Julie Johnson Kidd Travel Research Fellowship

 

Call for applications 2021/2022

Partnership between two scholars: one from Liberal Arts and the other from single-discipline programme

 

Undergraduate education in Europe is in a crisis. The vast majority of Bachelor degrees are in single-discipline studies and the courses consist of lectures in large classrooms combined with 1-2 often multiple-choice exams. This kind of education is ill-suited to preparing students for their futures. At the same time, a small number of Liberal Arts programs offer a different kind on education, which is characterized by multidisciplinarity, a more active pedagogy, and a more relational approach to teaching. It is this combination that improves students’ educational experience and enhances soft or intellectual skills. Hence one may wonder if there are elements of the Liberal Arts that can be incorporated into traditional Bachelor programs. We believe that conversation between scholars from the two groups can result in narrowing the gap between the two models. The 2021/2022 J.J. Kidd Fellowships aim to facilitate initiatives that see to foster cooperation between LAS and traditional programs.

The post-Covid period offers an opportunity for educators and administrators from single or mono-discipline programs and those familiar with the Liberal Arts model to re-evaluate Bachelor education in light of recent experience. Are there elements of the liberal Arts that can be incorporated into traditional Bachelor programs? We believe that conversation between scholars from the two groups can result in narrowing the gap between the two models.

The Liberal Arts and Sciences have stressed the importance of student-centered teaching and small seminar classes combined with numerous extracurricular activities. It is this combination that improves students’ educational experience and enhances soft or intellectual skills. We have warned about the status of the Bachelor degree in Europe in the ECOLAS Manifesto. Its assertions have become even more urgent with the Pandemic. Thus, we want to make it the common ground for applicants for this year’s Julie Johnson Kidd Fellowship.

The 2021/2022 Fellowship seeks to facilitate cooperation between scholars from Liberal Arts and mono-discipline programs within Europe. It offers 8 scholarships for joint projects designed between 2 scholars – one from the Liberal Arts programme and the other from any single discipline department. The two scholars should come from different institutions and special consideration would be given to applicants from different European countries. Either a scholar from the Liberal Arts might seek collaboration from a colleague from a single-discipline department or vice versa and, together they can apply for a JJK Scholarship. (In the latter case ECOLAS is willing to facilitate such a contact with scholars from our Liberal Arts network of institutions.)

The application should outline how key elements of Liberal Arts learning might be implemented within a single-discipline Bachelor programme in the context of a joint course that can be offered to both LAS and mono-disciplinary students.  The development of the course should be the result of a conversation focused on the ECOLAS Manifesto and its content should reflect the principles outlined therein.

ECOLAS will organize a bi-monthly ZOOM meeting among the scholars participating in the JJK Fellowship program in order to exchange their experiences and offer feedback to other participants. At the end of the project, all the participating scholars would be invited to a workshop to discuss their results. The discussion will also address new institutional strategies including an ECOLAS proposal to develop a 4th year as a kind of gap year in the Liberal Arts for Bachelor graduates of study programmes in narrow disciplines and the ECOLAS Manifesto.

In order to apply, fill in the application form and send it to [email protected]. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  1. Is the application complete and comprehensive? (Only one of the two scholars apply.)
  2. The merit of the proposed project and its potential for success.
  3. The relationship of the proposed project to the general aims of the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
  4. Are the partners from one institution, the same country or international?

There will be up to 8 Scholarships worth 1500 Eur each awarded this year. Deadline for submission of applications is 20 January, 2022. The selection results will be published by 1 February, 2022.  The awarded applicants will be contacted through ECOLAS office.