The rationale of PEGASUS is to develop a genuinely integrated EUropean joint Ph.D degree. It starts from the commonly identified need for a transnational Ph.D training on topical EU issues. PEGASUS will pool the excellence in Ph.D training and scientific research of a consortium with a history of long-standing successful cooperation in centres of excellence in EUropean teaching and research.The PEGASUS result will be twofold: (A) The development of the academic content of an integrated curriculum. It encompasses a four-module training programme: (1) Core modules on polity, policies and politics as well as theories on European integration. It will also include historical, legal and economic approaches, its external action, issues of democracy and modules on refined methodological skills. (2) Specialised modules selected from a menu of courses at partner universities which are most relevant to the respective Ph.D project. (3) Professional modules including transversal skills training and a practical stage. (4) Final writing module.(B) The development of a legal agreement between the institutions of the consortium. It will regulate the establishment and recognition of the joint Ph.D programme.Its impact will be along three dimensions: (1) Research impact by advancing the academic state of the art in EU studies, (2) teaching impact by improving transnational, integrated and skills oriented Ph.D training and (3) structural impact by administrative capacity building. PEGASUS will establish a long-term sustainable structure reaching out beyond its project lifetime. It will enhance student and staff mobility as well as the employability of its post-docs. PEGASUS disseminates its results as best practice to stakeholders and multipliers and is open for students and new partner universities inside and outside the EU.