Speakers
Mirko Varano
Workshop
🎟️ Registration required (paid)
🤝 Workshop (collaborative)
💡 Collaborative degree programmes | Student exchange and study abroad
Joint programmes have been a cornerstone of the internationalisation of European higher education institutions over the past two decades. With Erasmus Mundus now open to non-European universities as full degree-awarding partners, and the joint European degree initiative extending beyond Europe, joint programmes are gaining unprecedented global relevance. These developments require fresh perspectives, innovative approaches and practical adjustments. This workshop will foster collective reflection by sharing concrete examples of successful practices and lessons learned from challenges encountered in the design and implementation of joint programmes with global partners.
Learning outcomes
Target audience
This workshop is targeted at International Relations Officers, programme directors, Vice-Rectors, Vice-Presidents, and Associate Deans for internationalisation.
Mirko Varano serves as Vice Rector for International Affairs at Tecnologico De Monterrey - ITESM. Mirko has been active in the field of internationalisation of higher education for the past 30 years. He covered different positions of responsibility at the Turin Technical University and at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Between 2019 and 2024 he served as institutional project manager for the Unite! European University Alliance and co-chaired the FOREU subgroup on the European Degree between 2022 and 2024. Over the years, he coordinated a number of European Funded Projects on the impact of joint programmes and has been involved in the Erasmus Mundus programme since it's piloting phase.
Since 2024, Mirko has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships and is the Chair. Previously, he chaired the EAIE Network on Joint Programmes.
Samira Bonucci is a Project Manager at the University of Padua (International Relations Division), where she has worked since 2018. She is an experienced specialist in developing and managing International Joint Programmes within European University Alliances and Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters.
Since 2023, Samira has also served as a trainer for the Arqus European University Alliance, delivering training modules on degree design, financial planning, and Erasmus Mundus initiatives. As an invited speaker, she has contributed to prominent higher education conferences, including the European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF 2023), the Erasmus Mundus Annual Conference (2024), and the TCA Conference on Joint and Double Programmes in Europe (2025).
She holds a joint Master’s Degree in "Crossing the Mediterranean: towards Investment and Integration" (offered by Ca’ Foscari University, Universidade Autonoma de Barcelona, and Université Moulay Ismail) and a Master’s Degree in Comparative International Relations.