The ChIR is a joint project of the University of Algarve (UAlg, Portugal), University of Barcelona (UB, Spain), University of Bologna (UniBo, Italy). The Consortium has developed and, together with Heriot-Watt University (UK), ran the ChIR from the academic years 2013/14 to 2018/19. The structure of the study programme is fully integrated. The relevant professional profile, competences, learning outcomes, and programme structure necessary to reach the EMJMD objectives were envisioned and developed jointly by the Consortium, in close collaboration with industrial and institutional stakeholders. It has evolved jointly under the continuous improvement mechanisms managed by joint bodies.

Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will have achieved the following General Learning Outcomes:

1. have a thorough understanding of international regulations on the use of chemical substances, namely the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals;
2. understand the principles behind the design of new safe chemical products;
3. project a business plan for the commercialization of new chemical products;
4. understand the principles behind the industrial implementation of new processes; 5. evaluate potential environmental hazards of chemical substances;
5. evaluate potential toxicological hazards of chemical substances;
6. evaluate potential chemical and physical hazards of chemical substances.
7. understand the global economy of chemical industry and apply the principles of Circular Economy to achieve sustainability.
8. interact effectively in a global chemicals management context with actors from diverse countries and cultures

The ChIR is a two-year Master Programme, including one year of classes, an internship and a research project and thesis.

The Master programme awards a total of 120 ECTS. The programme is articulated in two main components: the first year comprises curricular activities accounting for 66 ECTS; the second year accounts for 54 credits and includes an internship period of 15 ECTS, a research project and thesis dissertation (39 ECTS).

Student mobility is required and embedded in the program structure. Students take spend the first year in one university of the consortium (Host University). The second year must be spent in one (or two) different country(ies) of the consortium.
For the second year, students are required to choose an internship and a research project from the lists provided by the Consortium.
The mobility scheme is depicted below.

Mobility Scheme: in the 1st year students take the taught programme in one of the European full partner universities of the consortium (EU 1, HOST). The location of the taught programme rotates in consecutive editions. During the 2nd year each student completes an internship in an Associated Partner (AP), under a specific agreement signed with one of the full partner universities. For the Research project and thesis students move to one of the Research Host partners, EU 2 or EU 3, depending on their choice of research topic. Students may do a research project shared with EU 1 or an AP, provided a minimum of 30 ECTS of the Research year are gained in EU 2 or EU 3.

Professionals dealing with the regulation of chemicals need an integrated, interdisciplinary view of the lifecycle of chemical substances. In addition to a thorough understanding of the international chemical Regulations, this view must include: mastering the Design of new chemicals, namely the most recent technology for the production of alternative materials; understanding the chemical Industry, aiming to acquire the knowledge of requirements for implementation of new industrial processes, including a solid understanding of the current economy of chemical industry; understanding Chemical Sustainability topics and paradigms, as the main guidelines to chemical innovation; applying the principles of sound Management, including the fostering of entrepreneurship; applying the Circular Economy approach and the culture of reuse and recycling; understanding Toxicology, as an essential tool for the assessment of chemical hazards, Environmental sustainability, for pollution prevention and treatment, including the topics of global and climate change; the existing methods of Assessment of the properties of new materials, including the quality of analytical data; mastering Risk and Safety assessment and management, including understanding the social perception of the risk of chemicals. Training in Transferable Skills is planned during the curricular year.

To address all these disciplines while fulfilling the General Learning Outcomes of the program, students are required to choose one curricular unit of 6 credits from each of the eleven groups of disciplines. Curricular units are made of groups of three modules, each module is worth 2 ECTS credits. The organisation of optional Curricular Units inside each Discipline Group is described in the figure.

ChIR is a second cycle degree (Master Degree) officially recognized in Portugal, Italy and Spain. It has been accredited in the national Higher Education Quality Assurance systems since 2013. It has been reaccredited in Portugal in 2019, received a new accreditation as a single degree in Italy in 2019 and is undergoing accreditation in Spain in 2020. All Partners are fully committed to maintaining the programme accreditation and recognition.

Students who successfully complete the program are awarded a Joint Diploma issued by the University of Algarve, University of Bologna and University of Barcelona. The degree is registered as:
• Laurea Magistrale in Innovazione e Regolamentazione Chimica in Italy
• Mestre em lnovação Química e Regulamentação (Erasmus Mundus), in Portugal
• Master Universitario Erasmus Mundus en lnnovación y Regulación en Quimica and Master Universitari Erasmus Mundus en lnnovació i Regulació en Quimica, in Spain