27 June 2012
University of Dundee and Costeas-Geitonas School enter pioneering partnership to deliver teacher education in Greece
The University of Dundee is to deliver education training in Greece after entering into a pioneering collaboration with the Costeas-Geitonas IB World School in Athens.
The first intake of students to the four-year MA (Hons) in Education will be enrolled in October this year.
"Our aim is to be an international school of distinction and this partnership is a major move towards that," said Yolande Muschamp, Dean of the School of Education, Social Work and Community Education at the University of Dundee.
"We are the first University in Scotland to introduce a replacement for the traditional Bachelor of Education programme, and the new MA Education Programme offers a unique opportunity for students entering initial teacher education. This builds on a very strong history of Dundee delivering excellent teacher training.
"At the same time there is a lack of provision in Greece for teacher training that leaves thousands OF prospective students every year without a place in Schools of Education. We think there is an opportunity here to expand the University's international base and deliver real opportunities for students in Greece and the South Eastern Mediterranean area."
The collaboration came about as a result of initial discussions with the British Council, which recommended Dundee as a possible partner.
The project is being delivered under approval by the Ministry of Education in Greece, and has been approved by the University and the General Teaching Council Scotland.
The Costeas-Geitonas School (CGS) has a 40-year history in the education sector (for children aged 3-18 years), including delivering the International Baccalaureate curriculum. The School has provided short CPD programmes in co-operation with HGSE (Harvard Graduate School of Education) and the University of Cambridge.
The Athens Programme will be identical to that offered in Dundee except for three core modules that are required by the Greek Ministry of Education.
The programme is subject, firstly, to the academic requirements of the University of Dundee and the professional requirements of the GTCS. In addition the Programme will be required to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education in Greece.
Student admission to the Athens Programme will follow an identical process to those applying to the Dundee Programme.
Staff from Dundee will be deployed in Athens to oversee the delivery of the programme.
The project will see the establishment of the first School of Education within a fully operational school, offering the distinct capacity of providing students with both theoretical and practical training and access to all school facilities on an 8.2 hectare campus. As a well-established professional educational organisation, students will have the unique opportunity to work closely with a community of over 200 experienced teachers, psychologists and administrators offering breadth, depth and resources during their undergraduate studies.
Notes to Editors
The School of Education, Social Work and Community Education, University of Dundee is an inter-professional school offering professional education and research opportunities across an expanding range of professional settings in Teacher Education, Social Work, Community Learning and Development, inter-professional and associated programmes and research and research degree programmes. On an international basis it has involvement in Africa, Europe and is working on developments in India, South America and the United Arab Emirates. The collaboration with Costeas-Geitonas School through the Hellenic Association for Education works towards the School's interest with internationalising its portfolio of programmes. More information can be found at the following website www.dundee.ac.uk/eswce
The Costeas-Geitonas School is an IB World School which was established in 1973 and is one of Greece's oldest and largest private schools providing educational programmes from pre-school to secondary school level, including International Baccalaureate programmes. The School's mission is to address the increasing educational needs of a changing Greek society. More information can be found at the following website www.cgs.gr/main/en.
The Hellenic Association for Education (HAfE) is an organisation to promote innovative education in Greece through the development of new approaches and collaborations. More information can be found at the following website: www.HAEd.edu.gr.
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902 |
