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Eight European universities, including Loughborough and Wales (Bangor), have set up a consortium to offer joint postgraduate degrees for international students.

The European Graduate Studies Group will initially market a European package of its own postgraduate programmes under the name "eurograd".

But within two years it plans to launch joint study programmes in which partner universities will each contribute modules in their areas of expertise. Students will then be able to study in at least two, but possibly many more, countries.

The participating universities believe their pan-European offer will help them market themselves more strongly on an international level and attract high-calibre international students.

"It will help us all become more attractive to international as well as to home students," said Rolf-Dieter Postlep, president of Kassel 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, Germany, one of the partners.

The other five institutions in the consortium universities are Eotvos Lorand 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ in Budapest, the Technical 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Koszalin in Poland, Oulu 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ in Finland, the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of the Balearics in Palma de Mallorca and Malardalens 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ in Sweden.

The group also plans to attract up to four more partners, preferably from France, Italy and the Benelux countries.