Erasmus Mundus students in Bergen
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) marks an important milestone when the international students at Theatre SPACEs master have arrived in Bergen.
The master’s programme Theatre Spaces is a two-year programme developed in collaboration with European partners. It is the first Erasmus Mundus programme at HVL, one of only 220 in the world, and the fourth ever to be coordinated by a Norwegian educational institution.
– This is not just a new master’s programme, but an international joint programme developed together with partner institutions in several European countries. The fact that HVL is coordinating the programme and is now welcoming the first group of students shows that our academic community has the expertise and networks needed to excel internationally, says Anne-Grethe Naustdal.
The students will explore theatre in social, participatory artistic, societal and educational contexts, and how theatre and dramatic methods can be used in schools, local communities, cultural institutions, the health and social sectors, and other parts of society.
What is unique is the combination of applied theatre, artistic practice, research and international mobility. The programme combines professionally and work-oriented education with research, international collaboration and interdisciplinarity.
The Theatre SPACEs students come from many different countries and academic backgrounds, bringing with them experiences and perspectives that can become a resource for other students. This year’s group of 21 students was selected from 1,074 applicants from 110 different countries.
– It is very rewarding to see that the programme that have been under development for several years is now actually becoming a active study programme with students from all over the world. This feels more like the start of a new phase than the end of a project, now we will see how the ideas and ambitions work in practice, together with our students and partners, says Adam Cziboly.
In line with HVL’s strategy
Theatre SPACEs is an example of how internationalisation can become an integrated part of education and academic development. HVL is not only bringing international students to Bergen, but is building a study programme that is international from the ground up, through partner institutions, student mobility, joint teaching and research.
For HVL, the programme provides an opportunity to build long-term international partnerships and strengthen the international student and academic environment on campus. This is in line with HVL’s strategy of educating candidates who can meet society’s future competence needs.
For the students, this offers access to more academic communities, teaching traditions and cultural contexts than they would have through a traditional master’s programme. They also get to build an international network that they can carry with them into working life or into research.
– In this way, the programme contributes both to a more international learning environment at HVL and to making our academic community visible in a wider European and global context, says Adam Cziboly.