Competition for the selection of Higher Diplomas

The purpose of the Higher Diplomas is to coordinate the work of the Postgraduate Programs that make up the CLACSO Postgraduate Network around various thematic areas of the Social Sciences and Humanities.

Advanced Diplomas are structured around six or seven modules of three to four classes each, designed to introduce students to the most relevant aspects of the subject matter. Unlike seminars and specializations, Diplomas are introductory in nature, providing a framework that allows for a comprehensive and introductory overview of a topic or area of ​​knowledge.

The advanced diplomas will be taught within the Virtual Training Space, a platform with more than 20 years of experience in virtual education.

Within this framework, a call for applications is issued to teams of professors who are part of the postgraduate programs of the CLACSO Postgraduate Network to submit proposals for offering postgraduate diplomas during the second semester of 2021. If you would like to know if your postgraduate program is part of the Postgraduate Network Enter here.

• To create and strengthen Thematic Postgraduate Networks based on collaborative work around training, incorporating broader audiences than those from strictly academic fields around relevant areas of social sciences and humanities.

• To build training pathways that complement the training proposals offered by both CLACSO and the associated Postgraduate Networks, contributing to filling vacancies and promoting pedagogical innovations based on the use of the Council's training platform.  

1. Up to 6 proposals to be taught in the 2021 training cycle. 
2. The proposals will focus on topics considered relevant to the development of the social sciences and humanities, from a regional and comparative perspective.
3. Each network must consist of at least six representatives from postgraduate programs and may submit only one proposal. The coordination team will be composed of at least one research professor with a doctoral degree. Members of the Advanced Diploma program must hold a postgraduate degree and demonstrate theoretical and methodological training in the proposed topic, teaching and research experience, and basic proficiency in digital tools.
4. The program may combine classes in Spanish and Portuguese, interchangeably. Modules and classes will be taught in the language of presentation, without translation.

The selected proposals will receive a total of USD 6.000 in support to cover the roles of the coordinating team, the preparation and delivery of the classes, and the support of the team of tutors.

1. The Postgraduate Network team suggests forming teams coordinated by one or two professors. Modules can be taught by a minimum of six and a maximum of sixteen professors.

2. The advanced diplomas will consist of 6 or 7 work modules (3 to 4 classes per week). The first class will be dedicated to the presentation of the teaching team, the students, and the work proposal, and the last class will be for evaluation and closing the diploma. 

3. Diploma titles should be clear and comprehensive, appealing to the widest possible range of interested individuals. The following are good examples of diplomas whose programs were approved for delivery in previous editions:

• Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Pedagogical Problems.
• Advanced Diplomas in Publishing Policies. 

4. Each module comprises three to four classes, two discussion forums, and a list of required readings. No more than three required texts may be used per module, and students should be encouraged to consult the supplementary bibliographic resources. All texts must be digitized by the teaching team. 

5. The class can combine synchronous formats with written text or video recording. When it is a synchronous session, The class should last 1 hour and a halfIf it is a written text, it must have a minimum extension of 10 and a maximum of 15 veneers. When it comes to video, It must be no less than 40 minutes in duration.

6. Each week, an activity will be held between students and the teaching team. Teachers and students are expected to interact in the designated spaces. The teaching team will provide feedback on the contributions made by the students. This includes both synchronous and asynchronous activities.

The coordinating team:

1. You will need to coordinate the training proposal with the teaching teams that will teach each of the modules, presenting a teaching schedule and ensuring that the classes will be available within the agreed deadlines. 
2. To teach the opening and closing classes of the Diploma and to coordinate with the team of tutors the follow-up work of the students and the correction of the final integrative works.
3. They will need to have 4 hours available in the two weeks prior to the diploma ceremony to familiarize themselves with the use of the platform and to clarify any doubts regarding the work methodology.

The teaching teams responsible for the modules:

1. You will assume responsibility for the delivery of your module, which implies allocating the necessary time to complete the tasks involved in developing the training proposal. These tasks are:
2. Prepare the virtual classes and make them available to the students on the virtual platform well in advance.
3. Ensure access to the required and supplementary readings by uploading them to the virtual learning platform well in advance. The readings must be in the official language of the seminar (Spanish or Portuguese) and, preferably, should not exceed 80 pages per module. No more than two consecutive chapters from a publication may be included unless the copyright holder holds the rights.
4. They will need to have 4 hours available in the two weeks prior to the diploma ceremony to familiarize themselves with the use of the platform and to clarify any doubts regarding the work methodology.

 

1. The coordinating team will continuously evaluate students, taking into account academic criteria (content, participation in discussions, and the final project) and pedagogical criteria (including student participation on the platform and in the forums). To pass, students must participate in classes and forums; complete the required assignments and exercises according to the guidelines established by the teaching team; and submit an individual final project.

2. The coordinating team will establish recovery procedures for work submitted late or that has been disapproved, and will specify the criteria for its approval. 

3. It is suggested that the final integrative work be designed taking into account the following evaluation models:

  a) Write an article that brings into dialogue the topics covered in the diploma with those of the research projects or the topics of interest of each student. 

b) Select three modules from the diploma program, synthesizing and analyzing the learning and discussions that took place based on the questions and bibliography covered in those thematic blocks. Present this analysis in the form of an essay.

 c) Prepare a monograph that integrates the concepts or categories covered in the diploma.

The Final projects will be individual. and must have a minimum length of 10 veneers and a maximum length of 15 veneers. 

1. The student will pass with a minimum of 7 points on a scale of 1 to 10. This grade must be accompanied by a qualitative comment.
2. At the end of the diploma program, the diploma coordinators will send CLACSO the numerical grades of all students within a period that cannot exceed two months from the end of the program.

To participate in this call for applications, you must complete and submit the following documents online:

• Registration form with details of the coordinating team and the teaching team.

• Proposed program for the advanced diploma.

• A complete and developed class (ideally, the initial class).

The purpose of this class is to provide the jury evaluating the competition with a sample of the teaching approach to be developed in the diploma program. The teaching team will present a lesson, the required readings in digital format for that module, a description of the participation and exchange activities between students and professors, and other supplementary materials. 

• A brief presentation of the higher diploma in video format, with a minimum duration of one minute and a maximum duration of two minutes.  

The purpose of this video is to introduce interested parties to the topic of the diploma. The following link contains some reference templates that can help you create your own: 

https://youtu.be/cS1Hv4pQ5QM

https://youtu.be/ZpBmBLTI-78

The deadline for submitting applications It is December 10, 2020.

1. The evaluation of the proposals will be carried out by a jury composed of members of the Steering Committee and the Executive Secretariat of CLACSO.

2. All proposals will be reviewed for their formal and administrative aspects by the CLACSO Executive Secretariat to verify their compliance with the terms of reference of the call for proposals. This includes ensuring that the centers to which the postgraduate programs belong are up-to-date with their institutional membership dues. Proposals that meet all the requirements will be sent to the jury for evaluation.

3. The coordinators of each of the winning teaching teams will be notified by email and must sign a letter of commitment stipulating the obligations of both parties.
The results will be disseminated through the CLACSO website, social media and electronic mailing lists.

4. The selected proposals that reach the minimum number of enrolled students will receive a total support of US$6.000 (six thousand dollars) to ensure the tasks of coordination, preparation and delivery of classes and the performance of tutoring.

The coordinator can teach 1 module of classes excluding the opening and closing classes (which are included in the coordination fees).
The classes that make up the modules include:

- the recording of a 40-minute video, which must be sent well in advance.
- the preparation and coordination of one forum (if there are three classes) and two forums (if there are four classes).
- the bibliographic selection
- Teachers will have the support of tutors during the course of the classes/module.

The tasks of the tutors consist of:

• Log in to the platform daily, at least once a day except on weekends, ensuring that students' inquiries are up to date.
• Once the professor has started the forum, lead the discussion for each class. This involves keeping students engaged by encouraging group participation through questions and contributions.
• Summarize the main points raised in each forum, in relation to the class proposal and the bibliography.
• Manage and address any specific queries that may arise regarding the teaching proposal (where to find the material, difficulties in participation, etc.)
• Correct and evaluate partial and final assignments.

5. Payments will be made in two installments. The first installment will be paid one month after the diploma program begins (once the CLACSO Postgraduate Network coordination has received the final version of the academic program, a brief CV of the professors, and the original signed letter of commitment). The second installment will be paid once the classes have concluded and the final evaluation of the diploma program students has been completed.

6. Payments will be made by bank transfer. These transfers may only be made to a bank account where the account holder, or one of the account holders, is a member of the diploma program's teaching team. In all cases, it is essential to present an invoice or equivalent document, in accordance with the legislation in force in the teacher's country of residence, and the name of the issuer of the invoice must match the name of the bank account holder.

7. The support may not be used to cover indirect expenses of the institutions that support the application.