KU Leuven

Master of Advanced Studies in European Policies and Public Administration (MEPP)

In the KU Leuven MEPP programme, you strive to become a specialist in European policy-making and public administration. With this degree you will be effectively equipped to pursue a high-end career in EU governing bodies and its international and non-governmental partners.

In this one-year postgraduate programme, you will gain deep insight in and perform academic research on European politics and policy, whilst mastering professional skills in decision-making and public management. You will attend interactive courses by renowned academics and EU professionals, collaborate with your fellow students in practical sessions and individually perform an academic inquiry on a topic of your own choosing.

Furthermore, you will visit some of the most prominent European institutions such as The European Commission and the European Parliament. Applying KU Leuven’s outstanding research-based education in a small and international student group, the MEPP programme offers an intellectually challenging and inspiring environment. As a MEPP graduate you will develop the profile of a comparativist a researcher or a Policy or political analyst.

MEPP Students develop a strong understanding of Public Administration and Management, with courses on European decision making and policy fields in the first semester. Class discussions and questioning is encouraged, requiring you to prepare for lectures in advance. Group work and/or presentations are part of the teaching method, requiring significant work outside of class. Throughout the year students will work on their dissertation.

The programme is built with the following courses:

Develop a strong expertise: Compulsory Courses
Master's Thesis
Research Seminar
European Union Policy-Making
Public Management Reform
Public Governance, Administration and Society
Success and Failure of European Policy Implementation
Current Issues in European Politics, Policy and Government
EU interest Representation and Lobbying

Built your individual profiles: Elective courses: Cluster 1: European Policies

European Foreign Policy EU Trade Policy
Solidarity in European Welfare States: Trends and Challenges in Social Policy

Cluster 2: Global Policy Challenges

Digital Public Governance
Global Environmental Politics
International Political Economy
Ethics of Globalization
Labour Governance and Global Value Chains

Cluster 3: Area Studies

Russia and Eurasia in the Global Context
China and Global Politics
Questions of Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe
Theories of African International Relations
American Government and Politics

Cluster 4: Law, Economics and History

Constitutional Law of the European Union, including Discussion Sessions
Economic Aspects of European Integration
European Social Security Law
Managerial Aspects of European Integration
Organizing Europe: A History of Ideas and Practices
Cluster 5: Research Methodology
Quantitative Research Methods
Survey Methodology

Extra Study Abroad in the second semester

MEPP students have the option to spend one semester abroad without any extra registration fees at one of the Top-universities in our EMPA network consortium. This European Masters of Public Administration Consortium (EMPA) facilitates students and staff exchange building on respective strengths and specializations of the participating institutions:

University of Geneva (Switzerland)
Corvinus University of Budapest (Hungary)
Deutsche Universität für Verwaltungswissenschaften Speyer (Germany)
Rijksuniversiteit Leiden (The Netherlands)
Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia)
Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium)
University of Limerick (Ireland)
University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
University of Ülster (Ireland)
University of Konstanz (Germany)
University of Edinburgh (Scotland)

Quotes from former students

“MEPP courses are presented both by academics and experienced practitioners. Therefore, I get to know a wide spectrum of views on challenges of European integration”
— Sime Zane, MEPP 2014

“The reputation of KU Leuven and its proximity to the very core of Europe convinced me that KU Leuven is the “mandatory stopover” to achieve my future goals”
— Caterina Cigala, MEPP 2014

“Thanks to its high academic standards and constant strive for excellence, MEPP greatly contributed to advance my analytical skills as well as to deepen my knowledge of public affairs. As importantly, by bringing students from many countries together, MEPP demonstrates that the idea of Europe is not just a concept, it is also a reality”
— Guillaume Goessens, MEPP 2017, First secretary at the Belgian Embassy in Jakarta


About KU Leuven

From Renaissance philosophy to cutting-edge nanotechnology: as one of Europe’s oldest universities, KU Leuven boasts a long tradition of ground-breaking research and high-quality education.

A World-class University

KU Leuven is a comprehensive university; we offer top-level study programmes in every scientific domain. We even have a few one-of-a-kind programmes. As one of Europe’s leading research universities, KU Leuven offers a range of research-based study programmes. A degree from KU Leuven is highly valued around the world, giving you a competitive edge.

According to international rankings, KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world. Our University is currently ranked 48th in the Times Higher Education World Ranking (2019), and 81st according to the QS World University Rankings (2019). In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Reuters named KU Leuven the most innovative university in Europe.

Study in the Heart of Europe

KU Leuven offers study programmes on different campuses in the most important cities of Flanders, in the north of Belgium.

Belgium is located in the heart of Europe. Its capital, Brussels, is home to various government institutions, such as the EU and NATO. There are also hundreds of multinationals that have their headquarters in and around the capital; this not only makes for a pleasant hustle and bustle, but it also gives the city its international and cosmopolitan character.

As a student or researcher at KU Leuven you are in the heart of Europe. London, Paris and Amsterdam are only a stone's throw away and various low-cost airlines take you to Europe's biggest cities in no time. Belgium has a rich history. It's a country with beautiful cities, but it’s also rich in art and architecture: you will discover a country of surprising contrasts.

At KU Leuven, you are also part of a vibrant international community. There are 9,000 international students at our University, representing more than 150 different nationalities. There are also more than twenty international student associations at the University and multiple initiatives to ease the integration with the local community, such as the orientation days and the buddy project.

Some Remarkable Figures about KU Leuven:

• 1425 - The University was founded in 1425, making it one of the oldest universities in the world
• Top 50 - KU Leuven is the highest ranked university of the Low Countries and ranks 48th worldwide, according to Times Higher Education (2019)
• 1 - KU Leuven was named most innovative university in Europe by Reuters in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
• 10,239 - The number of international students at KU Leuven (2017-2018)
• 163 - The number of different nationalities studying at our University (2017-2018)
• 86 - The number of English-language study programmes at KU Leuven
• +250,000 - The number of KU Leuven alumni around the world
• 20,524 - The number of staff members at KU Leuven and its academic hospital
• €475 million - Our research expenditure in 2017
• 6 - Our position within the European Commission's Horizon 2020 project, with 238 approved projects