European Masters Pilot in Switzerland
On 13 July 2004 staff from the Pedagogical Section, the
Institut fuer Praxisforschung (IPF) and the
University of Plymouth met in Dornach to approve a Pilot Project of the European Masters Programme of Switzerland (EMPS).
It was agreed that the pilot programme would begin in September 2004, with a cohort of 12 students from Switzerland.
This initiative marks a major development arising out of the work of the EU-funded Comenius Project to design and approve a flexible, practice-based,
European Masters Programme in Waldorf pedagogy.
During the winter of 2003-04 a period of intense collaboration, research and planning began between staff at IPF and the University of Plymouth (the lead partner in the Comenius Project). Under the auspices of the project a series of meetings were held in Switzerland and the UK. The collaborative activity culminated in the approval event, held at the
Goetheanum in July.
In the Swiss pilot, IPF is working as an accredited partner of the University of Plymouth. John Burnett (
john.burnett@plymouth.ac.uk) is Director of Studies for the EMPS. The principal language of teaching, study and assessment is German. A representative 25% sample of submitted assignments is translated into English for purpose of quality assurance. Staff from the University in England has been supporting IPF staff in areas of training and moderation. Professor Hans-Fred Rathenow (Technische Universitaet, Berlin) is the external examiner and moderator to the Swiss pilot of EMPS.
We have experienced this cooperation as a very strong
bridge-building process between the University of Plymouth and the Campus Solothurn in Switzerland. We were able to welcome experienced representatives from Exmouth like Dr. Gordon Taylor (Vice Dean of the Faculty), Dr. Chris Lee (Programme leader of the IMP) and Dr. David Parker as well as John Burnett and Trevor Mepham. They in return took back impressions from the Swiss culture and research initiatives in Switzerland. The language was no obstacle at all, everything being done in a bi-lingual teaching method as there was a strong mutual trust and confidence in each other.
The Swiss (Urs Hauenstein, Laura Stockli-Rains, Thomas Stockli) also visited the University of Plymouth to participate in the tutor training as well as developing the cooperation structure and took back very strong and positive impressions about the way the studies are being developed in the IMP/Integrated Master project. There is also a pupil exchange programme in sight so that not only adults can experience the campus bridge but also young people learning our neighbours' language.
In developing this project we can strengthen the already existing network with other universities like
Berlin and also the institutes involved in the European Comenius project (
Germany,
Sweden,
Hungary, the
Netherlands and the
UK)
We feel that this way of bringing small groups of students together in a transnational project brings the intentions and ideas of the Bologna declaration down to earth- step by step.
Thomas Stoeckli (
www.ipf-ipr.net), Swiss Coordinator of the European Masters Project in Switzerland
John Burnett (
jburnett@plymouth.ac.uk) is Director of Studies for the EMPS.
