Archive for the ‘Study Session’ Category

“We have to be the change that we want to see in the world.”

This statement has been found in one of the participants’ evaluations and confirms in a simple but stunning way, what the JECI-MIEC Study Session held in Cologne, Germany from the 17^th to 22th of July was aiming at.

Under the heading “Bridging our World: Going beyond Borders” this great event addressed 40 young student trainers of our JECI-MIEC member movements from all over Europe to encounter a forum where issues of globalization, coexistence and forms of social conflict rising from cultural diversity were discussed.

At this Study Session students from 11 European countries were present, namely Malta, France, UK, Germany, Moldova, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Spain and Italy. Although our call for participants addressed members of our member movements in the first place, participation also open for non-member movements. Moreover participants and facilitators from outside of Europe were accepted to provide the opportunity to realise intercultural learning by experiencing the realities of different movements all over the world and to offer a platform for fruitful dialogue.

Therefore, intercultural learning was the Study Session’s main topic. Starting from the students’ need for intercultural experiences and competences, the Study Session first of all offered informal possibilities of intercultural learning: Everyone had the chance to experience cultural diversity simply by personal exchange among each other. This resulted in the estimation of the overall atmosphere as “amazing” and “like a family”.

To implement the topics addressed our Study Session was divided into 15 thematic sessions. Its overall concept was a participant-based approach: This enabled our student trainers to take responsibility of single sessions, groups or activities. Taking this concept into account, concrete methodologies were chosen by the different facilitators in alliance with the topics and participants’ needs. The entire activity was process-oriented, so that the program was not fixed, but the participants’ learning process decisively influenced its development. A diversity of methodologies and means of visualization reflected their diversity.

The highlights of the Study Session were without doubt an Intercultural evening and a Creative Art Workshop with overwhelming results. During the entire Study Session also two participant-commissions worked on the documentation of the results and on drafting a final statement to be published.

Everyone regarded our Study Session to be relevant for the individual students and for the society and estimated the objectives to be reached throughout the activity. It was regarded as a means to lose stereotypes and prejudices hand in hand with the acceptance of different backgrounds, perspectives and individuals, which makes dialogue and communication fruitful. As a consequence, most of the participants expressed their will to have such kind of activity again in future, because it is an extraordinary opportunity to have exchange and to share experience with so many student trainers from different backgrounds. The participants furthermore expressed their will to have closer exchange with each other and each other’s national movements in future. This would be the best means to strengthen the collaboration among our member movements and to develop strong networks outside such joint activities.

The Study Session “Bridging Our World: Going Beyond Borders” is taking place from 17-22 July 2011 in Cologne, Germany.

The Study Session is designed for members of the movements. This means that participants in the meeting should be actively involved in projects at national/local level or to be members of the national/local board of the movement.

Meeting is aiming:

The aim of this project is to provide a forum for young people to share experiences about intercultural dialogue, to minimize unnecessary conflicts and discover creative ways of living in a multicultural environment.

while its objectives are:

1. To affirm the individual participants in their identity as young people and as agents of peace-building through dialogue.
2.  To understand the difference between living alongside someone and constructive coexistence.
3.  To design strategies for the prevention of social conflicts arising from cultural differences.
4.  To mobilise our student youth networks for social cohesion and empower students to act as multipliers in their own milieu.
5.  To get in touch with the reality of the hosting country, concerning the issue of the multicultural environment (nations living together).
6.  To empower students to develop different actions and projects that once they have returned to their organisation they could put into practice (either in partnership with other JECI-MIEC movements or any other organisations).

We have a pleasure to invite you to the Study Session “Bridging Our World: Going Beyond Borders”, which is taking place from 17-22 July 2011 in Cologne, Germany.

The Study Session is designed for members of the movements. This means that participants in the meeting should be actively involved in projects at national/local level or to be members of the national/local board of the movement.

In order to apply for this activity, you have to fill-in the application form (you can find it together with this document or download from our website at www.jeci-miec.eu or attached to this e-mail) and sent it by e-mail office@jeci-miec.eu. The deadline for receiving the applications is the 12^th June 2011 The extended deadline to receive the applications is the 26^th June 2011. In any case we already now are asking you to reserve the travel tickets and to buy then ONLY as your participation will be confirmed.

We would like to invite potential participants to take into account that immediately after the Study Session, IMCS-Pax Romana is organising it’s 90th anniversary also in Cologne, Germany and this would be a good opportunity to join also for the celebration during 22-24 July 2011.

After receiving the applications we will inform your movement of the participants confirmed and we will send them the “Participants File”.

This meeting is possible thanks to the financial aid from the European Youth Foundation.

For any further information, please contact the European Secretariat by e-mail: office@jeci-miec.eu

We hope to have a lot of participants – especially from movements that are not so often present in the activities.

———————-

We have a pleasure to invite you to the Study Session “Bridging Our World: Going Beyond Borders”, which is taking place from 17-22 July 2011 in Cologne, Germany.

The Study Session is designed for members of the movements. This means that participants in the meeting should be actively involved in projects at national/local level or to be members of the national/local board of the movement.

In order to apply for this activity, you have to fill-in the application form (you can find it together with this document or download from our website at www.jeci-miec.eu or attached to this e-mail) and sent it by e-mail office@jeci-miec.eu. The deadline for receiving the applications is the 12^th June 2011. In any case we already now are asking you to reserve the travel tickets and to buy then ONLY as your participation will be confirmed.

We would like to invite potential participants to take into account that immediately after the Study Session, IMCS-Pax Romana is organising it’s 90th anniversary also in Cologne, Germany and this would be a good opportunity to join also for the celebration during 22-24 July 2011.

After receiving the applications we will inform your movement of the participants confirmed and we will send them the “Participants File”.

This meeting is possible thanks to the financial aid from the European Youth Foundation.

For any further information, please contact the European Secretariat by e-mail: office@jeci-miec.eu

We hope to have a lot of participants – especially from movements that are not so often present in the activities.

———————-

Dear friends,

on the European Committee 2010 (16.-19. September) in Vilnius, Lithuania, the following major decisions were taken:

1) an office will be opened for JECI-MIEC as off 1.1.2012 with a full-time European Coordinator in Brussels, collaborating with 2-3 movements (the Administration Board) and a European Chaplain. All 4-5 of them form the European Team.

2) members of the European Team 2011:
– Administration Board: EKNE Greece, KSJ Germany
– European Coordinator: Mihai Floran (Astru Romania)

3) activities 2011:
a) 9.-13. March, Kaunas, Lithuania: Colloquium / Theological Session
b) 17.-24. July, Cologne, Germany: joint activity with the IMCS World Assembly
c) 12.-18. September, Corfu, Greece: European Committee
d) November/December, Strasbourg, France: Study Session with the Council of Europe

4) update of the statutes (to be finalized this year)

In case you have any questions, please feel free to contact office@jeci-miec.eu. The minutes will be sent to all the movements once they are finalized.

Kind greetings,

Anne-Marie Werner
(For the outgoing European Team)

„Learning to live in MY Y/OURrope”

European Coordination of International Young Catholic Students – International Movement of Catholic Students (JECI-MIEC)

18-25 of July 2010, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

We, 40 students from 11 countries[1], met in Cluj-Napoca, Romania for the Summerweek 2010 with the theme „Learning to live in MY/OURrope”, organised by JECI-MIEC European Coordination and hosted by ASTRU Cluj, Romania.

The main aim of the meeting was to raise awareness and to promote intercultural dialogue among students through integral education.

Acknowledging the upcoming International Year of Youth with the theme of „Dialogue and Mutual Understanding” that will start on 12 August 2010 until 11 August 2011:

• We learned the importance of tolerance, respect and brotherhood/sisterhood regarding cultural diversity in order to respond to racism, intolerance, discrimination and other Human Rights violations.
• We figured out what it means to be a young person in Europe today.  We are people with various origins, traditions, cultures and beliefs.  We are different, unique and a colourful composition of textures.  Together we create a beautiful coloured glass window of who we are.  This plurality is what characterises us as a sign of unity, cohabitation and a living dialogue. 
• We are aware that there is still a lot of work to be done to reach the Europe we hope for. Today in our continent xenophobia, intolerance, sexism, apathy, prejudice, stubbornness and other phobias still exist.  We, as young people, are working to overcome this.

The Europe we strive for is not only based on economical interest, consumerism and individualism, but on humanity, freedom, liberty, the dignity of people and genuine interest for each other. 

We alone cannot achieve this Europe we hope for.  In order to build MY Y/OURope, we therefore:

• Call upon all people of good-will to be courageous in our common struggle and hard work for justice. Because it’s worthy.
• We challenge our fellow youth in Europe not to be passive actors but to be part of the solution with an open mind.
• We acknowledge the potential of dialogue as a process for respectful understanding (and reconciliation); we therefore request the Church to establish and promote dialogue but not only at the clerical level, but also by the everyday faithful.
• We call upon people of faith and no faith, not to be judgmental, but to be patient listeners and to stand up for what they believe in.
• We call upon governments in Europe to put their trust in young people by investing in our efforts and potential to create a new Europe, based on liberty and solidarity.
• We call upon all forms of media to be fair, balanced, objective and less sensational.

    Above all, we commit ourselves to honestly live out the values and virtues using the practical tools of inter-cultural dialogue so that we will not act based on misconceptions, prejudices and stereotypes.

    With our methodology of See-Judge-Act (Review of Life) we are not naïve to say that we are already perfect but we have the strong desire and willingness to change and follow what we believe in as Christian students in Europe.

[1]  The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Ukraine

We have a pleasure to invite you to the Summerweek “Learning to live in MY Y/OURope”, which is taking place from 18th till 25th July 2010 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The Summerweek is designed for members of the movements. This means that participants in the meeting should be actively involved in projects at national/local level or to be members of the national/local board of the movement.

In order to apply for this activity, you have to fill-in the application form (you can find it together with this document or download from our website at www.jeci-miec.eu or attached to this e-mail) and sent it by e-mail office@jeci-miec.eu. The deadline for receiving the applications is the 10th June 2010. In any case we already now are asking you to reserve the travel tickets and to buy then ONLY as your participation will be confirmed.

After receiving the applications we will inform your movement of the participants confirmed and we will send them the “Participants File”.

Please find attached the draft timetable of the meeting.

The training Team will be composed by: Mihai Floran (European Coordinator), Anne-Marie Werner (ET), Chris Malano (IMCS-Pax Romana) and Fani Freri (EKNE Greece).

Please remember that in any case financial matters should not be a reason for non-participation. Please let us know if any problem and we will find common solution.

For any further information, please contact the European Secretariat by phone or by e-mail: office@jeci-miec.eu

We hope to have a lot of participants – especially from movements that are not so often present in the activities.

Attached files:

+ Summerweek2010-CallforParticipants – Extended
+ Summerweek2010-ParticipantForm – Extended
+ Summerweek2010-Timetable 

It is our great pleasure to invite you all, the National Movements for the Summerweek 2010 “Learning to live in MY Y/OURope”, which is taking place from 18th till 25th July 2010 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Due to short applications in the first deadline, we extend this for a second term.

The deadline to send application form is 15th May 2010. The application form, filled in by the candidate, should be send only by e-mail to office@jeci-miec.eu. Any application send by other means will not be taken into consideration.

After the selection of animators, it will be a common task of the Animators team which we expect to be composed of 4 persons (2 from the European Team and 2 from the National Movements) to develop the subject of the activity further, to find ideas to involve the local reality in this regard and to design the concrete program and timetable.

We would like to inform you as well that the Preparatory meeting will be most likely held in the venue in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in June 2010.

Please find attached the call for animators, the animator file and the Application Forms for the candidates.

I hope that it will not take long for you to find a candidate among your members. I would like to stress once more that it is a good opportunity to work in a multicultural team and to gain the experience for your future.

Attached files:

+ Summerweek2010-AnimatorsCall-Extended deadline
+ Summerweek2010-AnimatorsFile
+ Summerweek2010-AnimatorsPartcipationForm-Extendeddeadline

IYCS-IMCS (JECI-MIEC) European Congress
23.-26.09.2009, Bonn

Summary Reflections

During our European Congress, where IYCS (International Young Catholic Students) and IMCS (International Movement of Catholic Students) national movement leaders gathered, the study session focused on the exchange of experiences with the Bologna Process in our home countries. Its impacts on students’ lives and desirable improvements were also part of the discussion. The main points can be summarized as followed:

Facilitated exchange and greater comparability of university systems across Europe, which was one of the principle objectives for the Bologna reforms, has been not achieved. Neither could we observe any increase in the quality of higher education due to the reforms, in the contrary. We strongly support quality improvements, e.g. supply of material, teaching methods and more personnel. Especially, where there is an increase in fees, this should lead to an important improvement of the quality of the teaching, which is often not the case. Ideally, education should be freely accessible for everyone, which is not possible under current systems because of financial barriers.

Currently, we identified the problem that not all young people who would have the ability to successfully complete their studies, have the opportunity to do so because they cannot afford high fees additionally to costs of living. Financing of Master and Doctoral programs by the private sector should not be completely rejected. However, only certain fields, such as natural science, will potentially benefit from those funds. Therefore, governments have to assure that higher education does not depend on interests of the private sector and invest in fields that lack behind concerning finances, particularly human science, languages and arts.

The Bologna reforms mostly increased the degree of specialization. Specialization may be an option for students, but should not be the only one. To create employable people for the labor market as fast as possible, cannot be the objective of higher education. Instead education should be human centered and also lead to individual development of personality. We draw that opinion from our Christian perspective of estimation of every single human being – independent from his/her employability in the labor market, as education is not only the key to employability, but also to responsible citizenship.

The Bachelor degree is still not broadly recognized as a complete studies degree; at the same time there are by far not enough places in Master programs for all graduated students, which puts an enormous amount of pressure on students. So finding time for a job to finance studies, for extra-curricula activities and social engagement, has become harder because of the restructuring of the higher educational system. We clearly criticize these changes and strongly emphasize the importance of non-formal education for personal development. Possible solutions might be to give ECTS for extra-curricula activities, participation in students’ representation, working in social/civil institutions and the like, or to encourage the complete curriculum vitae as selective criterion rather than mere grades.

In short, we reject employability as principle objective for higher education and cannot find enough room in the Bologna reforms for individual free choices, informal education and development of personality.

What we want to change:

• more diversification and flexibility for the students
• possibility to have a diploma after 4 years
• part of the course : compulsory / other part: open choice of subjects
•  not increase university fees and increase the quality of the teaching given

What can we do?

• on local level, we have to know ourselves how Bologna is implemented
• then communicate this information to our peer groups / members
• do study sessions on our local levels with students, university officials and politicians
• student-coordination is important –> participate in student-councils at the university
• use existing networks !!!, institutions and tools
• national campaign for the student-level
• inform the public
• have a structure / commission to work with COMECE
• lobby also on EU-Commission & Parliament with COMECE together -> how?
• have officially responsible people!
• provide continuity in activities and actions concerning the Bologna Process
• focus on work on national level

Material prepared by Kathrin Russner (KSJ Germany)