The Erasmus Mundus joint master’s degree programme Service Design Strategies and Innovations (SDSI) has received an impressive amount of 749 applications from 89 countries across all continents for the 2025 class. With only 36 study places available, the competition was intense and reflected the programme’s growing global recognition.

The SDSI selection process is a rigorous three-stage journey. Candidates must first submit a full package of official documents. They then complete an admission assignment by selecting an existing research on a specific topic, analyzing it critically, and presenting their own solution to the identified problem. Only those who excel in this evaluation advance to individual interviews.

Following this demanding process, 22 candidates have been awarded Erasmus Mundus scholarships, each receiving €1,400 per month for the two-year study period along with comprehensive health insurance. Additional 14 students have secured self-funded places, with tuition fees set at €4,000 per year for EU/EEA students and €8,000 per year for students from the rest of the world.

“The outstanding quality and diversity of this year’s applicants underscore SDSI’s reputation as one of the leading international programmes in design and innovation,” said Ilze Kundziņa, SDSI Programme Director.

We warmly congratulate our newly admitted students and wish them an inspiring study journey that begins at the Art Academy of Latvia in Kuldīga, Latvia on 8 September 2025. During the first year, students also benefit from tutoring provided by the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. We also extend our best wishes to our current second-year cohort, who are now continuing their studies at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland, or the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn, Estonia. Here’s to another year of creativity, collaboration, and transformation at SDSI!