Joint Programme Offers Study Opportunities Across Europe

In September, Tallinn University, University of Glasgow, University of Malta and the Open University of Cyprus started a unique common MA programme Adult Education for Social Change (IMAESC). The interdisciplinary programme with combined study methods belongs to the Erasmus Mundus programme. IMAESC stems from the social changes and problems in our society and the wish to create innovative solutions to tackle them using adult education – helping adults learn and adapt to the social changes. The programme deals with actual issues The programme uses methods from adult education, adult training and adult learning, current social issues, intercultural influence and cooperation, professional competitiveness, social inequalities, and the issues and problems concerning migration. The academic units of the participating universities have long-term experience in developing and teaching adult education programmes, including offering professional internship possibilities. In the process of developing and applying the IMAESC programme, various other universities and institutions, private companies and community-based international organisations are consulted with. The first study group has 24 Master’s students from 18 countries. The first semester started with an orientation week in Glasgow. This is a unique aspect of this programme – the student can study in three European universities within two years. The first semester is spent at Glasgow, the second in Malta and the third in Tallinn. For the fourth and final semester, the students can choose the university in which they would like to write their thesis. Between the two study years, the students have the possibility to attend the Sains Malaysia University summer school. Joint effort of partner universities The funding of this programme was applied for from the Erasmus Mundus programme as an international group of universities. Preparing the project took 23 months and was done parallel with creating and developing the study programme – a task simultaneously done by all four universities. Professor of Andragogy Larissa Jõgi and lecturer of adult education Marin Johnson represented Tallinn University in the process. The head of the Academic Affairs Office Helen Joost helped solve any questions concerning the procedure of starting a study programme. The long-term cooperation ended in success – the application received €3,5 Million. This is an acknowledgement of all members of the international group and a unique opportunity to internationalise the lifelong and informal learning area at the Tallinn University School of Educational Sciences. The application process for the new semester is already open. We expect anyone with an interest and will to develop adult education in an international context. Additional information: Larissa Jõgi, coordinator of academic aspects of IMAESC at Tallinn University, larj@tlu.ee Liis Raudsepp, coordinator of administrative issues of IMAESC at Tallinn University, liis.raudsepp@tlu.ee Text by Larissa Jõgi and Liis Raudsepp