Lifelong Learning ProgrammeAction
Erasmus Multilateral Project

Project promoting Liberal Arts on European level was awarded funding by European Union under its Lifelong Learning Programme in 2007. Project ECOLAS thus runs as a Multirateral project under Erasmus’ Modernisation of Higher Education action.

Project title – Service and Certification Institute for Liberal Arts & Sciences Colleges in Europe

Agreement number – 2007 – 3531 / 001 – 001

Project number – 134353-LLP-1-2007-1-SK-ERASMUS-EMHE

Description of an Action

ECOLAS is a nongovernmental organization registered in Bratislava, Slovakia. It was established by Samuel Abrahám (BISLA, Bratislava), H. Laurent Boetsch (ECLA, Berlin) and Hans P.M. Adriaansens (Roosevelt Academy, Middelburg). They are also rectors or deans of the first Liberal Arts & Sciences Colleges in Europe. By combining the size of the Oxbridge colleges and adopting a Liberal Arts & Sciences program they have succeeded in improving both the quality of the bachelor programs in their universities as well as the number of successful graduates. They have received many questions for assistance from other European universities, who, as a result of the so called Bologna agreement, are prepared to build the same type of college. The three colleges have the expertise with respect to programming and organization, but lack the funds to actually assist these universities. The universities themselves, most of them being located in Central and Eastern Europe, have too little financial means to pay for these activities. As mobility and comparability in European higher education is an important policy goal, the consortium ECOLAS hopes that funds will be made available through the LLP.

The objective is (1) establishment of Liberal Arts & Sciences Colleges throughout Europe, (2) the construction of a Liberal Arts & Sciences certificate and (3) a campaign to put the liberal arts program on the list of accreditation committees throughout the EU member countries. The impact will be improvement of undergraduate university education throughout Europe.

Coordinator:

Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA)

Address:
Grösslingova 53
Bratislava
811 09
Slovakia

WWW: www.bisla.eu
Tel: +421 / 2 59234 200
Fax: +421 / 2 59234 450

List of Partners:

Stichting Roosevelt Academy, Middelburg Netherlands
http://www.roac.nl

European Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences
http://www.ecolas.eu/

Vesalius college vzw, Brussels, Belgium
http://www.vesalius.edu/

Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
http://fhs.cuni.cz/FHS-164.html

New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria
http://www.nbu.bg/entrance.php?lang=1

University of Hradec Králové
http://www.uhk.cz/eng