What is EMA-PS?

• The EMA-PS programme was set up by a network of universities

including the University of Malta, the Università di Roma “La Sapienza”

and the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland). Its aim was to design and operate a Master’s Degree course in Creativity.

• In December 2003 EMA-PS obtained the 3rd largest of the 50 grants the EU gave for the generation of new Master’s courses.

• The EMA-PS Steering Team is a network of Academics, Artists, Scientists, Researchers, Entrepreneurs and Economists with a socio-economic vision, aiming to tackle six of the EU’s seven transversal policies.

• With the complex structure carefully elaborated between 2004 and 2006 EMA-PS eventually launched the programme’s 1st cycle in 2007 as

MSPC – Master in the Science of Performative Creativity

• MSPC brings together academics, researchers, practitioners and graduates in an interdisciplinary exploration of recent discoveries on the workings of the human mind.

• These discoveries are in turn affording us new insights, which are shedding new light onto one of our most amazing faculties – the Human Being’s unique ability to be CREATIVE.

• In times of upheaval, as these we are living now, those insights could open up golden opportunities – as we strive to seek fundamentally new solutions to problems we ourselves have generated.

• This search demands of us that we unleash that unique faculty of ours – our Creativity.

As far back as August 2005, the highly influential journal, Business Week,

warned global and multinational companies, in a 50 page dossier, to stop investing in the Knowledge Economy.

“The Knowledge Economy paradigm is over. Invest in it at your peril”the Business Week dossier warned.

“It is being steadily overtaken by The Creativity Economy.”

The world has now just about started to see what that means.

“The Creativity Economy”

has nothing to do with“The Creative Economy”

The developments from autumn 08 onwards showed that.

The Creativity Economy

is something fundamentally different.

The Creativity Economy

requires of us that we structure our way of lifeon the human being’s ability to be creative –

to be creative in interacting with

our Environment, our Education systems, our Social Fabrics, our Economic Networks, our Business and Management Strategies,

our Interpersonal Relationships…

in short, it asks WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN.

Why is it that MSPC focuses on studying the Performer –

the theatre performer, the sportsman?

Brain research is proving that today’s highly demanding and sophisticated training regimens

potentiate

Memory Systems, Learning Programmes and thus – Creativity.

MSPC guides students to inquire into

contexts which encourage Creativity and contexts which inhibit it.

• poised at the core of the emerging economic paradigm, now being hailed as “The Creativity Economy”.

• set to impact social structures, educational and economic systems, management, business…

• in short, it is set to ask WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN.

As a consequence, MSPC is

Why the PERFORMER ?Performance - this word is today used much more than it ever was before.

We speak of the performance of: • an economy• an educational system• a car • an investment portfolio• a politician• a currency• an employee• a manager

The word “performer” dates back to 13th-15th Century Latin, French & Old High German.

Its etymological root is “fournir” (to give). Its prefix “per-” indicates “completely” – eg “permeate”, “persuade”, “perforate”. Originally it thus implied the giving of oneself completely.

A linguistic slip changed the “n” to “m”, hiding the original meaning.

The way we have today extended its use has very interesting implications.

Innovation

• MSPC primarily looks at the strengthening of memory systems and learning processes and the facilitation of creativity

• Research focuses around the following areas of study:

– Cognitive Neuroscience

– Cognitive Psychology

– Philosophy

– Sport Sciences

– Performer Studies

..... as well as Business Management and Marketing

• MSPC brings together new insights into:

– Learning

– Memory

– Creativity …

… as these are already having great implications on areas such as:

– Socio-cultural relations

– Public Policy

– Education

– Communication

– Corporate Culture

– Business Operations

– Marketing

– Quality of Life

– Research & Development

– Development of New Products and Technologies

As a result these will have great implications on:

– Ethics

– Motivation

– Empowerment

– Human Development

– Co-operation and Interaction

– Thinking Processes and Problem Solving

– Decision Making

– Equality and Gender Issues

– Non-Discrimination, Inclusivity and Diversity

– Interpersonal Relationships

1. Scientists use new technologies to probe the brain, asking how it develops, how its social and physical context shapes it to become a mind

2. Increasing computing power helps cognitive scientists and modellers get to grips with the processes involved in reasoning, learning, decision making…

3. Researchers with an interest in human behaviour increasingly try to understand the mind in terms of human evolutionary and cultural contexts – which has been the central concern of all cultural and artistic development

4. Philosophers are increasingly interested in issues of mind/brain and consciousness.

Now is the time to bring all this together

“What it Means to be Human” – this is the name of a report submitted by N.E.S.T., to the European Commission in December 2005.

N.E.S.T. is a High Level Expert Group, detailed by the Commission to propose a long term direction for

European Research.

“What it Means to be Human” – this is the name of a report submitted by N.E.S.T., to the European Commission in December 2005.

N.E.S.T. is a High Level Expert Group, detailed by the Commission to propose a long term direction for

European Research.

“What is it to be Human?” – this is the slogan EMA-PS’s proponents chose in January 2005… fully ELEVEN MONTHS AHEAD of that report.

EMA-PS and MSPC are at the cutting edge.

Creativity

Think of it:

If you get to know how cars start each time you turn the ignition key…

could that make you a better driver?

And the answer of course is “NO!”

But now:

If you get to know HOW YOUR BRAIN FUNCTIONS WHEN IT

PERFORMS THOSE MIRACLES EVERY SINGLE MOMENT…

could THAT make you more creative?

And the answer to THAT question is “ABSOLUTELY YES!”

• The programme’s point of departure is unique – it focuses on one thing: on the ORIGINS of Learning, Memory and Creativity –

on their Genesis.

• The program’s Research faces long standing questions such as:

– What enables creativity?

– Why are some people more creative than others?

– What contexts enable individuals to develop their creative powers, their inventiveness, entrepreneurial skills?

– What contexts, on the contrary, inhibit all that?

– How does the human being take decisions and make choices? Even simple ones, such as:

• What clothes to buy ?

• What to have for lunch?

Three categories for the programme’s Aims & Objectives:

1. Guiding students towards a future of change & creativity

2. Enabling its graduates to find professional work openings

3. Providing a learning humus for professionals to engage in research, to continuously develop their professional activity and to stimulate creativity in working environments.

To guide students in their learning so that they may:

• Immerse themselves in the complex realities of

international and multicultural activity,

equipping themselves for a changing world.

 • Work themselves towards the broader paradigm emerging –

that of the Creativity Economy, so as to become

Strategists of Creativity and Innovation.

Category 1

To assist its graduates to work professionally in fields where :

• They can contribute to the EU’s transversal policies, helping to resolve: social inequalities, injustices, discrimination, cultural and economic deprivation.

• They will stimulate developments in Education.

• They can utilise Sport and Performance to promote the spirit of collaboration and resolve confrontation.

• They can generate a desire for more creativity in managerial, business and economic contexts, in environmental management, in the formulation of public policy.

Category 2

• Engage in higher research in cognitive science, sports sciences, performing arts, cultural theory, business management, marketing and globalisation studies.

• Develop and strengthen their teaching prowess in sport and in the performing arts.

• Attain higher creative qualities in environmental matters, in educational strategies, in business management, in marketing.

Category 3

To provide a learning humus for Professionals to :

MSPC graduates will also find scope to:

Help organizations create successful corporate cultures Aid organizations to motivate people to work together Assist product developers gain an increased psychological

understanding of truly human needs

Help organizations design new products Contribute to a more collaborative and creative society - one

constantly seeking to truly better itself and its relational contexts

Why Now?

Because MSPC’s Proponents Have Been Working On It Since 1993.

Because the upheavals of our times are asking for Creativity.

Because the need for it is finally being recognised.

How?

• All disciplines are taught by leading academics renowned for their deep understanding of their respective fields.

• One of the programme’s most innovative aspects is its teaching: most lectures are delivered jointly, with lecturers from two or more disciplines making their disciplines converge.

• The MSPC programme spans two academic years. A student goes through periods of individual guidance in the university s/he chooses as host.

• Lecturing periods see the entire student cohort converge at one university of the network in the first year and a different one in the second year. Each student will thus study in at least two of the universities in the network.

• Student projects will involve two of the programme’s disciplines.

The MSPC cycle of studies6 Compulsory Study-Units – 86 ECTS and a Dissertation - 34 ECTS

Calendar Distribution of Tuition

Sem1

3 Oct 2011 – 18 Nov 2011

ORIENTATION SEMINARS Guidance in the course’s interdisciplinarity; language course if needed

21 Nov 2011 – 16 Dec 2011

PART A of each of the 6 study-units

9 Jan 2012 – 3 Feb 2012

Sem2

6 Feb 2012 – 9 Mar 2012

ORIENTATION SEMINARS Guidance towards research projects.

12 Mar 2012 – 11 May 2012

PART B of each of the 6 study-units

14 May 2012 – June 2012 (till end of semester)

ORIENTATION SEMINARS Guidance towards research projects.

Summer recess

Sem3

1 Oct 2012 – 19 Dec 2012

PART C of each of the 6 study-units

Sem4

19 Dec 2012 – June 2013 (till end of semester; possibility to spread into September)

RESEARCHwriting up of project (about 25,000 words, 34 ECTS) and defence of dissertation.

Mobility Pattern

1st Year of each two-year cycle

Semester 1: 7 weeks in the Host University7 weeks of lecturing

in University 1 of the cycle

Semester 2: 14 weeks of lecturing in University 1 of the cycle

2nd Year of each two-year cycle

Semester 1: 11 weeks of lecturing in University 2 of the cycle

Semester 2: Return to the Host University for research work and writing of dissertation

Lecturer and student mobility will be partly covered by ERASMUS grants. EMA-PS is working towards securing corporate funding.

How and Where?

designed by brndwgn.com

http://www.EMA-PS.com