Welcome! from the Project Coordinator
Dear Readers,
The first year of the first edition of our Masters Programme has now been concluded successfully. All 18 students have completed successfully the first year of the programme, with the first semester at the University of Malt and the second semester at the University of Crete. The students are now taking a break before starting their second year at the University of Lisbon, and Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava respectively. They have also submitted their dissertation proposal and are making plans for data collection in the coming months. The first part of the summer school has also been completed, with the second part taking part at a specialised refugee centre in Romania. In the meantime, we are also happy to announce that 21 new students will be starting the programme on 30th September 2024. These include both scholarship and self funded students. With over 600 applications for scholarships only, it was a hard task for the selection committee to select from the hundreds of highly qualified applicants. We are looking foreward to welcome our new group in the coming months while continuing to support the first cohort in their second year. Finally a message to those who were not awarded a scholarship: the scholarship applications for the third edition will open in November 2024; you may also seek to find alternative funding from your own country or other international institutions.
Professor Carmel Cefai,
FLOURISH Project Coordinator
Information sessions for second edition 2024
Information Seminar at the University of Lisbon, 3rd May 2024
On May 3rd 2024, the Faculty of Human Kinetics at the University of Lisbon, Portugal hosted a blended seminar for our Joint Master Programme. The seminar featured both in-person and online participation, with 64 attendees. Coordinators from each EMJM partner joined online to present the program and its semester-specific features. These included Prof. Carmel Cefai (University of Malta), Prof. Anastassios Matsopoulos (University of Crete), Prof. Adina Colomeischi (University Stefan cel Mare Suceava), and Professors Celeste Simões, Paula Lebre, Carolina Carvalho, and Ana Sofia Pinho (University of Lisbon). Two inaugural edition students, Farhana Yesmin and Gift Onyinyechi Oparah, shared their experiences. A notable highlight was an address by Professor Marcia Melo from University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Associate Partner, on developing educational programs for vulnerable populations in Brazil.
Information Session at the University of Malta, 24th June 2024
On June 24th 2024, the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health at the University of Malta organized an information session for those interested in the Joint Master in Resilience in Educational Contexts. Program coordinator Professor Carmel Cefai introduced the Master’s program and its objectives, structure and features. The session featured also introductory videos from the University of Crete, the University of Lisbon, and the University of Stefan cel Mare. Prof. Adina Colomeischi (University of Stefan cel Mare) and Professor Matsopoulos (University of Crete) also addressed participants via zoom and video. Student representatives Farhana Yesmin and Gift Onyinyechi Oparah shared their experiences as students on the program. Special Guest Speaker, Dr. Cosmin Nada from the University of Porto, Portugal concluded the session with a presentation on European-level initiatives supporting wellbeing and school success for all.
Information seminar at Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava,
On May 30, 2024, the University Stefan cel Mare Suceava hosted an Information Conference to introduce the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master “Resilience in Educational Contexts” (EMJM FLOURISH). This programme, developed within a European university consortium, focuses on global resilience and human flourishing. Vice-Rector Stefan Purici discussed internationalisation, while Associate Professor Adina Colomeischi and Petruta Rusu, PhD, presented the programme’s history and key themes. Representatives from local organisations working with people with disabilities and refugees shared their insights on community resilience. Attendees included students from USV and “Yuriy Fedkovich” in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.
Summer school 2024
The summer school of the first edition is taking place in 2024 through various activities. On 18th June 2024 students attended a one day online workshop on resilience interventions in South Africa led by Miché Conway, educational psychologist, organised in collaboration with Professor Linda Theron, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Some students also attended conferences on resilience and related areas over the summer months. Later on this year, students will be spending a number of days at a specialised centre for migrant and refugee children in Romania, organised by Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava.
Second cohort 2024-2026
We are pleased to announce that 21 students will be starting the second edition of the programme on the 30th September 2024. We have 18 scholarship students and another 3 self funded students from different parts of the world, including Nicaragua, Philippines, Colombia, Ecuador, Vietnam, Iran, Turkey, Brazil, Pakistan, Romania, USA, Israel, Ghana, Armenia, Indonesia, Colombia, Nigeria, China, Italy, Luxembourg and Bangladesh.
What our students are saying
In this interview with student Gift Onyinyechi Oparah, we explore the motivations, experiences, and insights of a dedicated student in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Programme. Prompted by the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, especially for underprivileged children, our interviewee shares her journey from initial inspiration to the challenges and rewards encountered during the first year of the programme. She speaks about the academic rigor, social and cultural enrichment, and the program’s focus on mental health, socio-emotional learning, and resilience.
>To read the interview click here<
Our Professors: Professor Linda Theron, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Join us as Professor Linda Theron, PhD, a distinguished professor in the Department of Educational Psychology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa shares her insights on the Joint Master in Resilience in Educational Contexts and its impact on fostering resilience in educational environments. You can watch the video featuring Professor Theron here:
Podcasts
Discover the journey of resilience in educational contexts through the insightful discussions in the Flourish Project podcasts. In the first episode, join Flourish Project manager Christian Debono as he engages with Professor Carmel Cefai, the coordinator of the Joint Master in Resilience in Educational Contexts. The podcast addressed frequently asked questions and provided an overview of the program’s objectives and structure.
Continue the exploration in the second episode, where Professor Anastassios Matsopoulos from the University of Crete speaks with student representatives Vasiliki Chatziefthymiou and Farhana Yesmin. They share their first-hand experiences during their first year on the programme, with particular reference to the second semester in Rethymno, Crete. This episode offers a deeper look into the program’s impact on its students and their personal growth.
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- One group of the first cohort of students will be starting the 3rd semester on the 16th September at the University of Lisbon in Portugal and another group on the 30th September 2024 at the University of Stefan Cel Mare in Sucaeva, Romania.
- Applications for the 3rd cohort scholarships will open in November 2024.
