Curriculum 

Please note: This information is valid for student intakes 2019 - 2023.

For more information on course contents (goals, expected learning outcomes, topics, working methods and assessment), please refer to the Detailed Curriculum.

The first semester in Austria will start with an induction phase and will then include modules that will built the foundation of studies in research, innovation and HE management.

A series of three modules over three semesters called “Systems in Transition” is dedicated to Analysis and Comparison of HE systems worldwide. It will start in first semester with “Systems in Transition 1”, which is dedicated to History of Higher Education and Regional Focus on Europe (current issues in EHEA and European Research Area/ERA).

Two modules “Research Methods” 1 and 2 (in first respectively second semester) prepare students for conducting management and social scientific research, applying both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Building up on the knowledge and competences acquired in the first semester, the second semester in Finland will offer orientation to students in more specific and applied management topics: Theories of Organisation and Change in HEIs and Research Institutions, Research and Innovation Management, Financial Management and Funding in HE, Research and Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Education. This will help students in further shaping their learning path and deciding for a specialisation.

The module “System in Transition 2” in second semester is dedicated to globalization and internationalisation in HE, and has a regional Focus on Africa and North and South America. The module “Entrepreneurship, Education and Innovation” will foster entrepreneurship education in the programme, with a specialisation on the educational field. “Research Methods 2” will again prepare students for independent research in the field of research, innovation and HE management.

Between the second and the third semester, students will acquire work experience in their internship with an organisation in the field.

After this they will decide for either China or India for their destination of the field trip to Asia. This field trip will include the module Systems in Transition 3, which has a regional focus on Asia. The second module on this fieldtrip, “Insights from Practice in Chinese HE/in Indian HE” will give students the possibilities to meet and discuss with practitioners such as leaders and managers from HEIs or public authorities. In the case of India, this will be combined with addressing the sector of business school education as an additional focus.

After the fieldtrip to Asia, the last part of the third semester will form the start of students’ specialisation. They will go to either to Austria, Finland, Germany or Hungary and will accomplish two modules in the specialisation. For the fourth semester, they will stay at the same host institution and write their master thesis in their field of specialisation (for more information on specialisations, see the section on specialisations here).

N.B.: Until 2018, MARIHE was conducted according to the old curriculum.