IMRD is a two-year Master programme, jointly organised by several universities worldwide alongside input of international leading institutes in Agricultural Economics and Rural Development. IMRD started as an Erasmus Mundus programme of the European Commission in 2004. Since then it has grown to encompass multiple partnerships and projects.

All EU partners sign the joint degree, the international partners do not sign the join degree but some offer a double degree. These international partners are essential to the programme as they offer guest lectures, internships, case studies and support with master dissertation work. The consortium consists of 6 EU and 9 international partners as shown here.

Currently the International Master of Science in Rural Development is an Erasmus Mundus Programme, funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. There are six European universities involved in the Programme as Consortium Parners:

• University of Cordoba, Spain
• The Agro Institute - AGROCAMPUS Ouest, France
• Ghent University, Belgium
• University of Pisa, Italy
• Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra
• Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany

The other universities are associated partners in the Erasmus Mundus programme.