ErasmusIP-SE

ERASMUS INTENSIVE PROGRAMME

THE SOCIAL ECONOMY

Intensive Programme: The Social Economy: Trends, Attitudes, Challenges

Agreement Nr: -201-1-LV1-ERA10-01117

Coordinator: LATVIJAS KRISTĪGĀ AKADĒMIJA

Phone: +371-67753360

Mobile ph.: +371-26464026

E-mail: projects@kra.lv

CONTRIBUTION TO OBJECTIVES:

1. EU Lisbon Agenda and Bologna process indicates strong links between quality and multilateral cooperation.

The HE institutions involved in the IP will develop examples for multilateral cooperation in various ways such as learning / research process, cordial discussions etc.

2. The increase of quality culture concept will be measured through supportiveness to creativity and constructive feedback. IP will contribute to the quality contents and multilateral cooperation through modularization of teaching.

3. The IP module will help to adapt the relevant criteria to new topic and approach in terms of methodologies. The IP will be organized as macro-module which will be integrated in partner universities study programme meta-modules.

4. The module structure of the IP is made to harmonize the HE and expertise dialogue structure. Expertise, trade union and labour federation members are involved in whole programme.

CONTRIBUTION TO PRIORITIES

1. Practicing multidisciplinarity,

2. Focusing on ERASMUS subject areas – topical elements that are valuable for the whole European area,

3. Quality of the IP has holistic concept.

Our rationale is to create a sense of understanding of innovative itself European concept of Social Economy as key agent of Lisbon Strategy.
We want to contribute to dissemination of knowledge in rapidly evolving new area of Social Economy.

THE OVERALL AIM is to support existing study programmes in Social work and Social policy with innovative approach to European Social Economy concept.

WORK PROGRAMME

Stage of the project (start-end dates)	Activities undertaken
Day 1 Sunday (31/10/10)	Arrivals of the participants.
Day 2 Monday (01/11/10)	Partner institutions reports; recognition of the concept of the Social Economy.
Day 3 Tuesday (02/11/10)	Historical development of the Social Economy concept. Main theoretical approaches related to the Social Economy concept.
Day 4 Wednesday (03/11/10)	The Social Economy concept development in figures; presentation of national concepts related to the Social Economy.
Day 5 Thursday (04/11/10)	Field trip to Latvian Farmers Cooperative Association (LLKA). Discussion of organizational problems of the SE concept.
Day 6 Friday (05/11/10)	Case studies for the students: how to achieve a more balanced model of social and economic development in EU countries?
Day 7 Saturday (06/11/10)	Workshop on legislation for the Social Economy actors in EU. Public policies in EU countries regarding Social Economy.
Day 8 Sunday (07/11/10)	__________________________
Day 9 Monday (08/11/10)	Continuing workshop on legislation for the Social Economy actors.
Day 10 Tuesday (09/11/10)	Field trip to the Latvian Free Trade Unions Association. Panel discussion “The Social Economy and Social Dialogue development”.
Day 11 Wednesday (10/11/10)	Social Economy concept and values: market economy and Social Economy, Social Cohesion, Solidarity. The Social Economy and regional reforms in Latvia; Social Economy and education.
Day 12 Thursday (11/11/10)	Workshops (1^st part of the day) – evaluation of practical data gained from Latvian associations and cooperatives. Panel discussion: “Beyond radical individualism: The role of community and power”, “Political power and intra market relations”, “What does it mean koinonia?” European Social policy and moral implications.
Day 13 Friday (12/11/10)	Closing round table “My own initiative report on Social Economy”. Teachers / researchers consultation meeting; summarization of the multidisciplinary teaching material; consultations on draft study module materials for HE institutions.
Day 14 Saturday (13/11/10)	Departures.

IMPLEMENTATION
Stage of the project (start-end dates)	Activities undertaken	Lead partner, other partners involved in the activities undertaken
Stage 1 (01/06/10 – 12/06/10)	Formation of the consortium from different subject areas. Designing the framework of the IP realization; agreement about responsible persons: who does what? Motivation agreements for certain activities.	Latvian Christian Academy and responsible persons from all partner institutions.
Stage 2 (07/09/10 – 19/09/10)	Consultations on positive agreements of methodological principles of the IP and for case study teaching material offered for students; exact time / scope plan. Qualitative information in media on possible lectures on SE concept.	Latvian Christian Academy and all partners.
Stage 3 (16/11/10 – 12/12/10)	Collecting the information; presenting useful analyses related to SE topic in media and dissemination of results of IP performance; networking cooperation between partners in research articles; recognition of the gained ECTS at home institutions. Analysis of the student questionnaires; discussion of the final report draft.	Latvian Christian Academy and all partners, Suddensk Universitet, Klaipedos Universitetas.
Stage 4 (03/01/11 – 10/01/11)	Summary of all activities: evaluation of IP at the holistic level – benefits and losses; financial reports for the IP eligible budget. Consultations on performance quality evaluation; analysis of the practical links to enterprises, associations. Consultations on planning the networking research and teaching cooperation for renewed IP actions by all partners. Consultations on dissemination of knowledge in rapidly evolving new knowledge area of European Social policy and requirements of ERASMUS LLP. Discussion consultations of the Final report of the IP (distributed).	Latvian Christian Academy and all partner institutions consortium.

ACTUAL IP

01.11.2010.

Partner institution reports.

“Do you know what is Social Economy?”

03.11.2010.

The Social Economy concept development in figures: presentations.

04.11.2010.

Field trip to Latvian Farmers Cooperation Association (LLKA).

06.11.2010.

Workshop “Legislation for the Social Economy actors in European Union”. Public policies.

09.11.2010.

Meeting with Latvian Free Trade Unions Association leaders and trade unionists. Panel discussion.

10.11.2010.

Social Economy concept and values. Presentation of the Social Concept of the Orthodox Church. Meeting with Metropolitan of the Latvian Orthodox Church Alexander and Secretary to the Holy Synod pr. Ioann Sičevskis.

11.11.2010.

Panel discussions: “Beyond radical individualism: The role of community and power?”, “Political power and intra market relations”, “What does it mean koinonia?” European Social policy and its moral implications.

12.11.2010.

Closing round table “My own initiative report on Social Economy”.

Thank you all participants of the IP. We wish everyone happy journey home!

Please respond to sociological enquiries – Beata and Laura are looking forward to receive them.
Please fill in the three consultation lists which were distributed.

OUTPUTS

INNOVATIVE STUDY MODULE “The Social Economy in EU: Trends, Attitudes, Challenges”.
SUBMODULE FOR STUDENTS: “The Social Economy: Identity and Values”.
COMPENDIUM: “Best National Case Studies and Book Reviews for Discussions”.
TRANSLATED AND PRINTED “The Social Concept of the Orthodox Church”.
8 ECTS IP Study award Certificates.
TEACHING / RESEARCH ORIENTED COLLABORATION (students, teachers, trade unionists).

„Social Economy, Social Entrepreneurship and Theory of Associative Democracy”

25.09.2011 - 08.10.2011.

An intensive international ERASMUS study course „Social Economy, Social Entrepreneurship and Theory of Associative Democracy” was held in September 25 – October 8, 2011. 41 student and 9 lecturers from five universities (Denmark, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania besides Latvia) participated. Several following issues were covered in both lectures and workshops: presentation of European Legislation and European Social Model, European Statutes for Associations, Foundations, and Mutual Societies. Discussions were around variety of capitalism, income distribution, labor markets, employment performance. Programme included case studies on justice, economic inequality and political representation. Three field trips were held to the Riga International Airport, State Revenue Service and Latvian Parliament. Panel discussion day was held on a topic „Social Economy and Social Democracy: Identity and Values”. Student’s questionnaires were distributed and all participants received Certificates. Students got knowledge for supported attitude towards the European Commission’s policy EUROPE 2020. At the course members of trade unions, NGO movements, educators, social political thinkers took part.

Objectives, main activities, learning outcomes of the IP were as follows:

Programme of the IP:

· Information for students from partnering universities: You are going to stay in hotel „Lielupe” www.lielupe.lv, responsible person from the Academy, Edgars Grīns, mobile: 00-371-26529099.

· All information about lectures and workshops will be provided by Laura Ozola at the Study department, mobile: 00-371-26463371.

· Responsible person for field trips: Guntis Dišlers, mobile: 00-371-22008895.

Important notice: please fill in Questionnaires and return them back to Laura Ozola in the Study department before October 8!

SOME FRAGMENTS FROM GOOD COLLECTIVE MEMORY

“Jurmala by the beach is very beautiful in autumn, look forward to return in summer!”

“Planning was Ok, but too much stuffed and intensive. Thank you.”

“Participants were united on the European Social Cohesion platform and through the Social Economy concept created sustainable research / learning community who will be always engaged in life-long learning practices. Social and human growth are indispensable components for the European citizens”.

We want to thank the National Agency for the work they have done when organizing the IP development.

We consider that IPs are valuable for connecting the European Higher Education teaching and research area of the great challenges for topical innovative development of the curricula and multilateral cooperation between the Higher Education institutions.

ERASMUS INTENSIVE PROGRAMME "SOCIAL ECONOMY, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND THE DYNAMICS OF EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY" SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 6, 2012

Teachers and students from Latvian, Lithuanian, Danish, Norwegian, Romanian and Hungarian universities attended the ERASMUS IP course, lasting 10 intensive days (September 24 – October 6, 2012). Programme of the IP course is available here.

The objectives of the IP is to develop understanding of Social Economy from three perspectives:

1) Europe 2020 strategy perspective,

2) Associative democracy concept,

3) Analysis of what EU democratic societies have become.

During the IP course both Latvian and foreign students had an opportunity to meet and talk to well-know politicians and policy makers in Latvia: Chairman of the Latvian Free Trade Unions Association Mr. Pēteris Krīgers, Chairwoman of the Commission of Social and Labor Issues, Latvian Parliament, Mrs. Aija Barča, and others. Besides lectures and discussions students took part in the field trip to Brukna community to see the practical implementation of theoretical principles. They received first-hand information about current development and hot issues discussed among professionals and policy makers, and practitioners in the field. Participants of the IP course were awarded with Certificate.