MERIT is a research oriented Master programme within the guidelines of the Bologna process whose scope is information technologies (IT) and applications with a special focus on communications. The Master involves four top-level European institutions with strong ongoing research ties and is supported by the European Commission through the Erasmus Mundus programme.

MERIT is offered either as an International programme in which students have to take two 1-year terms at two different partner universities to complete the 2-year Master programme, or as a 2-year National programme in one of the four partner universities. International MERIT students will gain a broad view of IT thanks to the mobility requirements.

MERIT is intended to be a natural entrance gate to research. MERIT graduates are expected to access PhD programs or R&D positions in industry or government. A large part of the credits earned in MERIT can be used to partially fulfil the requirements to obtain the PhD degrees at the four partner universities involved in MERIT.