International Procurement Cooperation (MPA)

Start of studies Nov. 01, 2026 and Nov. 01, 2028

The central qualification objective of the International Procurement Cooperation programme (MPA) is for graduates to be able to assume responsibility for the management of major procurement projects in international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural fields of work and to do so with deliberation and based on their professional and methodical training and their value-based team leadership skills. The programme takes an interdisciplinary approach in which students choose one of two different tracks: one with a focus on law, one with a focus on economics. Regardless of their chosen track, all students will acquire basic leadership and management skills and will learn about project and technology management as well as parameters of procurement projects from a strategic and transnational perspective. Depending on their chosen track, students will learn the fundamentals of either economics or law as well as specifics of either procurement law or procurement organisation. The IPC programme is offered in English in order to emphasise its intercultural nature and international perspective.

The programme takes an interdisciplinary approach in which students choose one of two different tracks: one with a focus on law, one with a focus on economics. Regardless of their chosen track, all students will acquire basic leadership and management skills and will learn about project and technology management as well as parameters of procurement projects from a strategic and transnational perspective. Depending on their chosen track, students will learn the fundamentals of either economics or law as well as specifics of either procurement law or procurement organisation. The IPC programme is offered in English in order to emphasise its intercultural nature and international perspective.

Information Session IPC 2026

The online Information Session IPC 2026 will be held on 22 January 2026, 10.00 a.m. (UTC+01:00), online. To register, please write an email to zww-info@hsu-hh.de with the following information:

First and last name,
Institution,
Country,
E-mail-address

Program Profile

Start of studies Nov. 01, 2026 and Nov. 01, 2028
Application deadline July 31, 2026 and July 31, 2028

Information Session IPC 2026

Target group

The target group of the International Procurement Cooperation (IPC) program are (prospective) leaders in areas tasked with procurement projects in (federal) ministries and subordinate authorities in Germany and the other 26 EU/NATO member states.
Qualification

Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Duration

Standard period of study 2 years, 60 ECTS credit points
Costs

Costs covered by the respective authority/ministry.
Language of instruction

English
Campuses

Hamburg, Berlin, Wien and other citys in Europe
Module Handbook (PDF)
Program and Examination Regulations (PDF)

Program contents and module handbook:

3 compulsory modules, 3 consolidation modules, 3 specialisation modules of either the economics track or the law track, and a final module with a master’s thesis.
Leadership and management, project and innovation management, empirical research methods, an interdisciplinary module, network management, negotiation, risk management and compliance; as part of the law track: methodology of European and international law, European contract law and contract drafting, principles of European procurement law; as part of the economics track: fundamentals of economics, accounting and controlling, methodology of European and international law.

Further information can be found in the module handbook (PDF download)

Admission requirements and Program and Examination Regulations

(1) A total of 240 ECTS credit points achieved for completion of one or more study programs at a German or foreign institute of higher education

(2) At least two years of vocational activity, including at least one year with management responsibility, after obtaining a higher-education degree

(3) Sufficient knowledge of the English language to successfully complete the programme and the examinations (certificate attesting C1-level skills or equivalent) Structure: (LINK zur Studien- und Prüfungsordnung).

Admission requirements (PDF)

Organization of the program:

In-service online studies combined with compact attendance-based classes comprising 3 compulsory modules, 3 consolidation modules, 3 specialisation modules of either the economics track or the law track, and a final module with a master’s thesis.

The course is organized by modules. The modules are based on the trimester dates of HSU/UniBw H. Each academic year comprises three trimesters: the fall trimester (HT) runs from October to December, the winter trimester (WT) from January to March and the spring trimester (FT) from April to June. The trimester break at HSU/UniBw H takes place from July to September and the focus of the course is on self-study (“blended learning”) and is supplemented by attendance courses worth 45 ECTS credits. One module comprises 5 ECTS credits. This involves a workload of 125 hours (including attendance times and distance learning phases).
Classroom sessions take place approximately every 4 to 6 weeks from Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. to Friday at 12 noon. The students are seconded or detached by the BAPersBw. This is followed by the students’ travel planning. Vacation periods and public holidays are taken into account when planning attendance events. At the end of the degree program, a Master’s thesis with a scope of 15 ECTS-LP must be completed. This course is organized by the Center for Scientific Continuing Education (ZWW) of the Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg (HSU/UniBw H).

Your application, documents and submission

We require various documents when you apply for a place on this program. An overview of the required documents can be found on the homepage of the Examination Office. You can submit your application directly to the Examination Office. The Examination Office will then receive your documents directly. If you have any questions regarding the documents required for your application, please contact the Examination Office. For all other questions, the ZWW will be happy to help you via email or telephone.

Examination Office

+49 40 6541-3376

zww-info@hsu-hh.de

Wichtige Formulare für Studienbeginnende und Studieninteressierte

Cooperation Partners

Federal Ministry of Defense

Your Contacts

Dr. Annika Garlichs

Program Coordinator

Office: H1 R1140
Phone.: +49 40 6541-4894

zww-info@hsu-hh.de

Program Director

follows

Other Programs

Military Leadership and International Security (MA)

Target group: Future Bundeswehr and allied military leaders

All details

Civil-Military Interaction (M.A.) DE/EN

Target group: future Bundeswehr and allied military leaders and executive civilian personnel; future NGO executives

All details

Management and Law in the Federal Administration

Target group: In-service program for members of the Federal Ministry of Finance, other federal ministries and federal authorities, who hold undergraduate degrees and are to assume leadership tasks.

All details

Leadership in the Medical Field (MA or MSc)

Target group: (future) leaders working in medical or pharmaceutical professions

all details