Master EU-CORE (European Master on Control of Renewable Energy systems)
Nantes, France
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English, French
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
31 Jan 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 18,000 / per course **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Scholarship applications until January 31st, 2026 I Self-funded students until May, 15th, 2026
** for non-European students I 9000 EUR for European students
Key Summary
The EU-CORE master's program was selected under the European Programs of Excellence in 2024 through Erasmus+ 2021-27 key action 2. This call for Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programs is very selective.
EU-CORE is the only joint master's program in the control of renewable energy systems. It is implemented and fully supported by 3 major European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs):
- Central School of Nantes, France
- Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) , Germany
- University of Zagreb (UNIZG), Croatia
These 3 full partners form the consortium. In parallel, more than 15 associated partners (universities and companies) around the world complete this network. To find out more about EU-CORE partners, see the page's full partners and associated partners.
Objectives
The objective of the two-year European Master on Control of Renewable Energy Systems programme is to train top-level engineers from across the world on the design of advanced control technologies for renewable energy systems and to contribute to the emergence of a new generation of graduates who are needed to achieve Europe's environmental and energy ambitions under the Green Deal.
Unlike other Erasmus+ programmes linked to renewable energy systems which focus on one source of energy, EU-CORE will cover all the main renewable energy sources and their associated control issues. Thanks to a selection of top-level academic and industrial partners, the skills developed throughout the EU-CORE programme will open the door to a wide variety of careers in the renewable energy industry.
The complementary nature of the consortium's partners means that students will be trained in specific fields in which the partners are internationally recognised. For example, students will study the control of wind energy systems, the management of energy storage, the control of solar and hydrogen systems, and their integration into the grid. To be fully in line with labour market requirements, the academic programme is completed with soft/transferable skills training during Winter/Summer Schools. In this way, EU-CORE offers a high degree of permeability between education, research, innovation, soft skills, industrial needs, and environmental concerns. In short, EU-CORE will train future experts in the field of RES and thus contribute to the EU's climate neutrality objectives by 2050.
Erasmus+ EMJM scholarships
Who is eligible?
Students from all over the world are eligible for an Erasmus+ Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) scholarship.
What is included in the Erasmus+ EMJM scholarship?
The scholarship will be a contribution to the costs incurred by the beneficiary students and shall cover travel, visa, installation and subsistence costs.
It is calculated on the basis of a monthly unit cost of €1400/month for the entire period of the programme (24 months). This period covers study, research, placement activities, thesis preparation and defence, in line with the requirement of the joint Master.
Additionally, students selected as EMJM scholarship holders will not be required to pay the tuition fees mentioned above.
Principles and regulations
- The student candidate/scholarship holder declares not to have already benefited from an EMJM scholarship during the 2021-2027 period.
- The student candidate/scholarship holder commits not to benefit from another EU-funded scholarship scheme to follow the same EMJM course for the entire period of the course.
- The financial support shall be repaid by the scholarship holder in case of fraud or false declaration.
Number of scholarships available
The number of scholarships available each year may vary from one intake to another. Find below the expected annual distribution. Please note that this distribution can be reviewed every year by the admissions board.
Consortium scholarship
A Consortium scholarship shall be awarded by the consortium to students who did not obtain an Erasmus+ EMJM scholarship, but whose quality of application stood out. This scholarship will consist in a reduction from the total tuition fees.
Summary of the study program
The language of instruction is English, but local language and culture courses of the hosting countries are included in the study program.
EU-CORE has been built to give each student a broad vision of the control of RES and preparation for the working world and for today's and tomorrow's research/innovation needs. Semesters are totally complementary. The students will attend the same program during the first 3 semesters, but each semester addresses several specific RES and control approaches:
- The 1st semester in ECN will focus on Wind Energy, basics on Linear/Nonlinear Control Systems and Power Systems, and general topics in RES from Economics to Law;
- The 2nd semester in UNIZG will focus on Solar Energy, Smart Grids Management, Predictive Control and Estimation/Diagnosis;
- The 3rd semester at BTU will focus on Thermal Energy, Hydrogen, Storage and Integration in Power Grids.
Mobility scheme
The program of study lasts two academic years (120 ECTS), 24 months, split into four equally loaded semesters.
Students attend EU-CORE courses at 3 different EU partner institutions. They spend the first 3 semesters all together thus ensuring a vibrant class dynamic.
During the first 3 semesters, the program will enable students to understand and learn a broad framework of balanced skills. It will also ensure that they are not overly specialized in RES and benefit from a wider understanding of the physical principles of the main RES and associated control issues.
The 4th semester will be devoted to a Master's Thesis/Internship. It will enable the students to choose a specialization in one particular field (Wind, Solar, Thermal, Storage, etc.), to be duly integrated into the working world in line with their professional objectives.
The academic program is completed by soft skills including languages, economics, humanities, project management and entrepreneurship, and sustainable development issues. These skills will be introduced within the academic program, as well as in the Winter and Summer Schools.
First Semester - ECN
- Renewable Energy Systems
- Wind Power Energy 1
- Wind Power Energy 2
- Power Conversion
- Linear Control Systems
- Nonlinear Control Systems
- Project
- French Language and Culture
Second Semester - UNIZG
- Control and Grid Integration Techniques for Renewable Energy Sources
- Predictive Control
- Estimation Theory
- Optimal Sizing and Operation of a Photovoltaic System with Storage
- Energy-efficient Buildings Control
- Project on Control, Estimation and Optimization in Solar Energy
- Croatian Language and Culture
Third Semester - BTU
- Geothermal Energy
- Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
- Electrochemical and Chemical Energy Storages and Conversion
- Control of Power-to-X, Storage and X-to-Power Systems
- Thermal Process Engineering and Equilibrium Thermodynamics
- Advanced Methods in Process, Energy and Systems Engineering
- Optimization in Process and Energy Systems Engineering
- German Language
Fourth Semester
- The fourth semester is set aside for the Master's thesis (30 ECTS).
Professional Prospects
The 1.5°C pathway put forward by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in its World Energy Transitions Outlook will lead to globally 30 million jobs by 2030 and 72 million jobs by 2050. It is expected that the renewable energy sector will start facing a skills shortfall from 2025 if the number of graduates in those topics does not rise. Students who complete the EU-CORE master's program will have combined knowledge to tackle issues in companies acting for energy transition. EU-CORE will make its students familiar with advanced technologies of RES control in order to be fully prepared for their integration into that ultra-competitive sector. It will provide a high-quality training program that will promote collaboration between academia and industry in renewable energy.
The EU-CORE students will:
- Work on interdisciplinary approaches covering Control Theory, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Digitalization aspects, Humanities, Management and social skills, etc.
- Be both multidisciplinary and specialized in the fields of Renewable Energy Sources and their control, which fully meet the requirements of the renewable energy industry.
- Be trained in the fields of management and social skills (adaptability, cooperation, flexibility, teamwork, sociability, networking, negotiation, decision-making, conflict management, self-awareness, ability to motivate others, etc.)
- Develop their skills throughout the program which will open the doors to a large number of positions and career perspectives, mainly in the renewable energy industry.
- Benefit from highly experienced and qualified professors which will both enhance their career perspectives in the academic and industrial sectors.
- Be able to transfer high-tech methodology from university to industry.