SOCIAL REALITIES IN MEXICO
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Abstract - Students' profile - Learning outcomes - Program contents - Program week by week - Accommodation - IBERO University profile - Mexico City - General requirements for participation - Application documents - Deadlines - Curricular value and credits - Cost - Payment politics - Cancellation politics - Contact
Abstract:
The 6-week course "Social Realities in Mexico" is an academic program meant to sharpen the students' awareness of the main development concerns and social challenges in Latin America. At the same time, the participants acquire specific knowledge, tools and methodology to contribute to the solution of those problems.
In addition to the academic input, the program aims to change the students’ world view through a first-hand experience that will have a long-lasting impact upon their return home.
The key success factors of the program are an appealing balance of academic and social activities, full immersion into the Mexican culture and society, and first-hand contact with experts and NGOs. All program components count with the quality standards of Iberoamericana University, one of Latin America’s highest ranked universities.
The mainstays of the program are:
1) Spanish language course
2) Thematic lectures, taught in English
3) Social service workshop, taught in English
4) Weekly thematic field trips
5) Cultural and touristic excursions
6) One-week study tour to southern Mexico
Students' profile:
Students participating in the program "Social Realities in Mexico" show passion for social and development issues, paired with a strong interest in regional studies about Mexico and Latin America. Your personal profile combines with the program if you...:
... are motivated to participate actively in an intensive program with ambitious academic content.
... wish to strengthen your analytical skills and broaden your general and specialized knowledge.
... feel prepared to live far from home for 6 weeks, in a different cultural environment and in one of the world's biggest cities.
... are enthusiastic to apply the knowledge and skills obtained in the program after returning home, to support the collective good.
... want to enrich your CV/résumé with a specialized program and/or wish to transfer academic credits to your home university.
... want to live an exciting personal experience that will definitely change your perspective of the world.
Learning outcomes:
The program is designed as a mixture of theoretical and practical elements, combining academic lectures, independent studies and weekly field visits to NGOs which address the specific topic of the week. Cultural activities and weekend trips complete the program. Particular knowledge and skills that will be obtained during the program are:
- Specific thematic insights: socio-cultural and socio-economic framework; social realities and development in Mexico and Latin America; indigenous and intercultural contexts (“Definition”: factual and conceptual knowledge, critical thinking skills).
- Basic methodology of social projects: Analysis of macro- and micro-environment, necessities, planning, implementation, evaluation (“Method:” procedural knowledge, problem solving skills).
- Deepen the acquired theoretical concepts through weekly field visits to real-life projects (“Example”: knowledge transfer, feedback with experts).
- Cognitive and communication skills: apply and communicate known solutions to predictable problems within the framework of the treated topics.
- Spanish language: acquirement of basic skills or improvement of pre-existing competences.
- Stimulation of intercultural and personal skills through an intensive immersion into the Mexican culture and society.
Program contents:
- Spanish language course (approx. 50 hours of instruction)
An intensive Spanish course is part of the program in order to consolidate the students’ knowledge or introduce them to a new language. Students are placed in different groups according to their level.
- Thematic lectures, taught in English (approx. 42 hours of instruction)
The topics are meant to provide the students with the relevant theoretical background for the program: development, poverty and exclusion, contemporary realities in Mexico and Latin America, indigenous topics.
- Social service workshop, taught in English (approx. 50 hours of instruction, plus time for individual study)
Introduction to the theoretical framework of service-learning, and to the methodology of planning, implementation and evaluation of social projects. Each week, the group will approach one specific topic, following the methodology “Definition– Method – Example”. The foreseen topics for 2017 are:
- General Introduction and overview
- Population and Environment
- Poverty and Social Security
- Human Rights and Migration
- Sustainable Economy
- Field trips
Weekly group visits to partner NGOs in Mexico City complement the specific topics outlined in class. On these trips, the students will have the opportunity to transfer knowledge and get feedback from experts, getting in first-hand contact with the target population.
- Cultural/touristic excursions
Weekend trips to touristic must-see sites in central Mexico and cultural activities complement the program.
- Buddy program
Upon request, each participant will be assigned a Mexican IBERO student who will help him/her to enhance the cultural immersion. The main idea is to strengthen the social networking and to have a first local contact prior to their arrival and throughout the program.
- Study tour
The program will conclude with a one-week study tour to one of the most beautiful and interesting states in southern Mexico: Chiapas. On this fascinating trip, the group will visit some of Mexico’s most important cultural and natural highlights, get in contact with the local indigenous population, and visit local organizations that deal with some of the topics that were discussed throughout the program.
Program content week by week: LINK
Accommodation:
During the program (week 1 - 5), the participating students live with a Mexican family or host parent who are part of IBERO's supervised homestay program. At the homes, breakfast and dinner is provided (included in the program fee). Laundry will be done once a week. Students will be placed in shared rooms, unless otherwise requested by the student. Upon request, the homestay option could be replaced by a hotel reservation. During the study tour to Chiapas, the group will stay in hotels in double occupation.
University profile - Iberoamericana University Mexico City:
Iberoamericana University ("IBERO") is considered one of Mexico's most prestigious universities, distinguished by high academic standards and a strong social commitment. The Mexico City campus, located within the Santa Fe business district (western part of town), hosts approximately 12,000 students. All regular students are required to do 480 hours of social service as a mandatory requirement for graduation. The short term program "Social Realities in Mexico" has been developed based on our long-standing experience of close collaboration with over 200 partner NGOs around the country.
Mexico City:
Mexico City, the oldest metropolis on the American continent, is situated in the central region of Mexico at about 2,240 meters (7,392 feet) above sea level, flanked by the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Previously known as the “City of Palaces”, the former capital of the Aztec empire today is a vibrant global city with international flair, where new and old traditions coexist. Mexico City is one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world and the country’s economic and cultural center.
As a melting pot of different cultures, and being a site of extreme contrasts between high tech and poverty, development and recess, the city provides a perfect setting for this kind of study programs.
General requirements for participation:
- Legal age at the moment the application is submitted.
- Formally enrolled at an accredited university, with good academic standing.
- Having completed 1 full year or more of university studies at the beginning of the program.
- Fluent English language skills. Spanish language skills will be helpful, though are not a requirement for participation.
Application documents:
- Copy of valid passport
- Filled out application form
- Transcript of grades from the home university
- Motivation letter (1 page)
- Payment of the $ 45 USD application fee
- Health certificate (may be submitted at a later stage of the application process)
- Comprehensive international health insurance (may be submitted at a later stage of the application process)
Deadlines:
- Application deadline: October 14th, 2016.
- Deadline for advance payment (50% of the program fee): October 31st, 2016.
Curricular value and credits:
The academic contents of the program are configured at a university undergraduate level and have curricular value. The overall workload comprises a minimum of 198 hours of academic activity on campus or in the field (lectures, workshops, individual study time, supervised field visits). In addition, individual preparation time has to be considered. The program is worth 22 IBERO credits. While the number of transfer credits must be determined by each home institution, we recommend that universities award 6-9 semester credits hours (U.S. system) or 12-18 ECTS (European system) for the program.
Cost:
The cost of the program is $2,850 USD. A 10% discount is granted for students from IBERO's partner universities. If three or more students from the same home university participate in the program (partner university or not), an additional 10% discount applies. A non-refundable application fee of $45 USD is due at the time the application documents are submitted.
The program fee includes:
- Tuition and program fees
- Domestic air fares (Mexico City to Chiapas and back)
- Housing (homestay with a Mexican family), 40 nights
- Laundry once a week
- Hotel costs during the Chiapas study tour, 5 nights
- Transport to and from airport
- Breakfasts
- Dinners (weeks 1 - 5)
- 1 Dinner in San Cristóbal de las Casas (week 6)
- 1 Lunch at Teotihuacán excursion
- Free access to campus facilities (gymnasium, infirmary, computer labs, etc.)
- Local group transportation
- Entrance fees & guides
- Printout material
- Cultural/social activities and weekend trips
The program fee does not include:
- International air fare to Mexico
- International health insurance
- Personal expenses
- Lunch
- Transportation from the individual accommodation to the university and back
Payment policy:
The non-refundable application fee ($45 USD) has to be paid online prior to the submission of the program application (the payment details will be sent by email upon request). An advance payment of 50% of the overall program cost is required by October 31. The outstanding amount will be charged upon arrival of the students, during the first week of classes.
Cancellation policy:
A minimum of 6 registered students is required to run the program. The maximum of students admitted to the program is 20.
If an admitted student cancels his/her participation before the official arrival date (January 5th), a 50% refund of all payments done (excluding the application fee) shall be granted. After the official arriving date, no refund can be done.
Contact:
Universidad Iberoamericana
Student Mobility Office
Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma 880, Lomas de Santa Fe
01219 Ciudad de México, Mexico
Tel.: (+52) 55 5950 4000, ext. 4688
SOCIAL REALITIES IN MEXICO
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