The European Union (EU)'s Erasmus Mundus educational exchange program is its second year reaching ever more participating universities, students and academics from all over the world.

A total of 190 universities, including 38 non-EU universities in 17 countries, are now involved in a total of 57 master's courses.

It proves that "trademark Europe" in higher education is "the mark of excellence", said a press release of the EU executive European Commission on Thursday.

Eventually, "each year thousands of students and academics will come to study in Europe for up to two years on the courses", said EU Education Commissioner Jan Figel.

So far, 930 students and academics from all over the world have received Erasmus Mundus scholarships. Next year, this total is expected to rise to 1,200 students and 170 academics.

Erasmus Mundus is the EU cooperation and mobility program which promotes the EU as a center of excellence in learning around the world and tries to enhance the attractiveness of European higher education in third countries.