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Double Degree | A.Y 2026-2027

Master in Economics and International Policies - MEPIN

XXI edition

Classes start: September 2026

 

 

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Course location Lugano and Milan
Attendance Full time
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Overview

An international Specialising Master Programme, between Lugano and Milan, to understand and analyze international relations in their complexity.

 

The Master in Economics and International Policies, Master Double Degree between the l’Università della Svizzera italiana (USI, Lugano, Switzerland) and ASERI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan), offers advanced training to understand global phenomena through an integrated economic and political perspective. The programme provides students with interdisciplinary tools and an overall view of international dynamics, preparing professionals capable of operating in globalised and complex contexts.

The Specialising Master Programme in Economics and International Policies, Master Double Degree, is designed for:

 

-          Recent graduates holding an undergraduate or a graduate degree, with a strong interest in exploring contemporary international dynamics and in developing analytical tools in Political Science and Economics.

FIVE REASONS TO CHOOSE MEPIN

  • An interdisciplinary training course, which combines economic and political studies in a global and innovative perspective;
  • In-depth knowledge of contemporary international dynamics, with the ability to critically analyze fundamental current issues, in their global dimension;
  • An international Faculty of excellence, with prominent professors and experts of the contemporary international reality, in its many facets;
  • A double degree: a Master of Science in Economics from Università della Svizzera Italiana, and a first-level Master's degree from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore;
  • An internship experience of at least three months, in Italy, or in the world, in order to apply the knowledge acquired.
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Programme

The Specialising Master Programme in Economics and International Policies spans two years (four semesters) of training and study, divided between the Università della Svizzera Italiana (Lugano) and ASERI – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan).

 

Specifically, the first two semesters will be held at USI in Lugano, and are dedicated to courses; the third semester will be carried out at ASERI, in Milan, while the fourth semester is devoted to the internship and the preparatiom of the final Master's disseration.

 

Classroom training consist mainly of lectures, seminars and practical workshops. The aim of the course is to equip MEPIN students with the knowledge and analytical tools of Economics and Political Science, enabling them to examine and understand international phenomena from multiple perspectives and in all their complexity.

The Specialising Master Programme in Economics and International Policies is characterized by a multidimensional, interdisciplinary and integrated approach, which underpins both the academic training and the international experience throughout the entire programme, at both the Università della Svizzera italiana and ASERI.

 

During the first semester of the Master Programme, carried out entirely at the Università della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, an introduction to the topics of the Master Programme, and the methodological and economic bases are provided. During the second semester, on the other hand, issues of sustainable development and analysis of public policies will be explored, together with a further methodological study and an introduction to international subjects.

 

The third semester, undertaken at ASERI, is dedicated to International Relations. It includes specialised courses organised by geographical area and focused on the international dynamics of specific countries, as well as advanced study of international market analysis, country risk models, and key institutional issues in International and Humanitarian Law.

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-          Skills and knowledge in the field of Economics, Political Science and International Relations;

 

-          A global understanding of contemporary international dynamics, enabling you to analyze international phenomena in their complexity from multiple points of view and perspectives;

 

-          An international education, combining the economic skills of Università della Svizzera Italiana with the tradition in International Relations of ASERI and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore 

The four semesters of the Master will be organized in the following periods:

 

- Start and first semester: September 2026, Lugano

- Second semester: February 2027, Lugano

- Third semester: September 2027, Milan

- Fourth semester: February 2028, Internship and Master's Thesis

Career Opportunities

MEPIN offers its graduates the analytical tools to be able to understand and study international phenomena in their complexity, both from a political and economic point of view.

These skills can be used in a wide range of international careers, including:

 

       · International institutions

       · Research Centres and Think Tanks

       · Public administration and local government

       · NGOs

       · Private and multinational companies

       · Banks and financial institutions

Below is a short, non-exhaustive list of organizations and institutions that have hosted MEPIN students in recent years for their internship:            

  • PricewaterhouseCoopers (Milan)
  • Coopération Bancaire pour l'Europe (Brussels, Belgium)
  • Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. (Milan)
  • United States Consulate General (Milan)
  • International Committee of the Red Cross (Brescia)
  • Fincantieri (Brussels)
  • Rud Pedersen Public Affairs (Brussels)

 

  • Mediobanca (Milan)
  • Banca Popolare di Sondrio (Como)
  • Canton of Ticino – Section of Local Authorities (SEL) (Bellinzona, Switzerland)
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Rome, Italy)
  • European Parliament (Brussels, Belgium)
  • Deloitte (Milan)
  • Emergency (Milan)
  • Italian Chamber of Commerce in Munich-Stuttgart (Munich, Germany)

Faculty

Academic Directors

 

Prof. Vittorio Emanuele PARSI, Full Professor of International Relations, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Prof. Fabrizio MAZZONNA, Full Professor of Economics, USI

 

 

Academic coordinator

 

Dr. Ludovica D'ALESSANDRO, Program Assistant for the Specialising Master Programme in Economics and International Policies, ASERI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

 

 

ASERI Teaching Staff

 

Prof. Marina CALCULLI, Assistant Professor of International Relations, University of Leiden

Prof. Antonio CAMPATI, Researcher in Political Philosophy at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Prof. Estella CARPI, Associate Professor of Humanitarian Studies, University College London

Prof. Raul CARUSO, Full Professor of Economic Policy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Prof. Emilio COLOMBO, Full Professor of Economic Policy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Dr. Raimondo FASSA, former Member of the European Parliament

Prof. Enrico FASSI, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Prof. Luca GALANTINI, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Prof. Andrea GILLI, Lecturer, University of Saint Andrews

Prof. Joseph GRIECO, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Duke University

Prof. G.J. IKENBERRY, Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics, Princeton University

Dr. Ignacio LARA, Asuntos del Sur

Prof. Marco LOSSANI, Full Professor of Economic Policy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Prof. Andrés MALAMUD, Senior Research Fellow, Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa

Dr. Claudio MARCONI, actor and director

Prof. Michael MASTANDUNO, Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor of Government, Dartmouth University

Prof. Guido MERZONI, Full Professor of Political Economy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Prof. Nicola PASINI, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Milan

Prof. Kateryna PISHCHIKOVA, Associate Professor of International Relations, ECampus University

Dr. Valeria RESTA, University of Milan

Prof. Rocco RONZA, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Dr. Deborah RUSSETTI, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Dr. Andrew SPANNAUS, Radio24

Dr. Alessandro TERZULLI, Chief Economist, SACE

For more information on USI professors, you can find any reference on the USI portal.

Registration and useful info

To submit an application for admission to the Master Double Degree in Economics and International Policies, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Hold a Bachelor’s degree, an equivalent first-cycle degree, or an Italian laurea under the previous system;

  • Possess a good command of the English language.

 

The MEPIN program welcomes students from academic backgrounds in Political Science, Economics, and Law. Applicants from other fields of study may also be considered, upon evaluation by the Direction.

 

For further information on admission criteria, please refer to the dedicated page on the USI portal.

Applications can be submitted directly through the dedicated Master in Economics and International Policies page on the USI portal.

 

Applications will be evaluated progressively and in order of arrival. If successful, candidates will receive confirmation of admission via the email address provided. Early applications will have a greater chance of being accepted.

 

The Master in Economics and International Policies has a limited enrollment of 30 students, extendable to 35 upon evaluation by the Direction.

 

Applications will be accepted until August 31, 2026, inclusive, or until the maximum number of 35 available places is reached.

  • Deadline for students from Italy or the European Union:
    2026-08-31T00:00:00+02:00
  • Deadline for non-EU students
    2026-04-30T00:00:00+02:00

The tuition fee for the MEPIN Master’s program is CHF 14,000, payable in four installments (CHF 4,000 for each of the first three semesters and CHF 2,000 for the final semester).

 

For students domiciled in Switzerland or Liechtenstein at the time of obtaining their upper-secondary school diploma (maturità)—or residents of Campione d’Italia under specific conditions—the total tuition fee for the two-year program is CHF 8,000.

Further information on available scholarships and financial aid opportunities can be found on the USI portal.

To learn more about the Specilising Master Programme:

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