Advise of ECLAS on LENNE programme December 2008
Comments and recomm by ECLAS Master Course responds very well to the needs of society and the content addresses important environmental issues, cultural values and the way landscape architects and planners should contribute to a sustainable development of urban and rural landscapes. Proposal is well in line with the intention of the European Landscape Convention and the policies for the environment that are amongst others discussed at the Environmental Ministers’ Conference that was held in Belgrade in October 2007. The general content of the combined teaching packages Cultural Landscape, Infrastructure, Landscape Management, Landscape Design, Theory & Methodology, History & Conservation, Open Urban Space, Landscape Planning and Vegetation & Planting Material covers very well the content of a full master programme.
Comments and recomm by ECLAS According to local context some choices are te be made, but the overall combination of teaching packages offers a solid and flexible base for every programme. Within every teaching package the course units and teaching modes are well balanced. I would like to stress that it is important that in each course unit enough time should be allocated for studio or project work. According to ECLAS and EFLA advice this should be about half of the time in the overall programme. Society and the discipline of landscape architecture are changing all the time. Therefore schools should be well linked to the development of professional practice by applied research, participation in project work that is commissioned by local and regional authorities in order to stay up to date to the needs of society and administration.
Recommendations Edit all literature references in a correct way according to one system e.g Harvard and make a division in 1. core literature, 2. additional references and 3. further reading. Include not only literature but also other sources like internet pages. Titles should start with a capital and be without capitals in between (exception for names and German language), e.g.: Design with nature. Make the lists of literature within the courses (sections of chapter 4) consistent with the overall literature list in chapter 5. Make a scheme for every teaching package with the generic competences and the subject specific competences to make sure that all are covered in the courses and that it becomes clear in which core the competences are really assessed. All competences do not have to be assessed in every course again and in the assessment methods it could be explained where the assessment is focused on (e.g oral presentation techniques in Course 3 and though one has to present in course 5 this is not again assessed there).
Scheme competences
Further recommendations Formulate the ssp competences in a way that they not only consist of nouns but also explains the knowledge, skills and understanding. Chapter 3 of the teaching package of Infrastructure Projects and Course 4.4 of the teaching package of Cultural landscapes are good examples how to do this. In all courses key words should be added that clarify the core content of the course. Add to every teaching package a glossary of the main terms or make one overall glossary for the LENNE project. In generic competences nr 45 is a new heading: Instrumental competences If a bachelor graduate from a non-planning or non-architectural discipline enters the master programme, it will be important that he or she acquires general planning / design skills in the introductory course units of the programme.
Specific recommendations See uploaded document on the LENNE website LP: more emphasis on Environmental Assessment OS: address issues of the Thematic Strategy for the urban environment LM: making use of existing quality systems for urban open space IS: do not overestimate the importance of infrastructure projects in landscape architecture PS: take notice of functional aspects of planting like wind reduction in high rise areas, catchment of fine dust, water retention.
TENDING AND TAKING CARE OF LENNÉ