Erasmus Mundus Master MITRA – Transnational Migrations
The Erasmus Mundus Master MITRA – Transnational Migrations (https://www.master-mitra.eu/fr/), is an interdisciplinary program of excellence co-funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
It explores contemporary migration dynamics, social inequalities, and forms of intercultural mediation within a comparative and transnational framework.
For the 2025–2031 funding period, the Department of Sociology of Galatasaray University (Istanbul) officially joins the MITRA consortium and will host students from the first 2026–2028 cohort.
Applications are open until January 18, 2026.
The program offers Erasmus Mundus scholarships and numerous opportunities for academic and professional mobility.
Online application: https://application.master-mitra.eu/
Contact
For further information, please contact Cem Özatalay, of the Department of Sociology and MITRA Coordinator at GSU: cozatalay@gsu.edu.tr
Galatasaray University within the MITRA Consortium
Starting from the 2026–2027 academic year, the Department of Sociology of Galatasaray University (Istanbul) is part of the Erasmus Mundus MITRA – International Migrations consortium, coordinated by the University of Lille and supported by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
Galatasaray University joins an interdisciplinary network of universities across Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia, offering students a learning path focused on migration dynamics, social inequalities, and contemporary forms of intercultural mediation.
Specialization at Istanbul: Migration and the City / Migration, Labour and Social Rights
The specialization developed by GSU’s Department of Sociology is organized around two main axes:
- Migration and the City – The study of urban transformations through the prism of migratory mobility, urban governance, socio-spatial segregation, and local inclusion policies.
- Migration, Labour and Social Rights – The analysis of the reconfigurations of work and employment forms linked to migratory trajectories: precariousness, informality, the care economy, labour relations, unequal access to social rights, and transformations in employment policies.
This specialization aims to connect theoretical reflection with the empirical realities of the Turkish and Mediterranean contexts.
Students conduct empirical fieldwork (interviews, observation, archival research), take part in research seminars, and are supervised by faculty members involved in European research projects on migration, labour, and social justice.
Program Structure at Galatasaray University
Students may join Galatasaray University during the third and fourth semesters (M2–S3 and S4) of the MITRA program.
During this period:
- they take specialized courses on “Migration and the City” and “Migration, Labour and Social Rights”, as well as a methodological seminar on challenging fieldwork contexts;
- they continue their master’s thesis or professional internship under the supervision of a GSU faculty member;
- they follow Turkish language courses;
- they have the opportunity to conduct field research in Turkey or in other Mediterranean countries.
Graduates obtain the MITRA Master’s degree awarded by the University of Lille, as well as the degrees of the universities where they completed their mobilities – including the Master’s in Sociology from Galatasaray University.
Associated Partners in Istanbul
Galatasaray University collaborates closely with several institutions and associations that are associate partners of the MITRA consortium:
- Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM)
- Migration Research Association (GAR)
These partnerships provide students with professional and research fieldwork opportunities in the fields of migration, human rights, and social policies, while fostering direct interaction with civil society actors.
An International Learning Experience in Istanbul
Located at the crossroads between Europe and the Mediterranean, Galatasaray University offers a francophone study environment and a privileged setting for understanding contemporary social, urban, and migratory transformations.
Students benefit from both theoretical and empirical training, guided by a faculty engaged in research on migration, labour, and urban studies, and active in international networks of academic and scientific cooperation.
