MIREES
"INTERDISCIPLINARY MASTER IN
EAST EUROPEAN RESEARCH AND STUDIES"
REGULATIONS
These Regulations determine the studying conditions for the student as well as the conditions of payment of the enrolment and tuition fees.
The Interdisciplinary MA in East European Research and Studies (MIREES) is a two-year intensive programme, combining academic nature with professional training on Eastern, Central and Balkan Europe. The MA has been launched by the School of Political Sciences «R. Ruffilli», under the aegis of the Forlì Campus (Polo Scientifico-Didattico di Forlì) of the University of Bologna, and it is run in cooperation with the University of Ljubljana, the Daniel Berzsenyi College in Szombàthely (Hungary) and the Vytautas Magnus University at Kaunas (Lithuania). Moreover, the programme implementation takes advantage of the MIREES Mobility Scheme, which involves a wider network of Universities with a specialization in East European Studies. Students will be prepared to become Area Experts, after studying one language from the range on offer, following modules in different groups of disciplines, and spending a minimum of 5 months in the country of their studies.
The «Europe and the Balkans» International Network supports the Master's Programme through the "Istituto per l'Europa Centro-Orientale e Balcanica, which coordinates the MA activities.
MIREES is a full-time, interdisciplinary post-graduate study. Its curriculum -by concept, content, methods and forms of lecturing- provides the basis for awarding the MA Degree in East European Studies as a joint diploma according to the agreements established between the University of Bologna, and the University of Ljubljana, the Daniel Berzsenyi College in Szombàthely (Hungary), the Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) as well as other Universities that might be interested in recognizing the degree as a joint, double or multiple diploma. MIREES is a Master's Programme whose implementation actively involves the School for Interpreters and Translators of Forlì, SSLiMIT, as well as the expertise of other Schools of the Forlì Campus.
Applicants to the MA Programme are required to hold at least a BA degree in: Political Science, Law, Economics, Agriculture, Foreign Languages, Social Sciences, International and Diplomatic Sciences, Communication Science, Italian Language and Culture, Training and Education Science, Arts and Philosophy. Foreign students with degrees in similar fields from BA level upwards, or comparable academic qualifications, are also admitted.
All candidates must have an active knowledge of English, whilst accepted students will be encouraged to use at least two languages among those of the EU Member States and deepen the knowledge of the qualifying language skills offered by MIREES.
The selection criteria are high-quality university performance, quality and quantity of works already published, strong motivation and language competence; relevant professional experience will also be appreciated.
The MIREES' International Academic Board may establish additional admission criteria.
Grants may be available for admitted students, based on academic achievements and offered by sponsoring Institutions. The size of the grants is fixed by the MIREES Master's International Academic Board, while their kind and shape depend on the donors.
The student is obliged to:
Before the lectures start, all students are required to sit an entry test to assess their knowledge of the disciplines taught in the Programme.
Moreover, all those that chose Russian as an advanced course must sit a language test. The result obtained will decide which course they can attend: level 2, 3 or 4.
This post-graduate study lasts two years for a total of 4 academic semesters. It offers courses, seminars, conferences and an internship/period of study.
Students will be given a total of 120 credits, subdivided into 60 credits per year.
In order to be admitted to the second year, students must:
The language of instruction is English.
The foreseen number of hours devoted to individual study is of 3,000 hours. In this framework, MIREES schedules a total attendance of 760 class hours, 300 of which - in the third semester - are devoted to an internship/period of study in a foreign country, within the framework of the Socrates or MIREES Mobility Scheme (MMS) or of an equivalent exchange programme.
Attendance of less than 80% at MIREES' courses, lectures, seminars conferences and other activities requiring students' attendance, will be sanctioned with suspension.
Courses, lectures, seminars and conferences are held by Professors and Lecturers coming from the University faculties and departments of the Forlì Campus; from partner Universities recognizing the diploma; from Universities connected to MIREES under the Socrates network and the MIREES Mobility Scheme; from the "Europe and the Balkans International Network; or from other partnerships with the University of Bologna.
The language courses on offer may vary from year to year; they are made known before the selection of candidates takes place and are all beginner courses. If the student possesses a sound knowledge of one or languages whose courses are on offer for the academic year of his/her enrolment, he/she cannot attend the language course of any of those languages. Similarly, students coming from a region or a country where its population speaks one or more languages besides the mother tongue cannot attend the language course in the additional languages spoken in his/her home region or country. Some courses, like Finnish, Hungarian and 2nd level Russian, are provided directly by the School for Interpreters and Translators of Forlì (SSLiMIT) and take place on their premises. For that reason it is necessary to master Italian and, in some cases, the timetable might even overlap with the Master's thus being incompatible.
Mobility is the engine for developing the students' knowledge through field-work; it is a mean to measure the students' ability in deepening their language skills and in meeting, assimilating, and elaborating different contexts of teaching and learning, as well as in organizing their everyday life.
The MIRESS mobility is a crucial part of the programme and is ensured by the Socrates exchange programme, the MIREES Mobility Scheme (MMS, specifically designed for European countries not eligible to the Socrates programme), and bilateral agreements of partnership signed by the University of Bologna.
The MIREES mobility is aimed at combining a didactic activity with the students' research activity to collect materials for their Master's final thesis.
As a whole, this part of the programme is defined as internship/period of study, lasts a minimum of 5 months and is compulsory.
The country, jointly identified for their internship/period of study by the students and the Faculty, will be different from their country of origin. Only the International Academic Board, in extraordinary and well-motivated cases, is entitled to decide exceptions to the rule.
During the internship/period of study, the students will receive a mobility grant, under the conditions described in the aforementioned art. 5.
The students' performance will be assessed for each course or seminar in a variety of forms (written exams, oral exams, tests, academic papers) in accordance with the decision of each professor or, respectively, lecturer, under the general rules established by the Coordination Council.
The grading system is from 18/30 to a maximum of 30/30, according to Italian University rules. As for the period of the students' mobility, the transfer of the different grading systems adopted by the Universities that are partners in the programme is regulated by the ECTS table of conversion or the annexes of the bilateral agreements of partnership.
Failure to submit papers within the required deadline, without prior endorsement by the professor or lecturer, will be the same as an insufficient result.
It is the students' responsibility to ensure that the ideas expressed in their papers and the quotes are reported according to scientific standards. The contrary constitutes an act of plagiarism and may result in dismissal from the programme. The decision belongs to the Coordination Council under a written and motivated request of a professor or a lecturer.
The students that have not yet paid the second and third instalment cannot apply for recognition of the exams they passed and of the credits they obtained during their mobility period.
Each student is required to write a Master's thesis.
The Master's thesis must prove to be an independent treatment of the theme dealt with by using scientific methods. It must have a scientific character and be the result of research work.
It is the students' responsibility to ensure that the ideas expressed in their theses and the quotes cited are properly reported according to scientific standards. The contrary constitutes an act of plagiarism and may result in dismissal from the programme.
After consultations with a potential supervisor during the 1st year of the Master's Programme, students are required to submit an application to the Coordination Council with their chosen thesis topic, by the end of June at the latest. The supervisor must endorse the application.
The deadline for submission of the thesis proposal may be extended, only in exceptional circumstances, by the Coordination Council. Proof of such circumstances must be provided.
Eligible supervisors are exclusively the Professors and Lecturers of the MIREES courses.
The Coordination Council, on the basis of students' applications and of the Faculty's availability, approves or modifies the thesis topic, assigns a supervisor for each student, defines deadlines for the submission of the final work, and appoints the second reader.
During the second year, the students finalize their theses and submit their final work by the end of July, unless differently established by the Coordination Council.
Thesis defence will take place in Forlì at the beginning of October, unless differently established by the Coordination Council.
Thesis defence Commissions consist of 3 members: the supervisor, the second reader and a chair. The Commissions are appointed by the Coordination Council.
Students that have not completed the planned study path within the two years of the Master's Programme will not be allowed to hand in their thesis nor defend it.
Students that have not yet paid the fourth instalment are allowed to hand in their thesis, but not to take the final exam until they comply with the requirement, come previsto dall'art. 6 del presente Regolamento.
Students that do not meet the deadline set for the handing in of their thesis will not be admitted to the final exam.
In order to successfully graduate, students need to fulfil all the requirements of the programme, including a minimum average mark of 24/30 for courses and seminars, as well as a positive thesis evaluation from the Defence Commission.
The final mark consists of the average of courses and seminars, plus the grade for the Thesis and the Defense.
Successful students are awarded the degree of MA in East European Research and Studies. The Diploma is a joint certificate released by the University of Bologna, the University of Ljubljana, the Daniel Berzsenyi College in Szombàthely, and the Vytautas Magnus University at Kaunas.
The MIREES design is structured as follows:
The International Advisory Board is set up by a restricted number of scholars and experts with a prominent internationally recognized expertise. Its task is that of giving general inputs to the Master activities, to enhance the quality of its program, and stimulate Master's potential follow-ups in the labor market.
The International Advisory Board can consult, be consulted and make decisions electronically, via long distance tools.
The International Academic Board is set up by the Italian Professors/Lecturers who are members of the Coordination Council, and Academic representatives of Partner Universities that recognized MIREES diploma in a joint or double form.
The International Academic Board meets at least twice per year, approves the Regulations of the Master, selects students' applications for the enrollment into the program, coordinates the students mobility, participates in the Defense Commissions, checks the quality of the program, and takes care of the international dimension of the Master drawing specific attention to the interuniversity cooperation.
The International Academic Board can consult and make decisions electronically, via long distance tools.
The Coordination Council is set up by the MIREES Director, by Professors and Lecturers who take the responsibility of the Master disciplinary groups, by the Academic Advisors, and two student representatives.
The Council validates the scientific and didactic program of the Master, the students' mobility, the teaching contracts as well as the teaching plan of the students, and the set up of Exams and Defense Commissions. Moreover, it coordinates the activities of the disciplinary groups, takes care of the general implementation of the program, and decides about sanctions.
Students' representatives do not have right to vote about issues concerning sanctions and the status of student individuals.
Students' representatives are not allowed to attend the Council meeting when discussions concern the status of individual Professors or Lecturers.
The Director defines the MA program and its further developments; identifies appropriate lecturers; and submits his/her proposal to the approval of the Coordination Council . The Director supervises the process of instruction and implementation of the curriculum, with the support of the didactic manager, the Academic Advisors and the staff; retains control over the budget, submits financial applications for the support of the Master achievements and students' grants. The Director cooperates with University Partners; manages the interaction with Academic Institutions, NGOs, international and governmental institutions.
The Director is also expected to deal with issues of non-compliance with the rules of these Regulations.
MIREES verifies every year the quality of the programme and its achievements. The main aim is to increase the teaching quality, the organization and the administration of the Master.
In order to monitor these aspects, MIREES submits two kinds of questionnaires to the students. The first is offered to the students at the end of each course and seminar, in order to evaluate the teaching performances and the didactic materials; the second is distributed among the students once per year and is focused on the Academic Advisors' performances, the organization and the administration of the programme.
The questionnaires must be filled in anonymously and the questions should be posed in such a way as to stimulate appropriate feedback.
The processed data will be forwarded to the Coordination Council, the International Academic Board and the Advisory Board for their consideration. The Forlì Campus and the University of Bologna will receive copies of the outcome.
All students who have successfully completed the Master's Programme are entitled to full membership in the Alumni Association of the Alma Mater Europa Orientalis .
MIREES_Regulations
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