Viadrina Summer University 2012 - The Culture of Football: Passion, Power, Politics

Football is not only the most popular sport in many regions of the world but also a social, political and cultural mass phenomenon. In light of the European Football Championship 2012 (in Poland and the Ukraine), the long-standing Viadrina Summer University dedicates an intensive program to the cultural and social scientific exploration of this phenomenon. To what extent does football mirror social and cultural developments of modern societies? Which interdependencies exist between football and politics? Which identities – competing or converging ones – are represented by football? And which roles do language, media, rituals play in all this? These questions shall be pursued in a German-Polish project at Viadrina University and its Polish partner institution, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. The main coursework of Viadrina Summer University will be carried by Viadrina faculty representing sociological and political science as well as historical, economic and linguistic approaches. In addition, lectures and seminars will be offered by academics of other German and European as well as American universities.

Core Course I: „Football and the Politics of Identity“ / Prof. Dr. Michael Minkenberg
Core Course II: „The Political Economy of Football“ / Prof. Dr. Timm Beichelt

Who can participate?
Viadrina Summer University welcomes advanced students and young researchers from the social sciences, modern European history, linguistics and communication studies, as well as economics. Applications from candidates who already hold a first degree and/or have specialized in issues related to the program will receive preferential treatment. Full-time attendance of the Summer University is obligatory for all participants. Students are expected to contribute actively to the Summer University by making short presentations and submitting research essays. Proficiency in English is required as all parts of the program will be taught in English.

Teaching and Syllabus
The Summer University combines lectures, seminar discussions, excursions and student presentations. For our international participants there is a German language course offered every day for one hour and all levels. Details on the course program, reading requirements and syllabus are available in advance on the Summer University’s website.

Certificate
The Viadrina Summer University Certificate requires active participation in one core course, two seminars, one workshop, three lectures and one excursion. Participants who wish to transfer their credit points to their home universities are expected to deliver a research paper and to make an in-class oral presentation. Students are entitled to earn up to 18 ECTS points. This requires participation of 45 lecture-/seminar-hours and a research paper.

Course fees and fellowships
The registration fee of 250 Euros includes tuition, course materials and other costs related to the course program. The Summer University offers 25 fellowships provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Foreign Office for foreign participants. Fellowships cover tuition, accommodation, travelling costs and a lump sum of 200 Euro towards meals and living costs. Travelling costs will be reimbursed according to the regulations of the DAAD.

The Summer University is open to a limited number of regular Viadrina students (see university calendar summer term, faculty for social and cultural sciences M.A.-part). The fee is also 250 Euro for EUV-students.

Accommodation
Participants are invited to stay in modern student apartments with single rooms and modern facilities in Słubice, Poland. The price of a single room per person for 19 nights will be around 120 Euro. Grocery stores, supermarkets and restaurants are all to be found within walking distance.

Application
Deadline for applications of international participants and DAAD-scholarships is 31st January 2012. Decisions of acceptance will be announced by 28th February 2012 by e-mail.
Deadline for applications of EUV-MA-students: 15th March 2012 (MA-KVV). Decisions of acceptance will be announced by 30th March 2012 by e-mail.

Please send us:
1. Application form ( word 97-2003, pdf )
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Letter of Motivation (one page)
4. 1 Letter of Recommendation (university professor and/or supervisor)
5. Proof of English language proficiency (Level C1 of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

Applications by ordinary mail only. All applications have to be done in English.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Kathrin Goeritz: vsu@europa-uni.de

Website: http://www.kuwi.europa-uni.de/de/studium/summeruniversity/index.html

EVS Volunteering in Belgium 2012-2013

The European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) is looking for a volunteer to support us with our communication work towards people living with HIV/AIDS and other stakeholders. The volunteers would be involved in projects to raise awareness about HIV in Europe, mainly among young communities.

EATG is a large network of activists; we regularly receive suggestions from our members for new projects and initiatives. Our members are activists that advocate for best access to HIV prevention, treatment and care across Europe. We develop projects for universal access to HIV medicines and prevention.

Volunteers would help us in our daily tasks; and collaborate and learn with our network of members and partners.

 Our target group is people living with HIV and their supporters. The volunteers would work in a young and friendly environment in our office in Brussels and would be in contact with the HIV community in Europe on a daily basis (through contact with our members and partners in different European countries). Furthermore, the volunteer would be in contact with the public health community in Brussels and the main policy makers.

The volunteers would participate in actions in different European countries targeted at the most at risk groups for HIV transmission. E.g. projects aiming to decrease stigma and discrimination; developing strategies for testing of young people and early diagnosis of HIV; raising awareness and developing knowledge of young people on HIV related issues, as well as sexual health and other sexual transmitted diseases; disseminating information about European actitivites for HIV prevention.

EATG works with the most vulnerable populations to HIV transmission (migrants, drug users, sex workers, men having sex with men). We are often confronted by issues of stigma and discrimination and inequalities in different health systems across Europe, and our work aims to tackle these inequalities.

The scope of our work in the European region, however, our activities focus in Eastern Europe, where the HIV prevalence is higher then in other European countries.We consider the project environment challenging, as the volunteer would work with us mainly on HIV prevention among most vulnerable groups in Europe and namely in Eastern Europe.  

Tasks 
- Organisation of events, including trainings: logistic support, communication with participants and follow up. (e.g. attending workshops on HIV treatment and prevention in different countries; participating in AIDS conferences and supporting us with our exhbition/booths in conferences; organising actions and demonstrations related to HIV prevention and treatment) 
- Contributing to small projects on HIV prevention, treatment and care. (e.g. AIDS&Mobility, project that aims to develop mediator training among young migrant communities in Europe; COPE Continuous Patient Education, a mechanism to fund local organisation to translate and adapt publications about HIV and sexual transmitted diseases into different languages)
- Support implementation of EATG communication strategy (e.g. development of members relations, drafting articles and editing the newsletter, updating website, organisation of our library and databases, updating Facebook and Twitter page with main HIV news). 
- Other: drafting documents and performing small translations; support dissemination of information and media relations; representing the organisation in events. 
- Development of a project for the youth HIV community in Europe with impact at national scale.
Criteria
- good communication skills 
- interest in HIV/AIDS issues, or discrimination and social exclusion 
- motivation to share knowledge at national level and raise awareness on HIV prevention

Procedure
The EATG would like to cooperate with organisations working on anti-discrimination, equal opportunities, health and youth information. We are looking for volunteers with a strong interest on HIV/AIDS issues, or with a strong interest in learning more about HIV. Young people living with HIV and/or volunteers from different backgrounds and part of migrant or other communities vulnerable to HIV transmission are encouraged to apply, however, the most important would be to host someone willing to work with HIV positive people and learn about HIV treatment, independently of his/her background. The selection is based on the motivation to develop projects on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care and to further disseminate information to his/her youth community back home. 
All our documents are written in English but our staff speak French and we would communicate in French and/or English. 
Project start date: 01/05/2012, project end date: 01/05/2013. 
Applications (CV and motivation letter) should be sent to analucia.cardoso@eatg.org until 23rd January, 2012.

Oslo International Summer School 2012

The International Summer School (ISS) at the University of Oslo, Norway, yearly offers intensive Master's and Bachelor's courses over six weeks in summer. We will welcome more than 550 students from nearly 100 countries from 23 June to 3 August 2012. The deadline for this year scholarship applications is 1 February, 2012. Self-paying applicants can apply after this date.

The ISS is a learning community of diverse students who come together to study, interact and increase understanding and good will between nations. It aims at developing and conveying knowledge and at promoting understanding between people from different cultures. This dual purpose is reflected in the ISS motto: “Six Weeks of Academic Achievement and International Good Will”.
 
Admission requirements for ISS
The requirements listed below must be met prior to the start of the ISS.

Bachelor's courses

Master's courses

Norwegian Language Courses

Scholarship applicants

Many applicants will find that they are academically qualified to attend ISS, but they will not meet the requirements set by the scholarship donors. Many scholarship applicants are academically qualified to attend the ISS, but they do not meet the requirements for a scholarship. As a result, the application will be rejected. 
To be a successful scholarship candidate you will need to demonstrate:
  • that your academic background is related to the course you wish to take;
  • that your professional background/goals are related to the course you wish to take;
  • financial need;
  • personal qualities that make you a good representative of your country.
Competition for scholarships is high. Many scholarship applicants are rejected in the Pre-Application phase. At this point, the applicant can switch the status to "self-paying" or "sponsored" and try to find the funding from a source outside the ISS.


Required supporting documents 

Many applications are delayed or rejected because candidates fail to send certified copies of their academic credentials. A certified copy means you must take your documents to a public official or notary. The official must make the copies, stamp the papers and sign them, attesting to their validity. Certified copies can be made at a university registrar, police office, public notary, bank or post office.  We do NOT accept a photocopy or a scan of a document that has a stamp or seal.

Include the following:

1. Application form

The application form is available only through the Pre-Application form. Filling out the Pre-Application form is the first step in the application process.
The ISS will send the application form by email as a pdf file. Download and print the application form. Some fields are already filled in with information from your Pre-Application form. Be sure to complete the rest of the fields by hand. Please review the information and make any corrections directly on the application in pen. Remember to sign and date the form!

2. Two passport-sized photos

Write your name on the reverse side of the photographs. The photographs should be of good quality.

3. ISS scholarship form (only for scholarship applicants)

Scholarship application forms are available only through the Pre-Application form. Print out the form and follow the instructions given. Remember that your reference person cannot be related to you and s/he must also stamp and sign the form.

4. Statement of purpose

Your statement of purpose should be one page, typed, double spaced (max. 500 words). Tell us why the course is important to you, how it helps you fulfill future goals or how it relates to your current studies or employment. Briefly state your personal qualities that make you a good representative of your country.
Applicants for Norwegian levels III and IV should write their statement in Norwegian. The statement of purpose is a particularly important basis for selecting applicants for scholarships.

5. Letters of recommendation

You should submit two letters of recommendation from two different people who are not related to you by blood or marriage. The referee should give information regarding your character, intellectual ability, and seriousness of purpose. The letter should be written on official letterhead and must include contact information for the reference person. At least one letter should come from your professor, lecturer, headmaster, or if employed, from your current employer.
We rely heavily on the letters of recommendation when considering candidates for Master's courses and for scholarships.
Exceptions: If you live in Norway and are applying for Norwegian language courses, you do not need to submit the letters of recommendation. 

6. English documentation

All applicants must submit certified copies (stamped and signed by a public official) of their test scores or exams. If you submit a statement from a professor or employer, we prefer the statement to be written on official letterhead. Native English speakers from the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand do not need to document their English skills. . 

7. Norwegian documentation

Applicants to Norwegian language levels II, III or IV must submit certified copies (stamped and signed by a public official) of transcripts or test scores of previous Norwegian courses or exams (i.e. Bergenstest). Recommendations from a teacher or employer must be written on official letterhead.

8. Certified copies of transcripts/diplomas

You must submit a certified copy of your academic credentials (transcripts, diplomas, etc.) or have official credentials sent directly from the bursars of the issuing school/university.
If your documents are not in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, they must be translated into one of these languages – preferably Norwegian or English – by an official translator who must sign and stamp the original and the translation. You must submit BOTH the certified transcripts and the translations.

9. CV or resume (Master-level applicants and scholarship applicants)

We require a CV/resume from all candidates applying for Master-level courses and from all scholarship applicants. Otherwise, this is optional.

10. Copy of passport

Applicants must submit the pages of their passport showing personal data and photo. Applicants residing in EU countries may submit a copy of their National Identity Card instead of a passport.
If you reside in Norway, you must submit both a copy of a valid residence permit (oppholdstillatelse) and a copy of the pages of your passport showing personal data and photo.

11. Receipt for payment of the application fee

No application is complete until the application fee is paid in full. Some scholarship applicants are exempted from the application fee.

Where to send your completed application

Please note the ISS requires the complete and physical application form and supporting documents.
  • Do NOT scan your application and send it as an attachment by email.
  • Do NOT fax your application to us. 
Send your application form and supporting documents to:
International Summer School
University of Oslo
PO Box 1082, Blindern
NO-0317 OSLO
NORWAY
Our physical address for Courier Mail (DHL, FedEx, etc.) is:
International Summer School
University of Oslo
Moltke Moes vei 30-32
Georg Morgenstiernes hus, 2. etg.
NO-0851 OSLO
NORWAY

If you reside in USA or Canada, send your application to:
Oslo International Summer School
c/o St. Olaf College
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057-1098
USA

How to apply: read here 


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