The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master MAIA returns with renewed European Union funding and an updated curriculum. The next cohort will begin in September 2027, and the call for applications will open shortly.
How can artificial intelligence help us make better use of medical images? And how can we ensure that the methods we develop are reliable enough for healthcare? These questions are at the heart of the renewed MAIA programme, which brings together medical imaging, advanced AI, and their clinical applications.
MAIA continues to be coordinated by the University of Girona (Spain), in partnership with Université Bourgogne Europe (France) and the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (Italy). The three universities bring complementary research expertise and many years of experience in teaching and managing the programme together.
With nine previous intakes and 164 graduates, MAIA builds on an established international track record. Its alumni work in research, industry, and healthcare technology. More than half have pursued or are pursuing doctoral studies, while others have joined industrial R&D teams or founded their own start-ups.
A renewed MAIA curriculum
The updated programme combines solid foundations in imaging physics, mathematics, programming, and image analysis with advanced approaches in artificial intelligence. Students will explore generative AI and foundation models, learn to combine images with other clinical data, and study methods for tracking disease over time. Medical robotics and image-guided interventions connect their training with technologies that can support clinical procedures.
Understanding how these methods work is only part of the challenge. Students will also learn to assess their performance, recognise their limitations, and judge their clinical relevance. Validation, reproducibility, ethics, and regulatory awareness run throughout the curriculum, linking technical development with responsible use.
Three countries, one MAIA journey
MAIA is a two-year, 120-ECTS programme taught in English. Students spend their first semester in France, their second in Italy, and their third in Spain. They move through the programme as a cohort, learning from the expertise of each university and sharing the experience with classmates from different countries and academic backgrounds.
Each February, a joint Winter School in Cassino brings first- and second-year students together. In the final semester, students carry out their master’s thesis in an academic, clinical, or industrial setting. Graduates receive a joint degree awarded by the three universities. This international experience is central to MAIA: working across disciplines, adapting to new environments, and building connections that last well beyond graduation.
MAIA also maintains close links with hospitals, companies, and research centres across Europe. Each June, the MAIA Day brings students, academics, and partner organisations together to share ideas, explore collaboration opportunities, and build the professional network that supports thesis projects, mentoring, and future careers.
Joining MAIA
MAIA is open to graduates in computer science, mathematics, robotics, or engineering (biomedical, electronic, or industrial) with at least B2-level English. Erasmus Mundus scholarships will be available for the best-ranked applicants, and self-funded places are also offered.
The call for applications will open soon. Follow MAIA on LinkedIn for updates.