Q: How can I finance MEGA?

A: To finance MEGA you may look into different sources of income. 
Grants and scholarships is one way of financing your master education. Check out http://www.danmark.legater.nu/ for one, or contact your respective professional/academic associations.

Companies and organisations may examine what they already invest in further education. If an employee, for instance has access to 12-15.000 for further education each year. This amount may be summed up, and is due for payment over 3 separate account years, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Companies can look into what they already spend on external consultancy, and transfer this amount to an investment in internal education and internal consultancy. Planning and preparing the dissemination of knowledge gained by participating in the master education will result in a lesser need for external consultancy. You can examine whether you can adapt a development budget in a project into cofunding the MEGA master education, if parts of the particular project is concerned with energy and/or sustainability.

The MEGA master education can also be financed by both company/organisation and participant in the following 'gross salary' solution: The employer withdraws all or part (as agreed) of the the cost of the education from the emplyees salary before paying it out. This way the employee cofinances the education, but pays less tax and end up with having deducted lees than the actual cost of the education from his or her salary. Contact us for further information. If you are self-employed, in your own one man company there is the possibility of deducting the education from your companies' tax account, as an upgrading, presuming of course the education is an upgrading of your former education. This must be cleared with the tax department in advance.

Q: How do you compare the MEGA master education to an Industrial PhD?

A: The academic level is similar. The MEGA master student, however must hand in a number of papers, on a weekly basis and finalising each semester, and hands in a master thesis after 2 years of studying. The Industrial PhD hands in a final PhD. Both participate in knowledge dissemination in educational institutions and/or companies, repectively.
The Industrial PhD student defines a PhD research field and works specifically in this field during 3 years, in cooperation with educational- and research-institutions and companies. The Industrial PhD student is dedicated to his or her field and works only within this field during the PhD period, testing, doing research, and implementing theory and results, but can not work outside this field. The MEGA master student generally still works in his or her normal job, and succesively tests and implements the new knowledge of energy, sustainable processes, leadership etc. in actual projects, thus adapting to changing needs in the company. 

Q: Is MEGA relevant if you work with city planning?

A: The urban scale will be extremely important, in planning, urban infrastructures, urban systemic thinking,  traffic, density , urban green areas, urban micro climate - and especially urban retrofitting !
The urban scale decides relevant sustainable developments and progress...
There will be large scale projects. Also the excursion will go to urban sustainable developments, in Germany and in Beijing. I personally prefer most doing projects on sustainable urban retrofitting down to building scale.
I cannot see buidling scale separated from urban context. Also our Chinese partner, the THUPDI Institute in Beijing is a planning institute.
MEGA is for planners, architects, landscape architects and engineers interested in architecture. It is about sustainable townplanning and sustainable architecture and not separated about sustainable technology without context !  

Q: Will there be a broader perspective on sustainability including more aspects of the environmental footprint of any given construction then mere energy, which the passive house concept focuses on?

A: Certainly there will be a broader perspective of sustainability (much further than energy efficiency). Eco balances and ecological footprint of a building will be part of the course - life cycle analyses etc. There is no limited focus on passive houses, the course will go far beyond ! - also in terms of other energy strategies and in terms of construction and  productions processes, material etc.

Q: When is the education fee due for payment? Will it be possible to split the payment on 3 budget years i.e. 2009/2010/2011?

A: The education fee is due for payment by the beginning of each semester, i.e. 1st September 2009, 1st February 2010, 1st September 2010 and finaly by the 1st February 2011. Thus the payments can be split in 3 budget years.

Q: Can You split the invoice to have cost for travel separately?

A: As a rule you can not split the invoice, as this would complicate our administration considerably. But if it is very important we will take a second look at the issue.

Q: Can the Master Thesis be chosen freely?

A: Yes.

Q: Can You formulate the company ROI further?

A: The primary company ROI is business development, which we believe is likely to return the investment within a short timespan. The company will get considerable knowledge and the latest results from R&D within energy, sustainable architecture and planning, areas which will be a strong competitive resource in the future. Since this master education is the first of its kind in Denmark, the master students and companies involved will be frontrunners on this particular market. But they will also acquire knowledge of strategic business development and management, thus it will be an investment in leadership development. And not last they will be able to position themselves on the Chinese market, with a network of contacts, and experiense from working with chinese companies.

Q: There seems to be a focus on Passive Housing - will there be a pursue of the EnergyPlus/ Active Housing aspect as well?

A: We will certainly address this issue, and consider the Passive House a starting point within this area, and share your ambition to pursue goals beyond Passive House standards!

Q: To which extent do you see the Chinese perspective in the master education? If possible please express a percentage in terms of importance?

A: 1/2 Market understanding, Personal development and crosscultural understanding. 1/2 Professional knowledge of Energy and Sustainability and the understanding of such. There is also a strong focus on relating and implementing knowledge in practise.

Q: What is your critical mass in terms of Chines/ European company types (Architect offices, planners, producers, other)

A: We aim for 50/50 mix of Chinese and European participants. We also aim for a balanced mixture of the various professions/companies represented.

Q: Can we get information on the participants mix ahead of final enrolment?

A. Yes.

Q: Can you estimate and ensure the level of the teaching resources, e.g. Herzog not confirmed, can we expect same level?

A: We will aim at same level, yes, and professors from China are all Harvard level.

Q: Will Walther Unterrainer follow the complete course as a teaching resource?

A: Yes.

Q: Who has the continuous professional lead as resource?

A: Walther Unterrainer and Liang Wei.

Q: How do you intend to deal with the cultural differences, which could prove difficult?

A: The cultural differences will be a topic during the education! We will have experts dealing with his issue, Lars Esbjerg from ASB, Aarhus for one will present theory and practise experiense from dealing with managing companies across cultural differences. We believe the cultural differences are more of a chance than a risk. So far in planning the education, we have not experiensed any difficulties in that respect.

Q: What about language, all being able to communicate in English?

A: All applicants will be interviewed to ensure they meet communication standards.

Q: If i can't raise the money in time for the aplication deadline, can I withhold my application until I know whether I get a grant?

A: Yes, if not for long.

Q: Can you help us with financing the education?

A: We can help you by guiding you to possible sources of financing. We will gladly give you a statement, when you have been accepted at the master education. But unfortunately we do not have resources to help you with the actual applications for grants etc.

Q: How much time do you expect one must spend on the master education?

A: On average 20 hours a week, and yes it is a demanding education. As a rule, the more time you invest, the better your outcome of the master education. There will be compulsory arrangements and workshops in Aarhus and Beijing, where master students are expected to be physically present for 3 x 14 days during the 4 semesters. The rest of the education is based on e-learning, group work and internet sessions and can be attended more flexibly, by arrangement. In our other master educations the groups meet once or twice a week over the internet, and during some weekends. With the time difference to China, we normally meet at 8 o'clock in the morning, which is afternoon in China. Intentionally there will be synergy effects between the master education and the master students' own work projects, so the two go hand in hand. The semester papers for one can be an integral part of a work assignment.