Alþjóðamálastofnun og Rannsóknasetur um smáríki

The Centre for Small State Studies at the University of Iceland holds an intensive two week summer course, focusing on small states and the European integration process. The course brings together some of the best scientists in the field of small states studies who have a combined knowledge in various disciplines such as political science, economics, history, public policy and sociology. The 2009-2011 programs focus on small states, European integration and security.

The Summer School for the year 2010 will be held from Monday, June 21st until Saturday, July 3rd, concluding with an exam.

Icelandic students should apply directly through the Central Registration Office at the University of Iceland (Nemendaskrá). The registration numbers for the course are: STJ423G - for B.A. students and ASK029F - for M.A. students.

International students from the fourteen partner universities listed below must apply directly through their own universities (contact person listed below). Each partner university nominates two students to participate in the program. Travel and accommodations are paid for by the program for these students.

Partner institutions and contact persons are:

Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK - Clive Archer
Lund University in Sweden - Annica Young Kronsell
University College of Södertörn in Sweden - Ann-Catherine Jungar
University of Malta - Isabelle Calleja
Vilnius University in Lithuania - Algimantas Jankauskas
University of Copenhagen in Denmark - Anders Wivel
University College Cork in Ireland - Andrew Cottey
Limerick University in Ireland - Peadar Kirby
University of Ljubljana in Slovenia - Jernej Pikalo
Leiden University in the Netherlands - Richard Griffiths
University of Economics in Bratislava, Slovakia - Boris Mattos
Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia - Tiina Randma-Liiv
University of St. Andrews in Scotland - Marc Lanteigne
University of Luxembourg - Patrick Dumont

International students from other Universities can apply to the 2010 Small States Summer School using the form Summer School Application Form. Please note that no grants are available to students from non-partner universities and the Centre for Small State Studies cannot provide visa support services to students from outside the EEA/Schengen area. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2010.

The program is open to students at both the undergraduate and graduate level from any country. Students outside of the partner schools listed below must cover their own expenses. The cost of attendance for the summer school is €650 which includes tuition and fees.

General Description

Objectives
The 2009-2011 programs´ objective is to focus on solutions that small states can in theory and have made in practice for their security arrangements. In the European context, these include entering NATO and/or the EU and participating in OSCE and sub-regional arrangements of various kinds. Both external and internal aspects of security will be covered and the applicability of concepts such as functional and societal security will be explored.

Course Requirements
All students must have full command of the English language. Students are expected to be familiar with the main outlines of the European Union’s institutional structure and policy areas prior to the course. Students must also read the required reading assignment by each teacher.

Course Evaluation
B.A. students: Journal (50%, 10-12 pages), Written examination (50%).
M.A. student: Journal (50%, 18-20 pages), Written examination (50%).
During the course, the students will be expected to attend all sessions and to undertake the reading assignments. There will be a written examination at the end of the course.

Credits/Learning outcome
The course counts as eight ECTS towards undergraduate and graduate studies. Qualification for the ECTS requires participants to attend all parts of the course. The home university may require additional coursework to make credits up to the number required by the home university for their own academic degree requirement.

What is the ECTS?
The ECTS system was developed by the European Comission in order to prove common procedures to guarantee academic recognition. This system gives student an opportunity to transfer learning achievements from one university to another but also it provides a way of measuring and comparing these learning achievements. To give example of the ECTS scales an average course load for an academic year is 60 ECTS.

Expenses
Each partner University nominates two students to participate in the course and those students receive a travel and accommodation grant from ERASMUS. Those nominated students must take care of planning their travel to and from Iceland but the Centre for Small State Studies will reimburse the air tickets of students coming from Europe. The Centre also covers the cost of accommodation for the duration of the course. Accommodation is arranged in guesthouses in Reykjavík. The rooms are booked from the night before the school begins until the night after the course. Other students than those who are specifically nominated by the partner Universities are welcome to apply directly to the Centre for Small State Studies (ams@hi.is) but they will have to take care of their own expenses, flights and accommodation.