Programme
The globalised maritime and offshore market is facing increasingly complex challenges, with the energy transition being one prominent example. Developing more sustainable vessels and solutions for offshore renewable energy requires engineers with specialised expertise. The demand for these highly qualified engineers extends across Europe and around the world. EMship responds to this growing need by preparing the newest generations of engineers for the evolving maritime and offshore sector.
EMship, the International Master in Advanced Design of Sustainable Ships and Offshore Structures, is an advanced two-year international master’s programme (120 ECTS) focusing on the design and optimisation of ships and offshore structures. Students study at different partner universities throughout the programme, combining international mobility with access to specialised expertise and facilities of each institution.
Together, the 7 partner universities form the EMship Consortium, which addresses rapid technological evolutions in naval architecture, maritime technology and offshore engineering, as well as sustainability challenges such as energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and reducing the environmental impact of maritime transport. The programme prepares students to meet the growing industry demand for graduates with up-to-date expertise and an understanding of the broader challenges facing the sector.
Programme structure and mobility
International mobility is an integral part of the EMship programme. During the two-year programme, students study at a
minimum of two partner universities, allowing them to experience different academic environments and benefit from specialised expertise within the EMship consortium.
In Master 1, students study at either Ghent University (Belgium) or “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați (Romania). In Master 2, students continue their studies at one of five partner universities in Germany, France, Portugal, Belgium or Spain, each offering a different area of expertise. A master’s thesis carried out with an associated partner may provide the opportunity for an additional mobility.
Students can indicate their preferred mobility destinations for Master 1 and Master 2. The Management Board then allocates students to the different partner universities, taking preferences into account alongside several other criteria. These include students’ motivation, the need to maintain a balanced distribution among partner universities, and whether students are self-funded or receive a scholarship. For Master 2, performance during the programme is also considered.
Preferred mobility destinations cannot be guaranteed, as final allocations are determined by the Management Board based on the criteria above.
Master 1
The 60 credits of the first year are offered in parallel at two universities:
Master 2
In the second year, students continue their studies at one of five partner universities. Each university offers a specific area of expertise, allowing students to further specialise within the field:
- Shipbuilding Universität Rostock, Germany
Full course details Rostock - Hydrodynamics for Ocean Engineering École Centrale de Nantes, France,
Full course details Nantes - Ship logistics & maritime transport Instituto Superior Técnico Lisboa, Portugal,
Full course details Lisboa - Offshore & ship structure Université de Liège, Belgium,
Full course details Liège - Offshore & renewables Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain,
Full course details Madrid
Master's thesis and internships
The EMship network extends beyond the universities where students complete their Master 1 and Master 2 coursework. Master’s thesis projects can involve three different types of EMship partners:
In Master 2, full university partners always remain responsible for the master’s thesis, but projects can be carried out in
cooperation with industrial or associated partners. Collaboration with an associated partner may add a third international mobility to the programme.
Example: Istanbul Technical University
At Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Faculty of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, students have access to comprehensive facilities and resources to support their thesis research. The faculty offers advanced laboratories such as Ata Nutku Ship Model Basin, Cavitation Tunnel, Computational Ship Hydrodynamics Laboratory and Marine Robotics Laboratory, providing opportunities for experimental and computational studies. Research topics include wave-structure interactions, ship hydrodynamics, and the design and analysis of offshore structures.
EMship week
During the programme, students participate in two EMship weeks, which bring together professors from all partner universities, industrial members of the Strategic Advisory Board (SAB), alumni and students from different cohorts. These events provide a unique platform for academic exchange, professional networking and strengthening the international EMship community.
Throughout the week, participants take part in technical visits to shipyards, research centres and manufacturing facilities. The programme also includes sessions with industrial partners to discuss developments within the maritime sector, as well as internship opportunities and career prospects. In this way, the EMship week serves as an important first point of contact between students and industry partners.
One of the highlights of the EMship week is the master’s thesis presentation by graduating students. They present their work to an audience of academics, industry professionals, alumni, and first-year students, providing an opportunity to showcase their work while allowing younger cohorts to learn from their experiences and achievements.
Each EMship Week is hosted by a different partner university, reflecting the collaborative nature of the programme. The event welcomes about 100-120 participants each year, including first- and second-year students, academic staff, alumni, and 15-20 industrial partners and organisations from around the world.
Recent editions were organised in Madrid (Spain) in 2024 and Nantes (France) in 2025. The next EMship week will take place from 27 to 29 October 2026 at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon (Portugal).
Alumni community
EMship has a very active Alumni Community. Please visit their dedicated website at: https://alumni.emship.eu/