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Urban Studies UNICA Master Program Heinz Fassmann Institute for Geography and Regional Research

Urban Studies UNICA Master Program Heinz Fassmann Institute for Geography and Regional Research University of Vienna. What are Urban Studies? All scientific issues addressing the urban space and society can be summarized as Urban Studies;

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Urban Studies UNICA Master Program Heinz Fassmann Institute for Geography and Regional Research

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  1. Urban Studies UNICA Master Program Heinz Fassmann Institute for Geography and Regional Research University of Vienna

  2. What are Urban Studies? • All scientific issues addressing the urban space and society can be summarized as Urban Studies; • It is a broad and vague term but a very relevant and multidisciplinary (sub)disciplin of Geography, Sociology, Antropology, Architecture; • Urban Studies include research on the physical structure of a city, the population, the urban culture and society, the economic development and the governance structure (including urban planning).

  3. What our aims? • We want to qualify students in the field of Urban Studies (occupational perspective: urban planners, specialized architects, councellors, researchers, communication and media etc); • We see the necessity to break up the national perspective and to add the European perspective (urban issues are more and more international ones); • We want to bring the most qualified scientist together to “exploit” their specific capabilities and competence and to achieve a real European standard in education.

  4. What is our proposal? • 1. Integrated structure of the programme • The programme is based on a strong sequential integration of the modules offered by the four participating universities. • Students go through the curriculum in the proposed time order. The sequential integration of the curriculum is the backbone of this programme and an essential quality of this Master. • The linked trajectory makes the proposed Master programme different from others which have a not so strong integrated learning-pathes.

  5. 2. Duration of the programme • It is agreed to make it a two year master programme; • First academic year: • Brussels Bloc (VUB + ULB): end of August until end of February; Content: Socio-spatial structures and dynamics in European cities; introduction Urban Sociology; Field trips: Amsterdam, Paris, Lille. • Vienna Bloc: beginning of march until end of june; Content: Demography of European cities; Introduction into urban planning; Field trips: Budapest, Bratislava

  6. Second academic year: • Copenhagen Bloc: beginning september until end of december; Content: Urbanism and Architecture; Field trips: Stockholm, Hamburg, Berlin • Field trip to Madrid and/or Zagreb: january/february/march • Thesis time: April until August; Thesis defence: September in Bussels

  7. 3. ECTS and recruitment • The programme has a total of 120 ECTS of which • 40 ECTS Brussels Bloc (20 VUB and 20 ULB) • 20 ECTS Copenhagen Bloc • 20 ECTS Vienna Bloc • 10 ECTS Zagreb/Madrid • 30 ECTS Thesis • The programme accepts around 30 students • 7-8 from each university; • vacant position came on the “market”

  8. 4. Logistics and institutional support • General: each university discusses this initiative at the level of rectorates (central administration) to ensure that there is an institutional involvement and that enough means are provided • Housing: each University should be able to ensure sufficient housing during the stay of the students. • Staff: each University should allocate (supplementary) staff to support this programme: teaching + assistant hours, tutor-time, administrative support, subvention of field trips • Application: a common procedure will be worked out. • Advertisment: website; flyers; book project with a collection of articles and essays

  9. 5. Further steps • General (to do by the group): • the group will finalize the curriculum of the Joint European Master (with the help of additonal EU-funding); • Organization of a kick off scientific seminar in Copenhagen (19th-21st of May 2005) • In detail (to do by our universities): • the Rectorate negotiate with the proposing group about the allocation of the necessary ressources; • four universities accredit their part in the programme (or all?) through the domestic procedures; • universities sign up bilateral agreements for student exchange (ERASMUS) and a contract for a joint degree;

  10. Conclusion • The programme has a strong focus, based on the strengths of the partners both in terms of academic experience and in terms of location. • The programme integrates highly accepted universities with scientific excellence in attractive metropoles in Europe. • The programme of a joint master degree based on a jointly developed curriculum and a jointly controlled standards. This significantly more than others exchange programmes or joint programmes do!

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