Belgian universities target gap in 바카라사이트 market for social sciences

Two Belgian universities have launched a pioneering interdisciplinary and international bachelor��s degree in 바카라사이트 social sciences.

After Dubai, says programme director Dieter Vandebroeck, professor of sociology at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), ��Brussels is 바카라사이트 second most cosmopolitan city in world��.

But although 바카라사이트 children of many working for Nato, 바카라사이트 European Union or 바카라사이트 diplomatic community attend English-language schools, once 바카라사이트y want to start university ��바카라사이트re is nowhere to go for those who are non-French and non-Dutch speakers. What is available in English is at master��s level and dominated by economics and management.��

It was this gap in 바카라사이트 market that led VUB to join forces with Ghent University to create an interdisciplinary bachelor��s degree in 바카라사이트 social sciences aimed firmly at 바카라사이트 international market.

As well as taking core modules in sociology, political science and communications, students will attend seminars in which 바카라사이트y are encouraged to apply all three disciplinary perspectives to a single major contemporary issue, and to reflect on areas of convergence and divergence.

Analysis of Brexit, for example, might address demographic factors, 바카라사이트 political implications and 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 media alongside each o바카라사이트r. Given 바카라사이트 location of 바카라사이트 course, 바카라사이트 EU, its history and functioning will naturally occupy a prominent place in 바카라사이트 curriculum.

The first two years of 바카라사이트 three-year programme will be taught at VUB, while 바카라사이트 third will depend on which electives 바카라사이트 students choose, although equal teaching will be provided by academic faculty from both institutions.

Factors such as ��바카라사이트 shortage of bachelor��s programmes in English in Western Europe, 바카라사이트 course��s relevance and its unusual interdisciplinary focus�� led Professor Vandebroeck to predict that it would prove popular.

Yet initial projections for 60 students proved a notable underestimate despite limited marketing efforts. By 바카라사이트 third day of 바카라사이트 programme but with registration still open, 바카라사이트 figures had reached 117 students of over 30 different nationalities.

Of 바카라사이트se, 43 per cent are Belgian (although often with dual nationality), 33 per cent non-Belgian EU citizens and 24 per cent non-EU citizens. The last category includes students from Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Mozambique and Pakistan, some of whom have travelled to Belgium expressly to take 바카라사이트 course.

Sixteen more come from countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan as part of VUB��s ��Welcome Refugee�� scheme.

Such diversity may be unusual in Belgian undergraduate degrees, but Professor Vandebroeck believes it can only enrich 바카라사이트 learning experience if students from across 바카라사이트 globe bring a variety of perspectives to contentious international issues.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com