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Organisational Structure

As stated in the Venice Charter of the European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation, the organisational structure of the EMA Programme consists of the following organs:

EMA Council

The EMA Council is the highest decision-making body and supervises the international and national elements of the programme. It shall, inter alia:

  • Adopt directives regarding the budget
  • Elect EMA Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
  • Elect the members of the EMA Executive Committee
  • Specify the conditions of admission, determine the overall size of the student body, and determine the student fees
  • Specify the Rules of Assessment
  • Propose to the Inner Circle Universities the awarding of the Master’s degree to those students who meet all the requirements of the programme
  • Evaluate the programme at the end of each academic year
  • Approve all structural changes to the programme

The EMA Council consists of one representative of each Participating University, the EMA Programme Director, the Global Campus of Human Rights President and Secretary General and two representatives of the student body (with consultative status).

EMA Executive Committee

The EMA Executive Committee implements the decisions of the EMA Council and inter alia:

  • Oversees examinations and other procedures
  • Monitors the planning of the academic programme for the first semester, taking into account the recommendations of the Academic Curriculum Group
  • Makes the final selection of the students to the programme
  • Reviews and compiles examination results
  • Establishes contacts with inter-governmental, non-governmental, and governmental organisations
  • Proposes initiatives for the development of the programme to the EMA Council

The EMA Executive Committee consists of the EMA Chairperson, the EMA Vice-Chairperson, the EMA Programme Director, and seven members who are drawn from the EMA Council, including at least one EMA Director from the Inner Circle Universities. The current members of the EMA Executive Committee are:

  • Thérèse Murphy (Queen’s University, Belfast) – EMA Chairperson
  • Dr. Eva Maria Lassen (University of Southern Denmark/Danish Institute for Human Rights) – EMA Vice-Chairperson
  • Dr. Orla Ní Cheallacháin (EMA Programme Director)
  • Prof. Kalliope Agapiou-Josephides (University of Cyprus)
  • Prof. Dr. Christina Binder (University of Vienna) 
  • Dr. Andrea Broderick (Maastricht University)
  • Prof. Paolo De Stefani (University of Padua)
  • Dr Agata Hauser (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan / Poznan Human Rights Centre)
  • Prof. Jeffrey Kenner (University of Nottingham)
  • Prof. Dr. Gerd Oberleitner (University of Graz)

Academic Curriculum Group

The Academic Curriculum Group reviews the curriculum of the programme, and makes appropriate recommendations to the EMA Council and the EMA Executive Committee.

EMA Programme Director

The EMA Programme Director inter alia implements and develops the programme, liaises with EMA Directors, Rectors and Presidents of universities, the EMA Chairperson and the Academic Curriculum Group. The EMA Programme Director also puts forward proposals to be addressed in meetings of the EMA Council and the EMA Executive Committee, and implements decisions taken by them. Dr. Orla Ní Cheallacháin is the current EMA Programme Director.

EMA Directors

The EMA Directors ensure the implementation of the EMA Programme at their respective universities and execute the decisions of the EMA Council and the EMA Executive Committee. The EMA Directors of the National Coordinating Universities coordinate the Programme activities at the national level.