Nansen Dialogue Network (NDN) is recruiting students for another class of Applied Conflict Transformation Studies (ACTS). The two-year part-time course, which results in a Master´s degree, is a cooperation project between the University of Novi Sad, NDN and Responding to Conflict (UK). Below is further information, also on how to apply. (24-JUNE-06)
  

BRIEF INFORMATION ON ACTS PROGRAMME
The course is designed for people who want to develop skills and wider competence they need to build greater peace and justice in their own communities and countries. Participants will be working in fields such as peace, human rights, and development, or looking for ways to become engaged in these, or related fields.
Organisations involved in these activities also have interest in ACTS as participation in this programme will improve their efficiency and competence in the field.
 ACTS programme is implemented in different regions in the World: the Balkans, East Africa and SE Asia. In each of these regions, ACTS will focus on specific regional and local issues.
 There are no racial, ethnic, religious or gender restrictions to participate in the ACTS programme. It is desirable that participants come from different ethnic groups. As ACTS is region-oriented programme it will provide great benefit not only to the local staff, but also to international activists who work in the region as they will get better insight into local issues.
Because participants and tutors will be of different nationalities and the reading list is in English, the course will be held in the English language. That is why it is a prerequisite for all participants to be fluent in English.
ACTS is a two-year part-time course. The first year of the course will focus on three core topics, which will have both global and local content. Throughout the first year participants will be introduced to the Action Research methodology and will have the opportunity to engage in it through small research projects.
The second year of the course will also consist of three modules, which will focus on one major Action Research project.
These modules are:

The First Year :
· Building the foundations: Theories of conflict, conflict transformation skills and action research methodology,
· Conflict, Power and Change: Engaging with Actors, Systems, Structure and Policies,
· Designing and Facilitating Conflict Transformation Processes;

The Second Year :
· Action Research,
· Building theory from practice,
· Action Research results and taking it forward.

Each module consists of a ten-day workshop and work-based application of
knowledge and individualised reading related to action research.

 During the residential component of the modules three tutors will guide the day-to-day process. Two of the tutors will be from the region, and the third will be an international tutor. 
Local academics and other resource people will be invited to share their expertise for specific sessions, as required by the learning needs of the group. Tutors from the region are from the University of Novi Sad and Nansen Dialogue Network, and international tutors are from Responding to Conflict (UK).

For satisfactory completion of the course, participants will be required to:

· participate actively in all sessions of all the modules
· keep a learning journal during the course which reflects their learning and their personal responses
· complete three assignments which are formally assessed. Each of these is related to the action research being undertaken
· complete an Action Research project. This will be presented to their “learning group” and to the wider peace building community in the final workshop at the end of year two.

Completion of the course will result in a Master’s degree.

 Organisations interested in the aforementioned field are invited to support their employees, financially and in any other ways as knowledge and skills offered by ACTS will bring them certain benefit in their future work.

Next course will start in October 2006. If you would like to apply please submit the application form no later than 31 July 2006 to ACTS Programme, Nansen Dialogue Centre, Serbia, at e-mail: acts@sezampro.yu.