The international Master Program INEMA “International Education Management” started in 2010 at the Institute of
Educational Leadership at the Ludwigsburg University of Education. It is an extra-occupational master study
program based on a modern student-oriented teaching/learning design to meet the requirements of students
balancing their job and learning needs and career perspectives. The program is shaped by the following
main characteristics:
Reform & Change Qualification for Education Systems: The overall aim of INEMA is to qualify
young professionals as experts in international education management. They are enabled to identify, initiate
and guide necessary and sustainable reform processes in the education sector in an intercultural environment.
Internationality: Internationality and intense exchange across cultures are key pillars of the
joint degree program of the Ludwigsburg University of Education and Helwan University, Cairo, in cooperation
with DAAD, GIZ and ministries in Germany and Egypt. The program started as a German-Arab program, but was developed to now work beyond this scope. While students from the MENA region and from developing countries make up a significant portion of the participants, students and alumni come from around the globe. Alumni also
are appointed across Europe, Africa, Asia and America. For the past years, the selection committee has strived to nominate a balanced mix of European, Arab and worldwide professionals
into the program, so that everyone can learn and benefit from each other. Applications are accepted from candidates around the globe. The course will result in an international network of education
management specialists.
Extra-occupational blended learning format: The program takes place in a blended learning format,
giving optimal conditions for developing students’ professional action skills and deepen their theoretical
competence. This means that students study mostly from their home country. While students come together during attendance phases in Ludwigsburg and Cairo, the times in-between
are filled with supported online learning phases. The program contains a wide share of self-organized learning,
project work and individualized tasks. Being a scientific program, also qualifying for the third cycle (e.
g. Ph. D.) of the framework of qualifications for the European Higher Curriculum, contents and methods are
adjusted to prepare students to develop and perform their own research on the base of current theoretical
concepts.
Scientific and generic competences: Both, generic international management competencies for
the education sector and well-founded scientific competency enable students to conceive, design, implement,
and adapt a substantial process of research and to contribute through original research that extends the
international frontiers of knowledge.
Creativeness, reforms, and transfer: Expertise shall be gained to reform education systems internationally.
Therefore, INEMA both demands and delivers conceptual, procedural, and analytic thinking as well as creativeness
when it comes to reforming and rebuilding of new and innovate changes in education systems. Decision-making
is based on analysis, reasoning and development of complex education structures. Part of an essential and
deepened knowledge of scientific work is the handling of statistical data material and evaluation of the
findings of scientific studies. Generic knowledge and competencies in the fields of strategic management
and the management of change processes and quality render possibilities to develop the education sectors.
Transferable knowledge and applicable decision-making processes enable our students to perform research-based
innovation in a cross-cultural context. Students are expected to be able to deal with the high demands concerning
networked and cross-linked education systems.
Key future competencies: The program takes new and innovative aspects of management and science
into consideration and focus, being meaningful in both national and international surroundings. INEMA enables
students to take over responsibilities in international teams and projects and to transfer their knowledge
and scientific backgrounds into practical problems. Key competencies for application and research are continually
updated since they are having even more meaning in the future for the students’ ability to develop their
skills continuously and self-directed in the sense of life-long, self-directed, and autonomous learning.
High demand for our students: INEMA thereby addresses students in the field of education systems,
development cooperation and education institutions facing a substantial and growing demand on labor market
and in governance and administration.
Structure of the Program
Length of the Program
The Master program is designed to take between four and six semesters to complete. For ambitious students, the fast track makes it possible to complete the entire program within four semesters. The regular track consists of six semesters, leaving more time for academic writing, reflection and for completing online learning assignments and other tasks. The program consists of three semesters with attendance phases (semester 1, 2 and 3) and one or three semesters without attendance phases (semester 4 for the fast track, for regular track also semesters 5 and 6).
Phases of Attendance
During the first three semesters, there are two attendance phases (10 days each) per semester, alternating between the Ludwigsburg University of Education in Germany and the Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt.
Self-learning Phase
There are self-learning phases that consist of autonomous studying, e. g. with module books, business simulation and case studies. Tasks and materials are provided through the MOVE online learning platform. Support from lecturers is available throughout all self-learning phases.
Coaching
The program features professional coaching for personality development, project management and career guidance.
Transfer
The program puts a strong focus on transfer of experiences. This is made possible through exchanges between students, interactive transfer sessions, best practice studies, internships and project work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long does it usually take to complete this program?
Many of our students complete the program within two years. For students wanting a bit of a slower pace, it’s possible to take additional semesters. All attendance phases take place within the first four semesters, so the structure makes it possible to take additional semesters afterward if needed. However, tuition fees and administrative fees are due every semester, irrespective of any attendance phase taking place.
What kind of degree will I receive?
If you complete the program successfully, you will receive a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Education Management, issued by the Ludwigsburg University of Education and Helwan University (joint degree). The degree is worth 120 ECTS (European Credit System).
What can I do with a degree in international education management?
A lot! Our alumni work as teachers, principals, in ministries of education as well as in NGOs that are often connected to education or to improving society. Others work in the field of international cooperation and development. Some start their own business, for example providing products or services on topics linked to education and/or international collaboration.
Do I need to provide in English language certificate if I have majored in English or if I am a native English speaker?
No, you do not need to do that. In such cases, just make it clear somewhere in your application that you that your medium of instruction in higher education was English.
I might have an opportunity for a scholarship or sponsorship, but the organization is asking for a letter of admission. What can I do?
Please contact us as soon as possible via email at inema(at)ph-ludwigsburg.de. For such cases, we can arrange for individual interviews and even expedited processes of issuing a letter of admission (if you pass the interview and fulfill all general requirements to be admitted into the program).
How much does one attendance phase cost in terms of flights, lodging, and sustenance?
Depending on where you live in the world, the price of the flights for each attendance phase will vary greatly.
The costs for lodging and living depends on your level of comfort. A conservative estimate is about 90 Euros per day for lodging and food. As each attendance phase is usually 10 days long and you might need two days extra (for arrival and departure), that adds up to 12 nights or 1.080 Euros for one attendance phase. For all six mandatory attendance phases, this would mean 6.480 Euros + the costs of six return flights.
In our experience, many of our students share accommodations after the first attendance phase which can significantly lower the costs.
Please note that there are no guaranteed, dedicated dorms available for students due to the short duration of their stay.
As each student is responsible for organizing her/his travels, these calculations ultimately need to be made by the student.
Where will I be enrolled?
You will be enrolled at the Ludwigsburg University of Education and at Helwan University.
Where will I be studying?
You will mostly be studying a significant portion of the program online. You can do this from wherever you want, for example your home. In addition, there are mandatory attendance phases in Germany and in Egypt. All attendance phases must be attended in order to be eligible to complete the program. The dates of all attendance phases are communicated well in advance on our homepage www.inema-master.com.
I need a visa. How do I get a visa for Germany and Egypt?
We provide a letter of support that usually enables our properly enrolled students who need a visa to receive a so-called short-term visa for Germany and Egypt. Short-term visa for Germany and Egypt allow the students to enter the respective countries to attend the attendance phases. They usually do not make it possible for the students to live in Germany or Egypt or to work in those countries. Please note that we do not guarantee that you will get a visa (that is at the sole discretion of the embassies in charge) and please note that you will have to do all necessary administrative procedures to actually obtain the visa yourself.
How can I pay the administrative fees and the tuition fees? Do you accept credit cards?
At the moment, you can only pay via bank transfer. Detailed instructions on how to do this are sent via email to all students before the first payment is due. We are working on making other methods possible, but due to legislative reasons, this is a long and uncertain process. Some of our students have used services like TransferWise, Western Union or MoneyTransfers to pay the administrative and tuition fees. Please make sure to use a transfer option that results in the money ultimately arriving at the bank account (and not as a cash delivery).
Who are the lecturers?
The lecturers are comprised of teaching staff (professors and lecturers) from Ludwigsburg University of Education and Helwan University. In addition, we occasionally invite guest lecturers if we think that they have important insights to share. For example, we have invited experts from the German GIZ and similar organizations. We also collaborate with the University of Richmond (USA) to provide shared learning time with some of their students and lecturers through a summer study program to provide rich learning opportunities for our students.
Do I require a visa to attend the attendance phases in Germany?
You can find a table of countries whose citizens require/do not require visas to enter Germany on the homepage of the German Federal Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/visabestimmungen-node/staatenlistevisumpflicht-node
Which visa do I need to apply for to attend the attendance phases in Germany?
The International Education Management Master’s program is a blended studying program.
This means our program consists of online phases where our students study from home and short attendance phases where our students attend lectures at the Ludwigsburg University of Education, Germany and at the Helwan University, Egypt.
You can find the dates of the attendance phases here...
Our program, therefore, does not require you to be staying for more than 90 days in any 180 days period in Germany but you most likely will need to enter and leave the Schengen area multiple times in those 180 days.
While we are not directly involved in the visa application process of our students, to our knowledge our students therefore usually apply for the issue of a short stay (Schengen) visa that allows multiple entries into the Schengen area.
Applications by our students for the issue of visas for longer stays and/or stays entitling the holder to take up gainful employment instead of short stay visas have not always been successful in the past as our study program does not require stays in Germany of more than 90 days in any 180 days period.
You can find further information about the German visa regulations on the homepage of the German Federal Foreign Office:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/visabestimmungen-node
Additionally, you might find the following FAQ about the Schengen Visa by the European External Action Service (EEAS) helpful:
https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/frequently_asked_questions_en.pdf
