The International Educating Class - for more than 10 years, an International Living Lab
Breakout Session 1
Project
Hogeschool UC Leuven-Limburg
2009 -
Since 2009, the post-graduate certificate programme International Educating Class or PIEC is a UNESCO inspired programme at the UCLL that has been helping to develop global peace-builders and changemakers through sustainable development education. PIEC is a holistic 'class-based' curriculum where students over the period of a semester or a year are introduced to subjects, topics and methods that support them in developing skills that will allow them to meet the challenges of the future, their future. Through this experience of being somewhat 'pushed' together in a class with students from around the globe, they go through a life-changing process together and make friends and build networks that can support and inspire them throughout their lives.
This 'class' experience and process is really like social laboratory, that is sometimes messy, but always exciting and innovative. Students grow personally and learn not only about the world, but especially about themselves and their place in it.
Speakers
Melanie van Oort-Hall
Lecturer and co-coordinator Post-graduate Educating Class
Dr. Melanie van Oort-Hall is a Lecturer and Co-Coordinator in the Post-graduate Educating Class (PIEC) for sustainable development education - A UNESCO inspired program for educators. She began her career in advertising and design and has BAs in Political Science and International Relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and MA's and Ph.D. in Religious Studies and Theology (KULeuven). Besides academic publications on theological and philosophical themes, she lectures and collaborates on several European projects. Her courses include for example Global Citizenship Education and writing and critical-thinking abilities. She has worked on various European and Belgian projects, amongst others From Peer to Peer for developing models to combat bullying in schools, OOF Inclusive Excellence, BEHAVE for developing models to deal with SEBDs in schools as well as TEACHmi.
Chindu Blaise Nze
Student 2020-2021 of the post-graduate International Education Class
Mr. Blaise Nze was born in Nigeria and has degrees in Chemistry and Education. He was a student of the post-graduate International Educating Class in 2020-2021 and is currently a Master's student in Education at the KU Leuven.