Crossways Student EMA Representative Election

Here below (in no particular order) you will find the profiles of the candidates:


Alannah Sawatsky

     My name is Alannah Sawatsky and I am Canadian. I did my undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph, Ontario. I majored in European Studies, and during my degree I did an exchange in Lyon, France. I was also strongly involved in student government. I was the Vice President of the College of Arts, and President of the European Studies Society. I sat on both academic and social boards, and was involved in several charities. I am now completing my first year of the Crossways programme. I did my first semester at The University of St. Andrews, and I am now at l’Université de Perpignan. My final semester will be at Università degli studi di Bergamo.

     I am thrilled at this opportunity to become a Crossways student representative. I am very enthusiastic about becoming more involved in this programme, as I am enjoying my time in it so much. I have had the chance to meet such a variety of wonderful people through this programme and I would be honoured with the privilege to represent you. I have great experience with this kind of responsibility, and I think I have a lot to bring to the table. I have strong communication and networking skills and have already had the chance to get to know many of you at my host universities and at the induction days in Lisbon, and also through the Erasmus Mundus Association, and our Facebook group. I look forward to getting to know those of you I have not met and getting to know the rest of you better if given this opportunity. I will do my best to honour and represent your needs, desires, and concerns with integrity to the coordinators of our programme, and I will do my best to contribute creative and constructive solutions. 

I also have some exciting ideas I would love to achieve to help foster ‘Crossways spirit’, and to strengthen our Crossways network. 

     I am an excellent candidate for this position as I am both responsible and experienced, but more importantly, incredibly enthusiastic and interested in representing you and making your Crossways experience the best it can be! Thank you kindly for your consideration.

***

Lamar Natasha Dolcy 

My name is Lamar Natasha Dolcy and I am from the beautiful island of Barbados in the West Indies. My native language is English, but I also speak French and Spanish. In my leisure time I like to read, hike, and go to the beach.

I am a trained Foreign Language teacher who has ten years’ experience in preparing students for Caribbean Examinations Council examinations (CXC) and AQA GCSE examinations in Barbados and Bermuda respectively.

 My mobility track for the Erasmus Mundus Masters Crossways in Cultural Narratives is:

University A - University of Sheffield

University B – Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

University C – Université de Perpignan Via Domitia

My research interests are translation and gender.

I am interested in being your Crossways student representative because I believe that together we can further develop the Crossways programme, thereby making your Crossways in Cultural Narratives journey even better. My empathetic nature means that your concerns matter to me. My attention to detail and organisational skills will be instrumental in coherently presenting your concerns and suggestions to the coordinating team. I will employ my problem-solving skills to create possible solutions for any issues you may face. I stand ready to serve you.

Work history and experience:

September 2008-August 2011 High School Teacher, CedarBridge Academy, Bermuda

September 2001-August 2008 Secondary School Teacher, Queen’s College, Barbados

Skills:

·           I have outstanding organisational skills including highly effective time management skills.

·           I am intrinsically motivated and work well alone or when required as part of a team, employing problem-solving skills to resolve issues.

·           I have exceptional ideas which I am able to take from inception to execution through careful thought, planning and the delegation of responsibility based on individual strengths.

·           I have superior interpersonal and communication skills developed through interacting with colleagues, students, parents and professionals.

·           I am an articulate speaker who is able to hold the attention of her audience by presenting well-researched and organised information clearly and concisely.

Academic and professional qualifications:

Anticipated completion June 2014 Masters in Crossways in Cultural Narratives

2012 Masters in Globalising Education: Policy and Practice, University of Sheffield (England)

2008 Diploma in Education with Specialism in Foreign Languages (Distinction in the Theory and Practice of Education), University of the West Indies and Erdiston Teachers’ Training College (Barbados)

2005 Bachelor of Arts French and Spanish (1^st class honours), University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus, Barbados)

***

 Maryam Elika Ansari

Hi everyone!

I’m Maryam. I graduated from the University of St Andrews last year, majoring in International Relations and Classical Studies.  Now I am doing the Mundus Master in Crossways in Cultural Narratives, my path being Santiago – St Andrews – Perpignan -currently at my home university.

There are a few reasons why I’d like to run for Crossways representative. Being halfway through this degree, I can honestly say there are many things I have really enjoyed so far. Being part of such an international experience is only one of the perks of participating in the Mundus program. However, having shared ideas with people in my pathway, I agree with many that there is room for improvement in some aspects. After all, it is a relatively new program and I believe greater communication between the organizers of Mundus and the student body would be in everyone’s best interest and benefit. By sharing these ideas, I believe we could make the remains of our experience even better in Mundus, and make this degree even more appealing than it is to future students. Vote for me! J

LISBON INDUCTION DAYS 3-4 SEPTEMBER 2012

It was definitely not by chance that the consortium agreed to have the first “Induction Days” of the Erasmus Mundus Master Crossways in Cultural Narratives organized at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH) of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa. At the beginning of September the city is still not too busy and it is exclusive property of the tourists that wander around with their maps and hats to protect themselves from the sun: with their calm gait they give a relaxed rhythm to the Portuguese capital. The sun shines on the river Tagus and on the white calçada, close by beaches are still full and nights are pleasantly warm and encourage social encounters. 

For all these reasons and more Lisbon was chosen as the perfect location to celebrate the passage of the Master from Crossways in European Humanities to Crossways in Cultural Narratives. The list of attendants changed several times, as usually happens before important events, but finally seven of the Universities of the Consortium managed to confirm the presence of at least one representative (Nova de Lisboa, Sheffield, St. Andrews, Poznan, Santiago de Compostela, Perpignan and Guelph) as well as eighteen students of different nationalities. Unfortunately due to visa issues the representative of Guelph and two students had to cancel their trip last minute. 

Day 1 

After the usual running around to adjust the last details the three hosts from the Universidade Nova: Prof Teresa Almeida, Prof Ana Matos and Dr Chiara Dalla Libera were ready to receive all the guests. Students and Professors gathered together on time at the Auditorium 1, where they received their welcome kit and they took their seats. The meeting counted with the presence of the Vice-president of UPVD, the coordinating institution, Professor Dr Jean Benkhelil and of Prof David Hill as external evaluator.

The welcome speech was given by the director of the faculty, Professor Dr João Sàágua, followed by the vice president of the University of Perpignan, Professor Dr Jean Benkhelil. Prof Jonathan Pollock, general coordinator of the masters, took the word and explained the changes the MA underwent since its creation and reminded that all the attendants were there to celebrate the passage from Crossways in European Humanities to Crossways in Cultural Narratives. The main changes concerned the path structure and the possibility of taking an internship during the second semester or in the summer between the first and second year. Prof Pollock added that those changes were the result of self-reflection and discussion between the Professors of the different Universities, thanks to their different backgrounds and academic experiences. He underlined that the improvements made since the foundation of the master, came as a result of the analysis of the feedback given by the students and of the reflections of the meetings held by the consortium during the years, that have always been a great source of input in order to increase the quality of this MA.

The morning meeting continued with the presentation of the institutions of the consortium: Poznan, Bergamo, Perpignan, Lisbon, Santiago de Compostela, Guelph, Sheffield, St. Andrews, Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. On behalf of each faculty a representative described the facilities available, the study programmes and research methods, the courses students could attend, the support offered to the students, the city life style and its attractions and anything else the University and its city could offer.

Students could travel in their minds from one place to the other and start wondering what was waiting for them at the University they had chosen and which kind of great adventures and struggles they could experience on the way. For the other attendants it was a great opportunity to understand how this MA is run at the other Universities, to know the different programme structures, and they could compare different approaches to the academic life and possibilities of research.

The morning meeting was concluded by Dr. Silvia Ceausu and her presentation of the EMA (Erasmus Master Students and Alumni Association): she explained how the EMA can be a great network of support and a great tool for students to clarify doubts, ask for tips and find work and study opportunities.

During the lunch break Professors and students had the chance to continue discussing about the MA and to get to know each other better, but in a more relaxed context. After lunch Professors and students went different ways and resumed work in different rooms to discuss what concerned the respective sides. 

Dr. Silvia Ceausu and Dr. Chiara Dalla Libera (previous Crossways student) met with the students and explained them their personal experiences and gave them suggestions regarding the challenges they will face, the structure and organization of the universities they will attend, some tips about libraries, house searching, travelling… 

The two main topics of dialogue and of concern of the students turned out to be the recognition of the Diploma and the final dissertation (topic, length, evaluation, supervisors). Students also took the opportunity to share their experiences with this MA until that moment, especially in terms of bureaucracy and visa issues, giving an interesting feedback of the whole enrolment process to the organizers. Finally the students had the chance to share their hopes and expectations and described their backgrounds and how their life paths induced them to choose to participate in the Crossways MA.

Professors met in a different room and essentially discussed and clarified aspects of the new programme such as internships, the choice of a foreign language course, decided on selection meeting dates, scholarship grants available, amongst other issues.

The first day is over and it is now time to relax and try some good Portuguese food. After and adventurous trip in the metro and a short journey by boat the group finally crossed the Tagus river and reached the restaurant “Ponto Final”, a lovely restaurant by the river with an amazing view of Lisbon and of the bridge “25th of April”.The delicious food, the good wine, the warm atmosphere and nice talks helped the success of the night and the happiness of the dinner guests.

Day 2 

The programme of the morning meeting of the second day gave space to the students to present themselves to the Professors, to talk about their expectations, reassure their fears and clear their doubts. The five most original written texts by the students were chosen to be read to the audience by their authors: through their words the students pictured their personalities and defined their hopes towards the MA with their fresh and enthusiastic approach, longing to make the most out of the opportunity they were given and excited for the various challenges that were waiting for them. Dr. Chiara Dalla Libera was mediating the speeches and, as previous Crossways students, said some words about her personal experience, describing how the MA could be a transformative experience and she remembered with sweet nostalgia the first funny episodes of her Mundus life. 

Afterwards the Professors also shared with the students their experience dealing with Erasmus Mundus students throughout the years and explained their idea of this MA. Some of the Professors already had some experience welcoming the Mundus students at their Universities, guiding them through the administrative stages during the enrolment period, supporting and challenging their ideas during the writing of the dissertation. 

The last part of the morning meeting was spent with an open discussion between students and professors with the purpose of obtaining feedback on the enrolment process, the quality of the Mundus website (information available, layout, etc.), the structure of the MA, the courses offered and the requirements to access this MA. The debate gave the professors several starting points for a deeper analysis and improvement of the service provided.

During the afternoon the participants, led by Prof Teresa Almeida, Prof Ana Matos, explored the beautiful city that was hosting the event, discovering more about the Portuguese culture and cuisine. The “Induction Days” were over and the following day all the participants had to continue their travel to either a safe flight home or on exciting journey to the first city on their way as Crossways students. 

Chiara Dalla Libera

Human[i]ties Perspective 2011

 by Alex Bunten, EM Euroculture alumnus

On the memorable date of 11.11.11, Human[i]ties Perspective 2011: Impacts of Communication and Global Mobility successfully kicked-off at the University of Hamburg, Germany. 

This year’s event explored four themed sessions on ‘Cultures & Identities’, ‘Communication & Democracy’, ‘Crisis, Risk & Environmental Communication’ and one session focused on the job market. The majority of the 50 participants came from four targeted EM programs - MA Media, Communication & Cultural Studies, MA Journalism & Media within Globalization; MA Euroculture; and MA Crossways in European Humanities – however, the event also attracted students and professionals from wider spheres. Throughout the two days, leading professors, young academics and professionals from fields in communication, media, journalism, cultural studies engaged in stimulating discussion about their research entwined with their personal experiences and fieldwork. 

 Prof. Dr. Michel Clement opened up the event by presenting his recent research on “The Advertising Role of Professional Critics in the Book Industry”, followed by Dr. Kathrin Voss on ‘Communication and Democracy’ with junior speakers contributing to the theme of civic participation. Sara Nofri headed the ‘Cultures & Identities’ session by delving into the issue of cultural differences in the coverage of environmental issues in newspapers. Her talk was complimented by junior speakers who elaborated on the idea of multiculturalism in the UK, cultural clash, and identity. 

The second day began with a series of “Career Talks” from professionals in the field, illustrating the various paths possible from a Humanities degree. Journalism, publishing, and social media were the most popular topics, but the talk about academia by Dr. Roberto Suarez, “Planning an Academic career: managing uncertainty”, touched on a important point for anyone working or studying in the Humanities: “What we are doing is very important, but nobody thinks so. We are underestimated by most of the population. We have to sell our work. We must defend our work.” The last themed session looked into “Crisis, Risk & Environmental Communication” and was led by Shameen Mahmud’s talk on “Crisis & Risk Communication: Paradigms and the Paradoxes of Convergence and Divergence.” Junior speakers followed with presentations on China’s role in the Copenhagen Summit, media coverage of three wars in the Middle East, and sustainable city development. 

After a well-deserved coffee break, the conference came to a close with two panels. The first was a career panel of EMA alumni, exemplifying and discussing what career paths they have taken from their Humanities degree. And the second panel, “EMA Humanities Future Challenges,” tabled the idea that these events should provide the basis for an ‘EMA Humanities Professional Network’, to be developed in conjunction with annual Human[i]ties Perspectives. 

Participants enjoyed social events between the talks, which continued into the night after two days of fruitful discussions. Immersing in the German culture and the beautiful scenery that the City of Hamburg brought to them, all were content in spite of the chilling weather. 

With the words of Dr. Suarez in mind, Humanities Perspective 2011 successfully fought its corner for two days in Hamburg and because of this accomplishment, it already has plans for next year – Human[i]ties Perspective 2012 will be supported by the REALISE IT initiative and hosted by Roskilde University, Denmark. 

Follow Human[i]ties Perspective at: 

http://humanities2011.wordpress.com/

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