Welcome to the Department of Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education

The Department of the Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education seeks to engage different sectors of society by addressing cultural, political, artistic and 21st century open educational practices, and by promoting local and international research within the broad spectrum of lifelong education. The department aims to develop strong educational links between visual, theatrical and musical practices and wider contexts that impact on various audiences, like the digital domain, media, museums and cultural or community-based groups. Through collaborative modes of production and mediation and critical pedagogies that engage young and adult learners, the department seeks to help to redefine the role of the arts and culture in society through the lens of education.

Goals to serve this mission:

• preparation for and critical engagement with the local and international socio-economic environment
• promotion of multiple and innovative pedagogies (face-to-face, blended and online) to reach out to  professionals and community members
• development of outreach programmes in the creative arts and media with community members and cultural institutions
• setting up of communities that would work towards participation in current debates and practices in the creative industries and alternative media for teaching and learning with the support of recognised experts in the field
• provision of courses and projects leading to different suitable qualifications for practitioners in the fields of adult education, open communities, art education, drama education and music education
• active participation in international projects and joint degree programmes
• provision, supervision and dissemination of research locally and internationally
• participation in and activation of local and international networks in adult and community education
• active participation in local and international projects focusing on the mediation, curation and dissemination of artistic work, alternative pedagogical strategies in contemporary art,  and practice-based educational research
• development and production of engaged artistic interventions in social and educational contexts.