BESPOKE ADVICE TO ACADEMIC COURSE COORDINATORS



“I would have never expected that a 30 min. flipchart session could be so helpful in clarifying the core aspects of a blended model for multidisciplinary integration in higher education! The UCCRN_edu [Erasmus +] project will benefit a lot from such valuable advice.”

Dr. Mattia Leone, architect and associate professor, Department of Architecture (DiARC) University of Naples Federico II, Italy. Also co-director of the Urban Climate Change Research Network - European Hub (UCCRN) and Coordinator of the Erasmus+ UCCRN-EDU project.


Our approach is especially suitable for Erasmus+ funded programmes.
As academic course coordinator, you are always in the middle of either designing a curriculum from scratch - or, perhaps more likely, re-desiging and reassembling a curriculum - most likely, under some time pressure. Our Studio comes alongside you, and partners with you to ensure an impactful educational curriculum design: an effective learning curve, and resilience well into the coming decade.

What makes us unique is that we bridge silos between your (architecture, urban, climate) content (research, projects), and the body of knowledge and practice of effective curriculum design. We nevertheless never tell you what to teach. It is just that... you don't start from scratch with us. We get the field where you are coming from, and keep an active interest in the field of climate, urbanism and architecture. We dare ask you really good questions. We take your pedagogical ideas, and amplify and deepen them for your (re)design.

We are also unique, because we always mind your financial trade-offs as a realitycheck, so that our design never loses a sense of reality, remains marketable.

We work with a unique (re-)design studio, to optimally align with your unique nature, setting and needs. Our Studio curated a set of design angles that have become part of our craft and methodology and philosophy on how we partner with you around a concrete output with optimal impact. The constellation of design angles, is a bespoke assignment for you and your course.

As course coordinator, a (re)design inevitably implies a change to something new, fresh - and this might be simple, or complex in your context. As a Studio we stay light, in between people, teams and departments and therefore do not lead such a change trajectory (see our value system). We are however well equipped to give independent advise in the middle of a change for impact, to strenghten your own role as a change agent within your institution.

Price
Our Studio gives you the desired result and impact, as a package price for your bespoke assignment.

Our agile approach, in between people and organisations, is especially suitable for coordinators who are also themselves in charge of a project budget, such as Erasmus+ Programmes.

We work with an intake, in which we scope the form of the work and result needed (and your deadlines). Based on that intake we offer you a quotation for the entire package. Such an intake can be rather simple, and match your need for a quick output (see set-up below). Or, more comprehensive, depending on what you need (have a look for instance under financial health and resilience).

For smaller assignments we follow this simple set-up for the intake (250 euro):
1.    60 min onboarding (listening to your problem, to understand where you are stuck, what you’re trying to do). If possible in a live meeting, alternatively in a call
2. You send a one-page document with a more specific explanation of your issue
3. 1 hour advice giving you several alternatives - remotely
4. You choose one alternative
5. We formulate the quotation for you for an advisory trajectory leading to a curriculum design.

The intake session results in a briefing and accompanying tailor-made quotation for the entire bespoke assignment to realise the desired result.

Obviously, this intake quotation becomes a discount on an assignment should we proceed together.

Key projects

[Latest project follows soon, pre-spring 2024]




Tikvah Breimer was invited to join, and took a train to Paris, to attend and observe the delivery of a longstanding Urban Design Climate Workshop (UDCW) for students. The workshop was part of the recently kicked-off Erasmus+ UCCRN_edu programme - and its partners. A challenge faced by the professors who designed and delivered the decade strong workshop, was how to optimally use the new value and meaning of ‘face to face’ time, and gain clarity about the pedagogical essence of the interdisciplinary curriculum for this specific 1 week workshop. Tikvah gave a brief advisory session tackling 5 points of attention and follow up (spring 2022). Have a listen too, to the open interview Tikvah conducted with the coordinator as scoping (see under Audio Podcast).

Our Audio Podcast

Audio Podcast Clip: Scoping interview with Mattia Leone (Associate Professor)
University of Naples Federico II (UNINA)
Department of Architecture (DiARC)Director of the UCCRN_edu Blended Master Degree on Climate-Resilient Urban Design (Erasmus+ Program)Prefer to read? Transcript
Listen on: Acast Spotify Apple
Release end academic year ‘22/‘23

Associate professor Mattia Leone gives a lively and inspiring solo-talk about his lived-experience with designing and piloting an entire blended master degree at European level. He ends with a personal note for other coordinators at European level.

Do you recognise some of the issues he brings up?

Photo: Napels. Breimer 2012.

Related publications

The paper below featured in a qualitative Dutch newspaper, NRC Handelsblad, under ‘NRC Future Affairs’ on June 19, 2021. It was part of our event in the Conference on the Future of Europe.




More advice we do

Did you know that our Studio is continuously involved first hand in working with the exit-goals of master courses and degrees? We also have a good concept of where students might struggle - or: long to excell. We translate that back directly into our advice to you as coordinator. Have a look here.

Other European projects we are involved in in a mentoring role, include New European Bauhaus, where our independent senior advisor is part of the pool of design mentors on inclusiveness. The mentees are professionals in the field of architecture mostly.

Launched by the European Commission, the New European Bauhaus translates the European Green Deal into a tangible, positive experience in which all Europeans can participate and progress together.

Follow NEB on LinkedIn and Instagram.




Curios? Feel free to contact our senior advisor and teacher trainer directly:
tikvah@studioblended.com

We are here especially for you as unique course/training coordinator, to come alongside you and partner with you, as you work on a (architecture / urban / water / climate) curriculum, so that you can offer effective and resilient education in all simplicity.

StudioBlended Foundation 2023

Prefer to have direct contact? Feel free:
tikvah@studioblended.com
+31 6 42 47 29 69



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StudioBlended Foundation


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About us

We are here especially for you as unique course/training coordinator, to come alongside you and partner with you, as you work on a (architecture / urban / water / climate) curriculum, so that you can offer effective and resilient education in all simplicity.