International Day of Education (24th of January) –
EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, runs two Master Programmes to address skills gap challenges in the mobility sector. Europe and the EU are seeing substantial investment levels in cities’ economies to improve their mobility schemes and make them more sustainable. With significant development and changes in mobility patterns in the past years, enabled by digital technologies and innovation, new cohorts of trained professionals are a necessity for Europe.
The EIT Urban Mobility Master School offers programmes designed with innovation and entrepreneurship at their core. The programmes focus on tackling urban mobility’s main challenges: sustainable urban mobility, and the use of technology and data science in urban mobility. The double degree master’s programmes bring together leading European universities to provide high-quality education, giving the students a chance to study at two different universities and explore different learning paths. These master-level programmes are provided by Politecnico di Milano, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), Eindhoven University of Technology, Aalto University, Ghent University, and the University of Tartu.
Sustainable Urban Mobility is one of the main challenges facing cities in the EU and a matter of concern for many citizens. Road transport is one of the leading causes of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas, and the costs of congestion to society are around €270 billion a year.
The aim of the master programmes is to offer students the tools and know-how to explore more innovative solutions to emerging mobility challenges, enabling them to launch their ideas and supporting them with startup creation. EIT Urban Mobility believes that it is vital to invest in education programmes that foster students’ skills and entrepreneurial mindset, in order to equip them to navigate an ever-changing technological environment while tackling complex challenges. With the year 2023 being declared the European Year of Skills, the EU is putting a strong focus on reskilling and matching people’s aspirations and skill sets to the job market. In line with this approach, innovation and entrepreneurship comprise a significant component in the EIT Urban Mobility Master School curricula.
Throughout their studies, students engage with and tackle real-life challenges, and complete a two-week challenge-based Summer School in two different European cities. Students also gain access to the EIT Urban Mobility’s community and benefit from their collaboration with leading industry partners, mainly through internship placements that bridge the academic-praxis gap and help students develop their practical knowledge.
“Our goal is not simply to educate, but to equip; equip with skills, know-how, and connections. These are the tools we need to prepare upcoming generations for an ever-changing future, and we need more innovation, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit to make tangible change happen” – Martin Vendel, director of EIT Urban Mobility Academy
BACKGROUND
With the European Green Deal, the EU is striving to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, this is to be delivered by a smart, competitive, safe, accessible and affordable transport system. More information
Driven by EIT’s commitment to investing in future generations of innovators and entrepreneurs, the EIT Urban Mobility Master Programmes follow the ‘EIT Label’ – a certification of excellence and quality assurance for innovation in education, bringing together business, education and research -the so-called knowledge triangle. The EIT Urban Mobility Master School started in 2020 and has received a growing number of enrolled students from different international and professional backgrounds.
Learn more about the EIT Urban Mobility Master Programmes here.
