Course Description

EMSHIP 2024 Project

The “Advanced Design of Sustainable Ships and Offshore Structures” concerns the “EMSHIP” Master (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), as an improved programme in the continuation of the EMSHIP120 and EMJMD 2019 programmes.

The EMSHIP Consortium addresses the following major issues: fast technological evolution in the field of naval architecture, marine technology and offshore engineering, growing demand from companies for graduates combining up-to-date competencies and beyond this, societal challenges related to the global warming (necessity of energy savings, renewable energies, need for more efficient and less polluting transport modes…).

Compared to the previous EMSHIP120 (2019) master (former called EMSHIP⁺), this revisited programme includes three new Partners (University of Ghent – UGENT, University of Galati – UGAL and University of Lisbon - IST) bringing new competences for a safer and sustainable maritime transportation/navigation. This new program gives a key position to UGAL (Romania), having the privilege to share with UGENT the 1^st year program (M1), with 2 decoupled tracks.

The new Consortium is composed of 10 European partners:

• 7 Core Partners propose a global join degree: University of Ghent (UGent, coordinator, Belgium), Dunarea de Jos University of Galati (UGAL, Romania), Ecole Centrale de Nantes (ECN, France), University of Rostock (URO, Germany), University Polytechnic of Madrid (UPM, Spain), University of Liege (ULiège, Belgium) and University of Lisbon (IST, Portugal).
• 3 Partners welcome students for internships and master thesis during the 4^th semester: University of Genoa (UNIGE, Italy),), ICAM School of Engineering (ICAM, Nantes, France) and Southampton Solent University (SOLENT, UK).

There are 8 other associated partners (Fig 4), which are non-European universities: Univ. of Michigan (UoM, USA), Osaka Univ. (OU, Japan), Federal Univ. of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ, Brazil), Univ. of New South Wales (UNSW, Australia), Istanbul Technical Univ. (ITU, Turkey) , National Univ. of Sciences and Technology of Oran (USTO, Algeria), Alexandria University (AASTM, Egypt) and WEGEMT (Assoc. of EU universities if the field of Marine Technologies).

General EMSHIP objectives

1) Aims and objectives - jointness/integration and structure - of the EMSHIP Programme

The new program offers 10 different tracks, instead of 3 tracks (Figures 1, 2). The EMSHIP Consortium has significantly upgraded his programme to better fit the long-term objectives of the European Higher Education Area (diversity, inclusion, internationalisation, sustainability, employability, high quality education, action against climate change) . The new EMSHIP is a Joint European MSc programme (120 ECTS) focusing on “Advanced Design of Sustainable Ships and Offshore Structures”, with the support of a large network of Associated Partners: more than 25 Industrial Partners and 8 non-European top ranking universities (Fig 4) as well as an active Alumni team.

The EMSHIP programme runs full-time over 24 months (120 ECTS) and consists of Master courses (90 ECTS) and a Master thesis combined with internship (30 ECTS) done in industry or professional R&D environment (about 5 months). Each student follows a joint programme, by combining different disciplines that can be studied at various universities.

Students start at UGENT or at UGAL with the active support of scholars from UNIGE, SOLENT, ICAM, USTO and UFRJ, and acquire core competencies in ship theory, design and production, and ship & offshore structures, but also soft skills as e.g. foreign language, entrepreneurship and management.

The 1^st year programme contains :

• Fundamental Lectures in Mechanical Engineering: Vibration, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Materials, Optimisation, and soft skills as Management (30 ECTS);
• Ship theory, Integrated Project of Ship & Offshore structures, Ship Production… (30 ECTS);

Then students select a 2^nd year track (ECN, URO, UPM, ULIEGE or IST) according to the specialization they want deepening (Fig. 2):

• Advanced lectures (30 ECTS) in one of the following universities:
  • Ship Technology & Ocean Engineering at URO, with scholars from UNIGE and UNSW;
  • Hydrodynamics for Ocean Engineering at ECN, with scholars from SOLENT and OSAKA;
  • Offshore Renewable Energy at UPM, with scholars from ICAM and PNU;
  • Offshore Structures & Digital Twin at ULIEGE, with scholars from ICAM and UoM;
  • Safety and Logistics of Maritime Transportation at IST,with scholars from UFRJ and UNIGE.
• Master Thesis & Internship (30 ECTS) with the support of:
  • ICAM : Composite Material and Offshore Wind Structure
  • UNIGE : Motor Yacht (Structural Design)
  • SOLENT : Small Crafts, Sailing Yachts & Racing Crafts
  • SAB (industrial Strategic Advisory Board), see Annex A4: SAB and Annex A5: Internship,
  • UoM (USA), OU (Japan), UFRJ (Brazil), UNSW (Australia), ITU (Turkey) and USTO (Algeria), AASTM (Egypt) - Fig 4 - where students may perform advanced master thesis, as a first step toward a PhD. 

These tracks (Fig. 2) are complementary and associated each with the EMSHIP Joint degree and one double degree. In each track, there is a specific educational field in which the partner excels and, as such, is recognized internationally. Throughout the coursework, each student can make his selection between these 5 specialized mobility tracks. He will have the opportunity to learn from composite material to yacht or offshore wind turbine design, from finite element to reliability analysis of offshore structures, from ship manoeuvrability to risk based inspection, and from ship propulsion to hull form optimisation).

After successful completion of his programme, he will be awarded by one of the following double/joint degrees:

The EMSHIP join degree will be implemented between UGENT, UPM, ULIEGE and ECN at the beginning of the master (1^st intake in Sept 204). The 3 other partners (UGAL, URO and IST) have started (2023) the procedure to get an accreditation of the Join Degree, which is expected to occur for the 2^nd or the 3^rd intake (it will take 2-3 years for this accreditation by URO and IST).
EMSHIP is based on a Common and Integrated Approach shared by the Consortium (Fig. 3)

2) EMSHIP is integrated within the degree catalogues of partners and will award an EMJM joint degree

EMSHIP is integrated within the accredited national degree catalogues of the HEIs partners from Programme Countries and these Master programmes are recognised

EMSHIP will be launched in Sept 2024, based on the Consortium Agreement, a join Master degree (between UGENT, ECN, UPM and ULIEGE) and series of double Master degrees (for UGAL, URO, IST).

The 7 concerned universities fully recognise the EMSHIP programme. :

• UGENT will deliver XXXX to be completed – Master in Mechanics and Maritime Technology”
• UGAL will deliver XXXX to be completed Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering”
• ECN will deliver the “Master in Sciences, Technology, Health; specialized in Marine Technology” (Master en sciences, technologies, santé; mention technologie marine);
• URO will deliver the “Master of Science in Ship Technology and Ocean Engineering” (Master of Science in Schiffs- und Meerestechnik);
• UPM will deliver the “Master Degree on Marine Renewable Energies Harnessing (MAERM)”,
• ULiège will deliver the “Master in Mechanical Engineering, specialized focus in “Offshore Structures & Digital Twin” (Master Ingénieur civil mécanicien Ingénieur civil mécanicien à finalité spécialisée “Offshore Structures & Digital Twin”);
• IST will deliver the “Master of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering”, specialized focus in “Safety and Logistics of Maritime Transportation and Ports”.

The EMSHIP programme has been integrated into each university’s catalogue and mutual recognition is assured by the double degrees/joint degree agreements. The Join/double Master degrees have approval at national level and are accredited by laws and/or decrees.

Academic programme

EMSHIP provides a diversified EMJM programme in “Advanced Design of Sustainable Ship and Offshore Structures” with attractive outcomes.

The content of the EMSHIP programme and learning outcomes . The lecturer capacity, their CVs and their institution abilities are detailed in Section xxx for the 10 EU Consortium partners and for the 8 international associated partners) in the framework of an extensive and validated mobility plan.

The academic excellence is guaranteed by the following elements:    

• Academic partners, which are among the most renowned in their respective field;
• All academic partners have a wide activity in research and development from an academic point of view with an active participation to ISSC and ITTC conferences, through European and International research projects, through strong link with various industrial partners (including SAB members);
• Outstanding professors, internationally well-known, are involved in the education as Prof. Lataire (XXXX), Prof Pacuraru (UGAL), Prof Ferrant (ECN, ITTC, OMAE), Prof Kaeding (URO), Prof Crucelaegui (UPM), Prof Rigo (ULiège, ISSC’2018 Chair), Prof Garbatov (IST) but also D. Boote (UNIGE), JD Caprace (UFRJ) and M. Collette (UoM);
• A team of Industrial partners (SAB) expressing their ideas and proposing their recommendations about education proposed to students in the EMSHIP programme;
• The support of outstanding associated partners from USA, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil…
• The extensive use of qualified scholars for lectures and guests from industry for seminars;
• An effective EMSHIP Alumni team, which supports the Consortium universities;
• Clear selection procedure and high level of background prerequisite (see Annex B4);
• A Quality Assurance procedure clearly implemented based on extensive students’ surveys;
• Twelve years of experience gained from former EMSHIP90 and EMSHIP120, with most of the same partners

Study periods, Mobility and mutual recognition of learning outcomes/credits (Joint Degree) - Describe the organisation of the study periods, and how the minimum mobility requirements and the mutual recognition of the learning outcomes/credits will be ensured.

Extensive student mobility and effective involvement of scholars/guest lecturers

The student mobility is organised around the course modules: The EMSHIP overall structure of the mobility scheme is detailed in Figs 1 and 2) and in the Student Mobility Plan (Fig.5). During the 1^st year, students are located at UGENT(Ghent, Belgium) or UGAL(Galai, Romania) for 60 ECTS of courses. In 2^nd year, they are moving to a 3^rd semester of lectures at ECN (Nantes, France), URO (Rostock, Germany), UPM (Madrid, Spain), ULIEGE (Liege, Belgium) or IST (Lisbon, Portugal), and a 4^th semester for the master thesis and internship, according to the specialisation offered by each university and keeping a smooth balance of student allocation. Thus, each student studies at least in 2 universities (up to 3 universities including the internship) and stays at 3 locations considering the location of the companies where the student performs his internship. All students will also have the opportunity to learn at least 2 different languages and cultures: French, German, Dutch, Romanian, Portuguese and Spanish (remaining they may learn Dutch in UGent and French in ULiège, even both universities are the same country).

For the 4^th semester, mobility can be achieved in one of the other European Consortium Universities (ICAM, SOLENT, UNIGE) or non-European associated Universities (AASTM, ITU, UFRJ, OSAKA, UoM, UNSW and USTO). During this last semester, the master thesis project is completed through an internship in an industrial company or a laboratory, always under the supervision of one of the partners delivering the Master degree. Master theses are co-supervised and co-reviewed by the 2 or 3 involved partners.

The student expresses a choice for the mobility path, but this is ultimately validated by the Consortium to guaranty a balance between the partners and coherence and feasibility between the lectures, internship and master thesis.

Fig 6 shows clearly that the Consortium succeeded to mobilize significant funds from other (non-EU) sources

Fig 7 shows the recruitment projections for the medium (2024-27) and long term (> 2027).