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curriculum that forces the bachelor’s program to reflect on the particular structure of its own curriculum. Moreover, in spite of the obligation to effectuate the Bologna rules by 2009, many European countries interpret the concrete implementation of the master’s program in various ways. In some countries, a one-year program is offered, while other countries concentrate on a two-year program. Some countries have had master’s programs in fine art for many years, whereas others hardly adhere to a deadline for the implementation of a master’s program. These clear-cut urgencies indicate a definite need for an international expert meeting and conference addressing the issue of the specificity of the Ma Fine Art programs. The conference A Certain Ma-Ness will take place in Amsterdam on March 7-8, 2008 and will be organized by the Utrecht Graduate School of Visual Art and Design in collaboration with the Brussels St. Lukas Academy. In order to explore the specificity of an academic master’s degree in fine art further, three distinct issues will be discussed. 1 The issue of the specificity of Ma-competencies. Is it possible to map the various skills required for the Ma-program particularly with regard to a reflective and critical attitude, and a conception of both knowledge production and research? 2 The issue of didactic strategies. Is it possible to determine how a MA curriculum is characterized? What are adequate didactic strategies and educational models? What is the relationship between those educational strategies and models and the research practice of lecturers? 3 The issue of the research environment. In what way -political, facilitating, infrastructural - could the Graduate School contribute to the development of a research climate in art education? The conference consists of two parts. On day one three parallel workshops will investigate the major issues. The first workshop is for students of various European art schools, the second one is for lecturers, and the third one for policy makers. The results of the workshops, summarized by their respective moderators, will serve as the starting points for the symposium on day two. Three panels will tackle the issues raised. Panel one, Competencies: Clementine Deliss and Simon Sheikh. Panel two, Didactic Strategies: Mick Wilson and Daniel Birnbaum. Panel three, Research Environment: Bart Verschaffel and Ute Meta Bauer. In MaHKUzine #5 - Summer 2008 - the conference lectures and outcomes will be extensively discussed and illustrated. More information: www.mahku.nl
mahkuzine 4, winter 2008