Session 3: Course Offering, Planning & Timelines

Welcome to Module 1, Session 3 of the CPC meta summer school development course.

During this session we will focus on the course offering, planning and timelines, which need to be considered when developing a summer school course and/or programme.

The course offering, planning and timelines may vary depending on the type of programme you intend to develop. This session shares some basic themes that could be considered in planning your summer school. It also introduces different experiences from partner institutions.

Please consider this video and discuss what this implies for the development and planning of your summer school in the team meeting.

The COVID-19 crisis has “forced” many summer schools to move to an online format. This has negative implications, for example lack of engagement, but it also enhances chances of participation and inclusivity. Whilst the CPC proposal suggested the development of live summer schools, the online dimension needs to be included in this development phase.

Please consider the two assignments below with your team. Select the format most applicable for implementation at your institution and try to asnwer the questions accordingly. Use the team forum to discuss with your team members and post your team effort on the general forum.

Option 1

Consider you are given the task to organize an academic summer term, meaning that enrolled students will get official credits. Make the assumption that you are asked to open a number of courses corresponding to the ratio of 1/10th of the number of courses offered in a regular term. Assume furthermore that financial cost of that operation (additional payments to academic staff and the likely expenses you may ask for) will be funded externally.

• Write down all the steps necessary for that (like call for instructors, call for students,
  preregistration, course evaluations).
• Come up with three scenarios: (1)The pandemic continues and all courses will need to be conducted online; (2)The pandemic is over and lectures will be delivered on campus; (3) a hybrid structure (some participants are on campus and others online).
  • Put the steps in a time schedule.
  • Indicate binding constraints.
  • Indicate human resources needed for that and discuss whether you will be able to operate the summer courses with the current staff or you will need additional human capital, office, etc. for that operation.

Option 2

Consider you are given the task to organize a one-week summer school on “participatory budgeting”. Assume that you have 30 places and the costs for the summer school course are funded externally. The course intends to enhance the capacity of those in civil society (NGOs) and local government. Participants will be given a certificate for their involvement.

The University is also given the task to select the participants from a large number of applicants.

• Write down all the steps necessary, think about: design of the program; recruitment of instructors, call for applications, selection and preregistration procedures).
• Come up with three scenarios: (1)The pandemic continues and all courses will need to be conducted online; (2)The pandemic is over and lectures will be delivered in the campus; a hybrid structure (some in the campus and others on line).
  • Put everything in a time schedule.
  • Indicate binding constraints.
  • Indicate human resources needed for that and discuss whether you will be able to operate the summer courses with the current staff or you will need additional human capital, office, etc. for that operation.

During the Q&A session 1 there is time to dig deeper and discuss additions with the facilitator(s) of this session.