Joint Memory Studies Programme, Europe (MemProEu)

Basic research , Education , History

2026 - 2027

Provider	European Commission
Programme	Erasmus Mundus Design Measures
Project code	101325387
Participants	Faculty of Social Sciences Charles University

Across Europe, contested pasts, disinformation, and polarisation shape public debate and challenge democratic stability, demonstrating how instrumentalised memory undermines trust and weakens liberal culture. Russia’s war on Ukraine has further exposed how memory politics and historical myths justify violence and defy EU founding values. Despite this urgency, advanced interdisciplinary training enabling graduates to critically analyse the narratives and politics of the past remains fragmented in European higher education. MemProEu responds to this challenge by developing an innovative joint Master’s programme in Memory Studies.
Bringing together Charles University, Lund University, the University of Warsaw, and Vilnius University, whose complementary expertise enables an interdisciplinary approach to Memory Studies across the humanities and social sciences, MemProEu is conceived as an upscaling initiative that will transform existing academic excellence into a coherent, Europe-wide joint educational model. In doing so, it will equip graduates to respond to pressing contemporary challenges by institutionalising Europe’s leadership within Memory Studies.
MemProEu addresses key EU priorities, including democratic resilience, rule of law, social cohesion, and critical citizenship, by strengthening students’ analytical capacities to understand the narration, contestation, and politicisation of the past. During the EMDM phase, the project will co-design an accreditation-ready, high-quality programme—covering its curriculum, governance, and quality assurance—prepared for direct submission under the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master action. Anchored in European academic traditions and values, it will combine research-based training with practice-oriented learning through collaboration with non/academic partners, cultural and memorial institutions, and hands-on experience that provides global perspectives, professional relevance, and lasting societal impact.