UNICA Euromaster in Urban Studies (4 Cities): Curriculum Development Project

UNICA Euromaster in Urban Studies (4Cities) is a two-year interdisciplinary and international programme conducted jointly by 6 UNICA member Universities: Université libre de Bruxelles, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, University of Copenhagen, University of Vienna, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, and Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

NEW! In July 2012, the 4 Cities was accepted as an Erasmus Mundus programme as one of 30 successful applications, out of a total of 177 applications submitted.

Website: http://www.4cities.eu/ 

Budthe curriculum development grant: 191,900€

Programme philosophy: The programme wants to break up and to open the national perspective on urban problems. The growing importance of globalisation calls for a new approach in important fields of urban policy like culture, economy, and urban planning. The 4Cities takes students to Brussels, Copenhagen, Vienna, Madrid and a number of surrounding cities. 

The strength of this Masters programme lies in the integration of analytical skills typical for (social) sciences and more design-oriented skills of planning and architecture. The need for interdisciplinary knowledge and skills as opposed to the more narrowly defined academic disciplines is strong.

Programme pillars:

• Glocalisation: the processes of globalisation and localisation as a general context leading to a renewed importance of the city and urbanity in the 21st century. 
• Europe as the unit of analysis: Europe and the European unification process is seen as part of and a reaction to this globalisation processes. Our scope is Europe seen through its cities and urban networks.
• Interdisciplinarity and internationality as an added value. the programme focuses on the socio-spatial analysis of cities.
• Education build on strong cases: Brussels (capital of the EU) – Copenhagen (the Scandinavian epitome), Vienna (metropolis at the centre of Europe), Madrid (Mediterranean city) and a number of surrounding cities.
• Importance of fieldwork: research experience in each city and comparative or transnational research as the basis for a final Master thesis