Linking and innovating in European History curricula

The CLIOHnet web site states the following about the importance of History:
History is a powerful, but often unrecognised, force in shaping basic attitudes towards society, and in creating forms of identity or conflict.
The way History is taught determines deeply rooted attitudes in men, women and children, in policy makers, businessmen, intellectuals and the media.
History is too important to be left to chance.

CLIOH = Creating Links and Innovative Overviews to enhance Historical perspective in European culture. It is a network involving History Departments participating in the Socrates programme. Its activities are partially financed by the EU. The Network meets twice a year (May, October).

CLIOH is a large scale project involving participants from 38 European universities. . The primary motor and Project Co-ordinator is Ann Kathrine Isaacs, Professor of Modern History at the University of Pisa. (note that modern Italian history starts in the Middle Ages) The network began as a ECTS Pilot project in 1989. The group of Universities involved in the original ECTS History Network were selected by the European Commission to experiment with and implement the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). Their work focused on innovating the ways History is taught and studied in Europe, at all levels. CLIOHnet is a Socrates programme, Socrates programmes being part of the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students.

The actual project is entitled "Refounding Europe: Creating Links, Insights and Overviews for a new History Agenda".
According to the description on the project's web site, the objective of the project is to use insights gained through collaboration of historians from all European countries, to create new teaching materials and practices specifically through:

· CORE modules for use in basic history courses all over Europe. These modules aim at creating a supranational view of European History -- based on an awareness of cultural diversity and connections between all parts of Europe - and a critical awareness of how single national historiographies narrate the past;

· COMPASS modules designed to prepare SOCRATES students from all subject areas for the cultural, linguistic and academic impact of a study experience abroad.

Socrates intensive programme (IP) seminars have been held parallel to the spring meetings. This year's May IP was a 10-day programme entitled: "Political Systems and Definitions of Gender Roles". Each participating University in CLIOH had the opportunity to send one student to the programme. Students also had the opportunity to present a seminar, and faculty had the opportunity to lecture in the programme.

There are normally two IP programmes every year (in March and May). The upcoming IP topics are: Images in History, Iconography and Digital Documents (Rouen, May 2002), Tolerance and Intolerance in History (Cluj, Romania, fall 2002??) There are not usually IP programmes in the fall), "Centres, Transfer and Cultural Fusion in Europe 15th - 19th Centuries" (Graz, March 2003) and "Religion and Modernisation" (Riga, May 2003).

Odd-Bjørn Fure is Bergen's representation to CLIOHnet. During his sabbatical year, he is replaced by Eldbjørg Haug, who is another professor at the Department of History at UiB.