Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) has welcomed the second cohort of students to the European Joint Master’s Programme in Strategic Border Management (EJMSBM). The programme is implemented in cooperation with Frontex – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and is designed to educate highly qualified border management leaders from the European Union (EU) and Schengen Associated Countries.
On 26 January, MRU hosted the official opening ceremony of the international joint programme, bringing together 33 border management officers from EU and Schengen Associated Countries, members of the academic community, and programme organisers. The event marked the formal start of studies for the second cohort of the programme.
During the ceremony, participants were welcomed by MRU Vice-Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr Saulius Spurga, who emphasised that the rapidly changing EU border security environment requires the development of new leaders capable of coordinating and responding to complex security situations in a systematic and strategic manner.
“Today, the external borders of the European Union increasingly complex spectrum of threats, from hybrid attacks, irregular migration, and cross-border crime. This dynamic landscape demands border guard leadership capable of devising sustainable, rapid, and effective responses,” noted Assoc. Prof. Dr S. Spurga.
The participants were also greeted by Marius Vaščega, Head of the European Commission Representation in Lithuania, Gintaras Aliksandravičius, Vice-Minister of the Interior, and Colonel Saulius Nekraševičius, Deputy Commander of the State Border Guard Service. In their welcoming addresses, the guests highlighted the significance and relevance of the programme in the context of contemporary geopolitical challenges and wished the students success in their studies and professional development.
About the Programme
EJMSBM is a European Union–supported joint master’s programme implemented through the Frontex Agency, aimed at fostering a common strategic approach to EU border and coast guard management. The programme combines theoretical foundations, practical training, and international mobility of students and lecturers. It is open to mid-level and senior officers with at least three years of professional experience in national border management services.
The programme is delivered by an international consortium comprising Mykolas Romeris University, the Netherlands Defence Academy, the University of Salamanca, the Rezekne Academy of Technologies, and the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences.
