasmus Mundus scholarship schemes (EM Grants 2008 and 2012) enabled students and visiting scholars from around the world to participate in an intensive, intercultural and high-quality academic experience. The exchange between diverse geographic and disciplinary backgrounds was a key feature of the programme: the careful selection of scholarship holders ensured that a wide spectrum of perspectives and professional experiences was represented in the classroom. This international exchange shaped the distinctive atmosphere of the programme and nurtured a global network of professionals and academics.

The two-year curriculum included international excursions, a compulsory professional internship, and a mobility semester at one of the partner universities, which also allowed for thematic specialisation—for instance in Development Economics (Rome), Humanitarian Architecture and Reconstruction (Barcelona), or Urban Planning (Grenoble). The programme concluded with a double degree and combined theoretical foundations with innovative, practice-oriented teaching formats.

A particular hallmark of quality was the participation of numerous internationally renowned guest professors from both academia and practice. Up to 17 guest scholars taught in the programme each year—including figures such as Yves Cabannes, Peter Marcuse, Amos Rapoport, John Turner, Clara Irazábal, Roger Keil, and Alan Mabin. Their expertise and perspectives enriched the curriculum significantly and offered students deep insights into global urban discourses.

Many graduates now hold responsible positions in international organisations, NGOs, municipal administrations, consultancy institutions or academia. The alumni network demonstrates impressively how successful the career paths of Mundus Urbano graduates have been and how sustainably the competencies imparted in the programme continue to have an impact. Even after the programme’s discontinuation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exchange and sense of community remain strong—among other things through activities at the Urban Morphosis Lab, which continues to foster connections among alumni and support international collaboration in Urban Development (see Mundus Urbano website).