The Steering Board (SB) with one representative of each of the partner universities and two of the co-ordinating university, is in charge of all academic issues. The representatives are mandated by their institute and are in charge of evaluating the files of incoming students, selection of scholarship grantees, the proposition of awarding degrees, content of the course, study programmes of students, advice on dissertation topics and all other academic and organisational issues. If needed, due to regulations of the respective institutes, the Steering Board submits its proposals on topics, mentioned above, to the academic board of the institutes for approval or decision. The SB is meeting at least three times a year and nominates among its members persons in charge of specific tasks. The coordinating institution provides the chairperson of the SB. Furthermore, the Steering Board contains at least one student representative. The student representative(s) is/are elected by all students. The student representative(s) has/have voting right in the Steering Board‟s decision.

The Course Coordinator is in charge of coordinating the course and responsible for all contacts with the EU. The Course Coordinator will take all actions necessary for a smooth functioning of the Consortium and for the fulfilment of the contractual agreement with the EU. The Course Coordinator is also the Chair of the Steering Board.

The Programme Officer deals with all administrative questions and problems and is in charge of practical issues such as arrival of students, mobility arrangements, administrative tasks concerning study progress, collecting the marks of students, organisation of the selection procedure, organisation of meetings of the managing bodies, communication, financial reporting and report writing. The Programme Officer works under the guidance of the EMSP co-ordinator and together, they form the EMSP Secretariat.

The Quality Assurance Committee (QAC), with at least two members from (third party) academic universities and one from the industry, provides guidance on all aspects relating to quality. The QAC monitors the academic programme and the added value offered by the joint international programme (as compared to the individual programmes at the different partners and as compared to other -national/international- master courses in photonics) and evaluates the quality of each course and can give advice to the Steering Board or to the individual lecturer The QAC is appointed each year by the SB whereby the SB strives to ensure continuation within the QAC composition. The QAC participates for two days in the Summer School and interacts with students and lecturers.

The Examination Board addresses all aspects of examination. It advises on the success/failure of the student for individual courses organized in the respective universities and ratifies the scores at the end of each academic year and decides on the final degree, including the grade of merit. The Examination Board consist of a representative of each university‟s programme board and is assisted and advised by an External Examiner. The External Examiner is appointed by the Examination Board and is preferably one of the academic representatives of the QAC. The External Examiner offers independent appraisal of the academic standards of the courses, in particular of the assessment procedures and process. The Programme Officer acts as the secretary of this Board.

The Advisory Board provides advice to the Steering Board on matters such as employability, student exchange, relationship to professional organizations in the field, industrial internships etc. It consists of at least a representative of each of the Associated Professional members and the Associated Academic members of the programme.