Welcome

This blog was created as part of the Erasmus Mundus Crossways in Cultural Narratives Masters programme, which is the only one of the EU approved and funded Erasmus Mundus Masters programmes to specialise in traditional humanities with a modern languages background. The Crossways Consortium comprises 6 top-class European universities.

For further information, please check the programme's official website and the universities' websites on the Useful Links section on the left. If you wish to have a specific question answered, please click on Email here and submit your query.

Mundus students, here you will find regular posts regarding the universities of the consortium, tips, activities, events, pictures, etc. Apart from checking it regularly to keep yourself up to date, a good way to use the blog is through the search device. We already have a significant amount of information on some universities of the consortium, so if you want to find information on a specific city, type its name in the search field (top left). You will then see all posts related to that specific city (because each post title contains the city's name in it). You can also type "General" in order to find information concerning everybody.

Sunday 5 July 2009

International Meeting: Heterological Systems

Coletivo dos sistemas heterológicos

Caso 28 : Práticas do acaso

Encontro Internacional, 3 a 5 de março de 2010

Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil

O saber do médico e do estrategista difere, por sua natureza, da sapiência do filósofo. No primeiro caso, não se trata de uma ciência do Ser (das Essências imutáveis, das Idéias eternas, das Formas definitivas); trata-se de um saber da duração e das articulações do tempo. As batalhas e as doenças pertencem à categoria do evento : a dimensão temporal lhes é consubstancial. Longe de banhar-se em um tempo homogêneo e plano, cada evento possui sua duração própria, um tempo de velocidade variável cujos momentos não têm nem o mesmo valor nem a mesma intensidade :

Há pontos críticos do evento assim como há pontos críticos de temperatura, pontos de fusão, de congelamento; de ebulição, de condensação; de coagulação; de cristalização. E há até mesmo no evento estados de liquefação abaixo da temperatura de fusão que só se precipitam, só se cristalizam, só se determinam pela introdução de um fragmento do evento futuro. (Charles Péguy, Clio)

A intervenção oportuna do médico é da mesma ordem : seu gesto é determinante para o curso ulterior da doença. Ele deve espreitar as turbulências, as variações, bifurcações e pontos de ruptura qui turvam a mais lisa das durações, pois agindo precisamente nesses momentos de indeterminação, chegará a impor uma direção decisiva à patologia em curso. Desde que se interfira no momento oportuno, basta um pequeno toque, um leve desvio para dar um outro rumo à sequência de eventos.

Como o médico, os poetas e artistas sempre se mostraram atentos às articulações internas do evento. Ovídio oferece várias exemplos : iludida por uma maçã de ouro, a virgem Atalanta declinat cursus, inclina-se e colhe o objeto de sua inclinação, dando assim a Hipomeno ocasião de ganhar tanto a corrida quanto a jovem. Assim se articulam os saberes do kairos et do clinamen, do ponto crítico e da declinação. Há momentos em uma corrida (ou em um discurso, em um curso d’água, no curso dos dias, no decurso de uma batalha, nas cotações dos mercados financeiros...) em que a mais ínfima inflexão pode dar aos eventos um rumo totalmente diferente e uma outra versão. Dito de outro modo : há um saber do clinamen e esse saber não é somente teórico, mas prático.

O objetivo desse encontro será portanto não apenas o de discutir como os artistas dão a sentir esses pontos de indeterminação temporal, mas igualmente o de mostrar como, nas práticas artísticas, os recursos dessa indeterminação são por eles explorados. E talvez também o de produzir gestos kairóticos sobre o cursus do que estamos em vias de nos tornar no século XXI. Praticando o acaso haja o que houver, esperamos aumentar nossas chances de pegar os kairoi pelos cabelos.

Fronte capillata, post est occasio calva.

Programa Erasmus Mundus Crossways in European Humanities/Universidade Federal Fluminense. Organização : Maria Cristina Franco Ferraz (mcfferraz@hotmail.com), Jonathan Pollock (pollock@univ-perp.fr). Data limite das propostas : 30 de junho de 2009.


Collectif des systèmes hétérologiques

Cas n° 28 : Pratiques du hasard/Práticas do acaso

Rencontre internationale, 3-5 mars 2010

Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil

Le savoir du médecin et du stratège est d’une autre nature que la sapience du philosophe. La leur n’est pas une science de l’Être (des Essences immuables, des Idées éternelles, des Formes définitives), mais un savoir de la durée et des articulations du temps. Les batailles et les maladies relèvent de la catégorie de l’événement : la dimension temporelle leur est consubstantielle. Loin de baigner dans un temps homogène et plat, chaque événement possède sa durée propre, un temps à vitesse variable, et dont les moments n’ont pas tous la même valeur ni la même intensité :

Il y a des points critiques de l’événement comme il y a des points critiques de température, des points de fusion, de congélation ; d’ébullition, de condensation ; de coagulation ; de cristallisation. Et même il y a dans l’événement de ces états de surfusion qui ne se précipitent, qui ne se cristallisent, qui ne se déterminent que par l’introduction d’un fragment de l’événement futur. (Charles Péguy, Clio)

L’intervention opportune du médecin est de cet ordre-là : son geste est déterminant pour le cours ultérieur de la maladie. Il doit guetter les turbulences, les remous, les bifurcations et points de rupture qui troublent la durée la plus lisse, car en agissant précisément à ces moments d’indétermination, il arrivera à imposer une direction décisive à la pathologie en cours. Pourvu qu’on intervienne au bon moment, il suffit d’un petit coup de pouce, d’une légère déviation pour donner à la suite des événements une autre tournure.

À l’instar du médecin, les poètes et les artistes se sont toujours montrés attentifs aux articulations internes de l’événement. Ovide foisonne d’exemples : leurrée par une pomme d’or, la vierge Atalante declinat cursus, s’incline et ramasse l’objet de son inclination, donnant ainsi à Hippomène l’occasion de gagner et la course et la fille. Ainsi s’articulent les savoirs du kairos et du clinamen, du point critique et de la déclinaison. Il y a des moments dans une course (ou dans un discours, ou dans un cours d’eau, ou dans le cours du jour, ou dans le cours d’une bataille, ou dans le cours des marchés financiers…) où la plus infime inflexion peut donner une toute autre tournure aux événements — une toute autre tournure, et une toute autre version. Autrement dit, il existe un savoir du clinamen, et ce savoir n’est pas seulement théorique, mais pratique. L’objet de cette rencontre sera donc non seulement d’explorer comment les artistes donnent à sentir ces points d’indétermination temporelle, mais de montrer également comment ils en exploitent les ressources dans leur pratique même. Et peut-être aussi de produire des gestes kairotiques sur le cursus de ce que nous sommes en train de devenir au 21e siècle. En pratiquant le hasard à tout hasard, on espère augmenter nos chances de saisir les kairoi par les cheveux.

Fronte capillata, post est occasio calva.

Programme Erasmus Mundus Crossways in European Humanities/Université Fédérale Fluminense. Organisation : Maria Cristina Franco Ferraz (mcfferraz@hotmail.com), Jonathan Pollock (pollock@univ-perp.fr). Date limite des propositions 30 juin 2009.

General: 14th EMA Newsletter


14th EMA Newsletter

Dear EMA members,

the annual EMA General Assembly took place in Vilnius. Besides electing the new president (Chunyu Liang, MESPOM), re-electing the vice-president (Ricardo Chavez, EMMS) and having active discussions on the EMA Statute Amendments, the delegates also had a chance to talk to the representatives of the European Commission, experience the European Cultural Capital 2009 during a walk around the city with local students and arrange new EMA Service Teams. We hope that the new faces also would bring new ideas and the Course Representatives will stay an active link between the EMA, the European Commission and the Master Courses.

IMESS is featuring in this 14th EMA newsletter, and vacation trips or final exams are probably featuring in your life. We hope that you enjoy the summer days!

EMA

EMA General Assembly in Vilnius
Vilnius University, the oldest university in Lithuania, hosted the EMA General Assembly, which took place in Vilnius - European Cultural Capital 2009, on the 5-6.06.2009. [more]

EMA Network in Brazil participates in Universities Forum
Latin American EMA Chapter presented at the 21st annual meeting of Faubai [Forum das Assessorias das Universidades Brasileiras para Assuntos Internacionais; Forum for Brazilian Universities’ Officers for International Matters] in Manaus on 12-15 May 2009. [more]

Reminder: Field Reporter Initiative
The Internal Communication Team of EMA is proud to launch the FIELD REPORTING PROJECT. [more]

CIS & Mongolia Regional Chapter EMA Launched!
The CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and Mongolia Regional Chapter EMA has been launched on the 4th of June in Vilnius, just before the start of the General Assembly! The CIS & Mongolia Regional Chapter EMA has the aim of enhancing the communication and cooperation between the current students and alumni from the region, as well as exchange the experiences and ideas with the external parties. It also promotes the Erasmus Mundus program and EMA. [more]

Erasmus Mundus Programme

Event Report: EMQAL Cultural Night
Muhammad Saif Ur Rehman reports on the course event: EMQAL Cultural Night - Joining Hands and Creating Memories. [more]

Event Report: Successful Networking at the University of Aveiro, Portugal
On May 30th, 2009, the Inaugural Networking and Publicity Event for Erasmus Mundus Programmes took place at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Read about the successful get-together of students enrolled in different EMA programmes at Aveiro, as well as visiting students in the event report by Almudena Garcia I Sastre, Organising Committee, and Goh ZhiQian Dave, Advisory Committee. [more]

EU Blue Card
The EU confirms the plan to adopt work permit called "Blue Card" aimed at attracting highly skilled foreigners. [more]

Share experiences with Mobi-Blog!
A new blog service enables mobile students in Europe to share their experiences and tell their stories, providing interesting information for all those in similar situations. [more]

International Education Events

Summer Academy ”Freedom and Responsibility in the Media“ for young journalists
The International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) of InWEnt – Capacity Building International, Germany, announces its Summer Academy "Freedom and Responsibility in the Media" for young journalists in Hamburg, Germany from July 26 to August 21, 2009. [more]

Seeing Through the Eyes of Others: European Week Eindhoven 25-29 May 2009
European identity and the EU expansion are controversial issues. Yet, when discussed together with over 300 students from around the world, you can get closer to resolving the puzzle, as Field Reporter Ksenia Ashrafullina explored...[more]

ESNSurvey 2009: Information for Exchange is online!
This edition aims to find out what information the exchange and international students need, what information they are provided, by whom and in which quality – especially concerning academic matters, housing and extracurricular activities. We hope that with the results, ESN will contribute to the improvement of availability, quality and access to information for international students. [more]

Research on Bologna process: students' perspective
EMA member participates in giving feedback on implementation of Bologna Process in Denmark. [more]

One Issue One Programme

IMESS
International Masters in Economy, State and Society (IMESS) is featuring in the present One issue - One programme section. [more]


EMA General Assembly Feedback

Dear all,

I hope to find most of you relieved now that the main deadline for the Dissertation Report and the final Dissertation has passed. To the rest of you, I wish you luck!

As some of you know, I attended a meeting as Course Representative in Lithuania 2 weeks ago. Some of the issues concern us all as Mundus students so I’m sending you a PDF document with all the relevant information gathered on that meeting. If you have any questions, you can email me directly.

Also, I’d like to inform you that last week I was present in a meeting with the consortium coordinators where the future of our programme was discussed. I suggested some changes according to what was discussed in our General Meeting last November. At the moment I cannot tell you for sure if and what is going to change but I’m sure either Cheryl or Prof. Girard will inform you in due time. If I hear of anything certain I will let you know.

Finally, I’d like to tell you that a new Crossways website is to be launched soon, with a different layout so check it out.

I wish you all a great summer.

Cheers,

Ana Sofia Guerreiro

---


General Assembly of Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association


1. What is EMA?


The Erasmus Mundus Student and Alumni Association

Services Provided:

Newsletter; Field Reporter; Website; New EMA statute; Magazine; Share Point

(software); Live Meeting (online meeting; desktop share)

EMA progress 2008/09:

* Online voting for EMMC Representatives, President and Vice-President

* Reaching out to members: Website content improved

* Steering Committee Meetings, Liaison Group Meetings

* IFISO: Informal Forum of international students’ organisations

* Continued and extended support from the European Commission

* Launching Erasmus Mundus II:

* Input

* Tuition fee (institutions have to demonstrate how it was calculated)

* Fixed amount for student expenses

* Quality Assurance of Erasmus Programmes

* Erasmus Mundus II selection board

2. Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 09

Why Vilnius?

Vilnius was nominated along with Linz

Ancient role as a cosmopolitan city

To promote historic cultural links

To strengthen Lithuanian identity and knowledge of ecumenical commonwealth

history

To increase positive long term effects

Vilnius used to be a twilight zone, now more visible

The goals:

Celebrate – special events (eg: opening event; Street music day)

Discuss – conferences and conventions

Create – European Art Programme

Remember – Living History Programme (drama, handicraft, architecture, literature,

1984 survival time: 2 hours of survival in a bank during the soviet times)

Communicate – culture (re)discovery programme

Enjoy – People programme (eg. Children’s creativity festival; fashion weekend; Haiku

for Vilnius)

Nearly 90 projects (600 events), most of which are free.

www.vilnius2009.lt

3. Graduate Impact Survey

General Information:

* Long-term study: 2007 – 2009

* Performed by ICUnet

* Online survey among all Erasmus Mundus

* Participants from 113 countries

The Impact of the Erasmus Mundus Programme:

- What does it influence the most?

44.6% Attitude towards Europe

42.5% Career

40.2% Subject related expertise

On Personality and Career increase after graduation

o Especially intercultural competence

On Private life: decreases after graduation

- How long does it take to get a job?

1) Less than a month

2) 2-4 months

3) + 4 months

4) 1-2 months

- 24.5% of the graduates have found a partner during the Erasmus Mundus Master

Course

Detailed report from July in www.em-a.eu


4. Erasmus Mundus Phase 2

General Information:

* Between 2009-2013

* Erasmus Mundus I + EM External Cooperation Windows

Erasmus Mundus I

140 students (2004) 􏰂1957 students (2008)

55% Asia; 16% South America; 14% Africa; 9% Europe; 5% North America;

1% Australia

Top Countries: 1) India; 2) China; 3) Brazil; 4) Ethiopia; 5) Russia

Erasmus Mundus II: Programmes that…

* Satisfy the identified needs

* Have an impact on national legislation (e.g.: joint degrees)

* Impact on attractiveness of EU Higher Education

* Satisfy the need for better balance between non-EU and EU students

* Satisfy the need for extending the programme to the Doctoral Level

New Characteristics:

* Integration of External Windows

* Provide Joint Doctoral Programmes

* Provide full-study scholarships for Europeans

* More third country HEI’s

* Reinforcement of the role of other socio-economic roles

From 2010…

Action 1: Joint Programmes (include scholarships)

Action 2: Partnerships

o Between HEI in EU and third countries/regions

o 3rd countries covered by external co-operation instruments

o Definition of priorities according to needs

o Scholarships of varying lengths (3 months to 3 years)

Action 3: Promotion of European Higher Education

o Promotion Projects (employability, sustainability)

o Information Grants for Erasmus Mundus national structures

o EMA

o Studies: Quality Assurance Initiative

Budget: € 493 millions for Actions 1 + 3

€ 460 millions for Action 2

Joint Doctoral Programmes in 2010

140 Applications 􏰂 10 will be selected (results published in the summer)

Expected Outputs (2009-2013):

150 EM Master Course

35 EM Joint Doctorates

3500 EU Master Students

330 EU Doctoral Students

5300 Third country – Masters level

450 Third country – Doctoral level

The EMMC (Erasmus Mundus Masters Course) period will not be taken into account for scholarships applications when applying for a PhD.

Useful Links:

* ec.europa.eu/erasmusmundus

* eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/index_en.php

* www.study-in-europe.org


5. Changes to the EMA statute


The following changes to the EMA statute were voted:

* Addition of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral Programme to the association;

* Collective Membership to organizations demonstrating an affiliation with EMA;

* Minutes of the meeting available within 6 weeks;

* Elections for the Vice-President - procedure;

* Voting rights for Chapter Representatives;

* Voting rights for Observers of the GA;

* Candidates running for Presidency and Vice-Presidency simultaneously;

* Observers in the GA active participation in Service Teams;

* Mechanisms for the Course Representative elections provided by the

Association;

* Formation and recognition of regional chapters.

If you require any additional information, you can ask me directly for the entire statute.

6. Chapters and Service Teams


Chapters

* An integral part of the internal EMA structure, representing the EMA in

their geographical area;

* Dedicated to support the implementation of the EMA mission within that

region – improve networking and promote Erasmus Mundus as a

European Programme of excellence

* Chapters Functions: Information Sharing and events; Promotion and

Marketing; Job Placement and Professional Development; Political

Representation; Cultural, academic and professional cooperation.

* Current Chapters: Africa, China, Commonwealth of Independent States

and Mongolia, India, Latin America.

* Chapters in construction: Europe, North America, Pacific Region, South

East Asia.

* Country Representatives: Promote the Erasmus Mundus within their

country.

Service Teams:

* Provide specific services within the EMA to EMA members

* Newsletter; Magazine; Jobs; Conferences; IT; Policy.


7. Elections


President Candidates:

Peter Bentley:

* Focus on overcoming basic barriers such as level of education or accommodation

* Academic quality; communication

* Career prospects

Jenny Lenhart:

* Focus on a more direct involvement from EMA

* Regional Chapters

* More help to new students and alumni

* More memberships

Chunyu Liang:

* Construction of a community

* Networking; enhance the success of the community

* Academic/professional networking

* Thematic conferences

* Support EMMC association

* Self-dependent community

Elected Candidate – Chunyu Liang

Vice-President Candidates:

Ricardo Chavez:

* Focus on supporting the further development of chapters

* Creating an archive

* Interaction between the chapters and the European Commission

* Focus on the students and alumni association

* Establishment of forums

* Promote the association of students in courses that don’t have one

Salman M. Khan:

* Introduction of new regional chapters

* More coordination between EMA and the EC (jobs and conferences)

* Quality Assurance between the Steering Committee and the European

Committee

* Assistance with Accommodation

Jorge Marcano:

* Regional Chapter

* Promotion through youtube, 4 yearly numbers of Emanate (the magazine)

* EMA support to previous, current, and former EM students

Adedeji Ogunlaja:

* Promote EM as an excellence programme

* Social Networking with alumni and students

* Improvement of welfare packages

* Career advice

Elected Candidate: Ricardo Chávez



8. Panel Discussion

* E-voting/Elections

* Improvements to the GA

* Role of EMMC Representatives

* More room for input

* Improvements to EMA

* Budget

* Transparency

* Anything to add to next year’s agenda?