Students wishing to spend their second year at IBEI can choose either of the two following specialisations:

The CEU-IBEI track specialises in Global Public Policy, with an emphasis on policy making and problem solving in a range of international contexts (from the strongly institutionalised European policy regimes to the broader and less institutionalised global regimes). The central focus is on the policy process at the international and global level, including the design and operation of international organisations and global policy regimes. The track is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of public policy in anarchic, semi-anarchic and institutionalised international contexts. This includes analysis of policy networks, international organisations and global policy regimes. Students will gain knowledge of international relations and international political economy, as well as policy making, implementation and enforcement. The central analytical tools include quantitative and qualitative analysis (including macro-economics), and comparative international public policy tools such as the organisation, resources and policy instruments of global policy regimes. Applicants who wish to pursue a career in international civil service, voluntary organisation or global industries, may be attracted to this track.

The ISS-IBEI track seeks to deepen applicants’ knowledge in problem situating approaches of public policy. The logic of this track essentially revolves around the topic of Political Economy and Development. It aims to understand how different modes of governance, production and trade regimes, financial institutions, knowledge structures, identity constructions, international organisations, and cross-cutting processes (such as regionalism, regionalisation, globalisation and capitalism and democratisation among others) influence the setting and application of policies at global, regional and national levels of interaction. Accordingly, the ISS' situational analysis of governance in development, which draws on approaches in policy sciences, international relations and international political economy, is complemented with IBEI’s situational and extensive case study based approach drawing on the fields of International Relations and Development Economics. Applicants wishing to study public policy with the objective to work for international organisations/think tanks or NGOs and/or applicants wishing to have a career in research-related fields (PhD for example) may well be attracted to this specific track.

Mundus MAPP includes a strong practical component, represented by the internship, the spring course/study-trip and courses taught with the participation of invited professionals. This is specifically designed to allow students to observe the real world of policy-making, interact with practitioners, apply theoretical knowledge to practical policy problems, collect empirical (case study) material for research projects and theses, and build up professional contacts and