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Six European universities from five different EU countries are jointly proposing an International Master in Bayesian Statistics and Decision Analysis as a contribution to the development of the European Higher Education Area launched at the 1999 Bologna declaration. In alphabetical order of their physical location, these are:
This is a two year, 120 european credits international Master course to be completed in two academic years, and scheduled to start in October 2008 in Helsinki, Klagenfurt, Paris. Implementation in Madrid, Rome and Valencia will be delayed until, at least, October 2009.
The proposal was prepared by its steering committee, BayesMasterProposal, and summarizes the main concepts behind the Bayesian paradigm, describes some of its currently more important areas of application, identifies the professional profiles which would be required for a successful career in these areas, list the subject matters which would have to be mastered to attain those profiles and, as a consequence, proposes a two year, 120 ECTS Master programme designed to provide the required training.
This proposal was approved by the Rectors of the six participating universities in April 2007, who then signed the relevant cooperation agreement.
The EuroBayes committee is presently composed of (in alphabetical order):
The EuroBayes committee reviews the effectiveness of the teaching programs, examines the academic results achieved by the students and may propose further actions.
For each student, the hosting institution will appoint a tutor whom the student may consult for advice or assistance during his/her stay at the institution.
The members of the consortium engage themselves in helping students with incoming procedures, such as finding housing and ensure that students will have access to language courses, libraries and canteens, as well as to the services of the respective International Offices.
EuroBayes is a two year program consisting of 60+60 european credits (ECTS). The first 60 ECTS year provides a general foundation and is common to the six partner universities. In the second year, students will take four specialist courses (of 9 ECTS each) in some of the internationally recognized research areas of the different partners.
The students finish the program by completing a Masters Thesis which will be evaluated during a two week summer school of courses given by world renowned experts which is to be organized by a different partner each year. The summer school will also include the public presentation of the Master Thesis, possibly in poster form.
The partners fully and automatically recognise courses developed for this Master and examinations passed at the other institutions in the consortium.
The European nature of the Master implies that students should study in at least two different centres in at least two different countries. At least 30% (36 ECTS) of the total credits should be acquired in a second or third hosting institution.
Successful students will at least be awarded a double degree and a diploma supplement. The double degree scheme consists of two independent degrees issued by the two hosting institutions. Each degree is recognized in the country in which it has been issued. The diploma supplement will describe both the overall organization of the Master and the details of the students study programme.
These degrees are recognized by the partners as research Masters degrees allowing the student to apply for a Ph.D. program.
The partner institutions are planning to move into a joint degree (a single degree certificate awarded by the six partner institutions) as soon as all the national legislations involved make this feasible.
The partner universities guarantee to admit new students annually. The programme is initially envisaged to admit about 60 students per year, to be distributed among the partner institutions. Students will be admitted according to the procedures in force in each of the partner institutions, based on the advice of the EuroBayes committee.
Selection will be highly competitive: students will have to be among the best of their graduation year. Admission into the Master program will be maded on the basis of academic excellence. Applicants should have an excellent university record, with at least 3 years of high education prior studies corresponding to 180 ECTS credits, with major in at least one field closely related to mathematics, statistics or decision analysis.
Admission procedures and fees may be different for students within the European Economic area (EEA), namely European Union member states plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, collectively referred as European students, and non-EEA members.
European students will be admitted to the Master programme according to the procedures in force in the partner institutions. As non- European students may not be able to provide an ECTS credits characterization of their previous studies, their applications will be ranked according to:
Since the second year will be taught in English, an appropriate proof of English proficiency will be required for all students.
The programme fees will be approved by the governing board of each Partner. When approved, they will be posted in their website for graduate studies.
Partners will use English as the operational language of communication between the six institutions involved in the Masters Course.
Instruction in the first, common year will be provided either in English or in the local language of each institution, with the possibility of tutoring and examinations in English. Instruction in the specialized courses in the second year will be in English.
Apart from benefiting from the top academic quality, students will get acquainted with European culture in at least two countries. The partners organize language training in their own local languages.
Quality will be assured through regular exchange of lecturers and student participation in the evaluation of lectures.
Students and scholars will be invited to fill out an anonymous satisfaction form at the end of the course. These evaluation forms will be examined carefully, and evolution in the course organisation will be carried out accordingly.
Program coordinators will be in permanent contact to discuss the development of the program, quality issues and other important topics.
Periodic evaluations will be requested from the relevant national quality agencies.
The partners will undertake all efforts to help international students to integrate as soon as possible into campus life and society. Partners will apply, when possible, to Erasmus, or to the current versions of Socrates or Leonardo grants, to allow enrolled European students to complete their training in good conditions.
An introductory and a cultural program and social activities are offered at each campus. Help will be provided in finding appropriate accommodation.
An Internet discussion forum open to all students and linked to the Master web site will serve to exchange both on scientific questions and practical aspects of everyday life in the six locations.
For comments (most welcome) and further information write to Eurobayes committe memeber of the institution of your choice:
Statistics is primarily concerned with the analysis of data, either to assist in the appreciation of some underlying mechanism, or to reach effective decisions. In both cases, some uncertainty resides in the situation and the statistician's tasks are both to reduce this uncertainty and to explain it clearly. Problems of this type occur throughout all the physical, social and other sciences. One way of looking at statistics stems from the appreciation that all uncertainty must be described by probability: that probability is the only sensible language for a logic that deals with all degrees of uncertainty, and not just with the extremes of truth and falsity. This is called Bayesian Statistics. Decision-making is embraced by introducing a utility function, itself probability-based, and then maximizing expected utility. Bayesian statistics is designed to handle all situations where uncertainty is found. Since some uncertainty is present in most aspects of life, it is held that Bayesian statistics should be appreciated and used by everyone. It is the logic of contemporary society. It is 'common sense reduced to calculation.'
For an elementary, college level, introduction to Bayesian Statistics, see Bernardo (2003) Bayesian Statistics, an article written for the UNESCO Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS).
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