Vrije Universiteit Brussel

The VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL (VUB) is a university with more than 9000 students offering the full spectrum of high standard academic graduate & post-graduate courses. The university has three central missions: education, research, and service to the community. The university has substantial experience in delivering international educational programmes and participates in several Erasmus Mundus projects. The VUB is also responsible for an Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window (EMECW) responsible for a total of 530 mobility acts. The research unit COSMOPOLIS (City, culture & society) is an interdisciplinary urban research centre with more than 15 research & teaching staff that have experience with setting up & coordinating international education programmes in Urban Studies. It will deliver the Brussels block of the Erasmus Mundus Programme European Urban Cultures POLIS.

University of Tilburg

Tilburg University is a compact institution for higher education, specialised in human and social sciences. Tilburg University is internationally renowned for its high standards in education and scientific research as well as its excellent support facilities. In nationwide course rankings Tilburg University has held a leading position for many years. Of the student population of 12,000, 7% are international students. The department of Leisure Studies, located in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, has contributed to the MA in European Urban Cultures POLIS programme since its inception in 1997. Staff research focuses on the organisation, consumption and impacts of leisure, culture and events within an urban or regional context. Students of POLIS will participate in courses which form part of the Master in Leisure Studies.

Manchester Metropolitan University

MMU was awarded university status in 1992 and is part of the largest higher education campus in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. MMU offers over 1000 courses and has the highest concentration of postgraduate taught courses in the North West. Courses at MMU have a strong professional bias. The university links with over 70 professional bodies and associations recognising both the quality and practical focus of course provision.  The Department of Sociology is part of the Faculty of Humanities, Law & Social Sciences. It boosts an active research community and four research institutes. The Department of Sociology achieved excellent results in the recent Research Assessment Exercise. The interdisciplinary research institute MISST continued in the tradition of the Manchester Institute for Popular Culture and its strong interest in the relation between urban studies and cultural phenomena. The Department was awarded a Jean Monnet European Module grant in 2009.

Estonian Academy of Arts

In 2006, the EAA was the only public university in Estonia providing higher education in art, design, architecture, media, art history and conservation. It thereby recognizes its social responsibility for organisation of study, creative, research and development activities as well as advanced training and assurance of its quality in the fields of visual culture affecting cultural space and living environment of the society. In the Estonian Academy of Arts, the field of advanced training is consolidated into the Open Academy, while research and development is supported by the Design Innovation Centre. In its activities, the Estonian Academy of Arts is supporting and promoting tight cooperation and synergy between specialities and aims to become a leading national and international innovative centre in its fields.