The University of Graz, Austria, in collaboration with the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, have developed and implemented a master program on ‘Regional Policies and Development’ at the University of Novi Sad. Both the curriculum as well as joint lectures have resulted from this cooperation. The project development has been implemented by the World University Service Austria and is funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation. The master program aims at establishing and strengthening partnerships between higher education institutions, at exchanging knowledge and teaching approaches, and fostering mutual and intercultural, as well as intergenerational learning. The courses provide expertise in sustainable regional planning and development as well as systemic, holistic approaches of thinking and working. The students are educated to become responsible future decision makers who are able to respond to regional challenges and guide Serbia towards an integrated sustainable development.
Serbia aims at strengthening regional and local development co-operation to reduce regional imbalances and to strive for sustainable development. Thereby specific attention is given to cross-border, trans-national as well as interregional co-operation. Both these intentions as well as Serbia’s application for becoming a member of the European Union lead to a rising demand of experts in the field of regional planning and development, who are trained in integrated, multidisciplinary thinking and problem solving. The implementation of a particular academic master program at the University of Novi Sad presents an important step forward, and a contribution to reach these goals. The idea to develop a joint master in ‘Regional Policies and Development’ originated from the rector’s offices of University of Graz as well as University of Novi Sad. The project development has been implemented by the World University Service Austria and is funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation.
The Master Study in ‘Regional Policies and Development’ presents a multidisciplinary development cooperation program interlinking economic, social, environmental and institutional aspects of regional planning. The curriculum and the implementation have been developed in tight collaboration between professors of the Department of Geography and Regional Science at the University of Graz as well as professors of the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research at the University of Novi Sad. During the development stage responsibilities of the Serbian partners shifted from the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research to the Faculty of Technical Science, which enhanced the degree of communication and collaboration. The master program is now provided by the Department of Architecture and Urbanism, whereas professors come from different departments and disciplines. As a consequence students get to know various and interdisciplinary approaches of regional planning and development, which enables them to acquire a holistic and integrated way of thinking and acting. The collaboration between the two universities is supported by an e-learning platform, face-to-face lecturers from professors of Graz at the University of Novi Sad, visits of the teaching staff from Novi Sad as well as a student field trip to Graz and Styria. By visiting each other and jointly working together in the regions, both sides are learning from each other. The master program expands over three semesters with a total of 90 ECTS-credits. ‘Regional Policies and Development’ offers expertise in sustainable regional management as well as competent knowledge in the fields of sustainable urban and regional development that will be highlighted under social, economic as well as environmental aspects. Additionally the master program covers topics such as entrepreneurship, innovation and marketing strategies for regional development, challenges of globalization and cross-border cooperation, strategic management and leadership, sustainable tourism, city management, as well as project management and tools such as GIS. Students acquire knowledge and know-how on the basis of blended and online learning. Due to international professors intercultural, interdisciplinary as well as innovative working and mutual learning will be ensured. After graduating the students will be able to apply their knowledge and scientific skills in inter- and transdisciplinary teams on complex regional development processes in Serbia as well as Europe. The courses are held on the basis of practical approaches so that the students can directly apply the methods they learn in their working environments. Furthermore a holistic understanding of sustainable development is given in order to educate the students to responsible future decision makers as well as citizens. This master program on Regional Policies and Development contributes to the improvement of particular knowledge and skills in the field of regional development and meets the rising demands of the labor market. Moreover future experts in regional planning will strengthen the institutional capacities for cross-border co-operations; and hence respond to Serbia’s challenges regarding the European Union’s integration process.
Serbia aims at strengthening regional and local development co-operation to reduce regional imbalances and to strive for sustainable development. Thereby specific attention is given to cross-border, trans-national as well as interregional co-operation. Both these intentions as well as Serbia’s application for becoming a member of the European Union lead to a rising demand of experts in the field of regional planning and development, who are trained in integrated, multidisciplinary thinking and problem solving. The implementation of a particular academic master program at the University of Novi Sad presents an important step forward, and a contribution to reach these goals. The idea to develop a joint master in ‘Regional Policies and Development’ originated from the rector’s offices of University of Graz as well as University of Novi Sad. The project development has been implemented by the World University Service Austria and is funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation.
The joint development of the master program “Regional Policies and Development” between the universities of Graz and Novi Sad aims at networking, capacity building as well as mutual learning transfer in higher education. Further objectives focus on strengthening the cooperation between EU and South-east European universities as such, exchanging and sharing knowledge and teaching approaches between the lecturers; to integrate different disciplines as well as to enable intercultural learning. The aim of the master program is to prepare students for a systemic and holistic perception of development as well as to provide interdisciplinary knowledge of sustainable regional planning and development.
The Master Study in ‘Regional Policies and Development’ presents a multidisciplinary development cooperation program interlinking economic, social, environmental and institutional aspects of regional planning. The curriculum and the implementation have been developed in tight collaboration between professors of the Department of Geography and Regional Science at the University of Graz as well as professors of the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research at the University of Novi Sad. During the development stage responsibilities of the Serbian partners shifted from the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research to the Faculty of Technical Science, which enhanced the degree of communication and collaboration. The master program is now provided by the Department of Architecture and Urbanism, whereas professors come from different departments and disciplines. As a consequence students get to know various and interdisciplinary approaches of regional planning and development, which enables them to acquire a holistic and integrated way of thinking and acting. The collaboration between the two universities is supported by an e-learning platform, face-to-face lecturers from professors of Graz at the University of Novi Sad, visits of the teaching staff from Novi Sad as well as a student field trip to Graz and Styria. By visiting each other and jointly working together in the regions, both sides are learning from each other. The master program expands over three semesters with a total of 90 ECTS-credits. ‘Regional Policies and Development’ offers expertise in sustainable regional management as well as competent knowledge in the fields of sustainable urban and regional development that will be highlighted under social, economic as well as environmental aspects. Additionally the master program covers topics such as entrepreneurship, innovation and marketing strategies for regional development, challenges of globalization and cross-border cooperation, strategic management and leadership, sustainable tourism, city management, as well as project management and tools such as GIS. Students acquire knowledge and know-how on the basis of blended and online learning. Due to international professors intercultural, interdisciplinary as well as innovative working and mutual learning will be ensured. After graduating the students will be able to apply their knowledge and scientific skills in inter- and transdisciplinary teams on complex regional development processes in Serbia as well as Europe. The courses are held on the basis of practical approaches so that the students can directly apply the methods they learn in their working environments. Furthermore a holistic understanding of sustainable development is given in order to educate the students to responsible future decision makers as well as citizens. This master program on Regional Policies and Development contributes to the improvement of particular knowledge and skills in the field of regional development and meets the rising demands of the labor market. Moreover future experts in regional planning will strengthen the institutional capacities for cross-border co-operations; and hence respond to Serbia’s challenges regarding the European Union’s integration process.
The first semester of the master program at the University of Novi Sad started in April 2010. Eleven students from Serbia attend the master – young students as well as people coming from various professional backgrounds. This provides an interdisciplinary and even intergenerational as well as transdisciplinary working and learning environment from which both the students as well as the lecturers benefit. The collaboration between the two universities contributes to university wide partnerships and fosters networking and capacity building. Additionally courses that are jointly lectured by professors from Novi Sad as well as Graz present an added value because of their intercultural character, multifaceted perspectives and ways of teaching. These courses are facilitated by new media and e-learning parts, which allow temporal and spatial flexibility for the students as well as closer communication with professors of the University of Graz.
The first semester of the master program at the University of Novi Sad started in April 2010. Eleven students from Serbia attend the master – young students as well as people coming from various professional backgrounds. This provides an interdisciplinary and even intergenerational as well as transdisciplinary working and learning environment from which both the students as well as the lecturers benefit. The collaboration between the two universities contributes to university wide partnerships and fosters networking and capacity building. Additionally courses that are jointly lectured by professors from Novi Sad as well as Graz present an added value because of their intercultural character, multifaceted perspectives and ways of teaching. These courses are facilitated by new media and e-learning parts, which allow temporal and spatial flexibility for the students as well as closer communication with professors of the University of Graz.
The collaborative development of a master program on Regional Policies and Development as well as its implementation between an Austrian and a Serbian university illustrates the growing demand of European university co-operations – especially with South-East European countries to reduce transnational as well as interregional imbalances. Networking, capacity building, the exchange of knowledge and know-how in higher education, as well as joint courses of professors from Graz and Novi Sad foster intercultural, mutual learning as well as knowledge creation. The integration of e-learning parts, which is based on EU project experiences by the University of Graz, provides an additional value.
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