BASEL 2018 1st International Forum of EYP Switzerland
CALL BOOKLET
BASEL, 11. SEPTEMBER 2017
PRESIDENT’S VISION FOR THE BASEL2018 LEADERSHIP Dearest potential applicant, Thank you for finding your way to this vision note for the Basel2018, the first International Forum of EYP Switzerland. Under the veteran organising leadership of Allegra Margelisch and Kate Gurevich, the Forum, spanning ten days, including two whole days of training, and hosting over 220 participants, of which 150 delegates divided into 12 committees, Basel2018 promises the largest and most ambitious event of the EYP spring. Again, thank you for showing interest.
The principle of collective ownership It is a logical conclusion that an idea presented by one person alone, will only be half as good as an idea presented, and agreed, by two people together. By the same logic, the more contributors to an idea, the greater the idea. This is the principle of collective ownership in practice, and is the notion which I intend to see filtered into all aspects of Basel2018. No other approach has as much potential or can see innovation built so successfully. The Leadership of Basel2018 is understood as one collective unit, with the intended conceptual approach being that all decisions made affect all parts of the Officials’ Team. With the understanding that all decisions made are relevant to all teams, the interest and commitment to all elements of the event increase, as should their quality. This needs of course be balanced to avoid red-tape and bottlenecked processes, but should facilitate a mindset where input from any party to any part of the process is appreciated and valued. It is upon this foundation of collaboration which we wish to build the Leadership for Basel2018.
The idea of a Leadership Together with Allegra, Kate, and myself, the Editor(s) and Vice-Presidents of Basel2018 make up the Leadership which will collectively lay the foundations to ignite the fuse of the spectacle that will be this Forum. We are looking for a Leadership which can push one another on ideas, is able to compromise where necessary, and who enjoys the creationary process as much as its colourful realisation. Concretely, this implies a need for people with a creative flair and imagination, as well as those with pragmatism and a capacity for holistic vision. Further, a balance too needs to be found between optimistic and realistic thinking, between natural improvisers and careful planners, process- and goal-oriented mindset - in my opinion, the best collection is one which is mixed.
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For those of you interested in the position of Vice-Presidents, you may wonder what this means for you practically. Most importantly, Vice-Presidents will not have committees. Primarily, they will provide academic guidance to the Chairs’ Team and es-
pecially their Buddy Groups - both on topic formulation and in the extended Topic Overview process - and also play a critical role in Forum’s conceptualisation. In my role as President, my passion lies in providing innovative trainings for my Chairs Team, and especially in drawing on influences from my academic and professional lives to bring new ideas to the realm of EYP. Beyond this, and in regards to the Board, my aim is to give Vice-Presidents the freedom to feel comfortable in trying out new things, and so I want Vice-Presidents who are willing make important decisions with me, and are committed to developing ideas as a team. I do not believe in a hierarchy on a Board, but rather in clear distribution of responsibilities in the spirit of collective ownership. Applicants interested in the position of Editor(s) should be committed to fostering collaboration between and within the Officials’ Teams, and also to encouraging strong bonds between the Chair and Media Team Member of the committee. The Media Team’s presence and involvement with the academic preparations of the Forum would be appreciated, though beyond this, Editor(s) have the freedom to explore their creative boundaries. We are looking for applicants who are willing to shape the role of the Editor(s) of Basel2018 rather than merely fill it. In terms of an Editorial Team, the call for Media Team could also include openings for an Editorial Assistant and/or a Video Editor, should this support the vision of the Editor(s).
The task to commit to Before releasing the call for Chairs, Editorial Assistants, and Media Team Members, the Leadership will work collectively to present a unified vision for the Officials’ Team of Basel2018. It is the belief of Allegra, Kate, and myself, that for a truly cohesive and unified Officials’ Team, there needs to be a cohesive and unified approach to the Forum we are all committing to. This will be the first and immediate task of the Leadership. Beyond this, there are two major asks of the Leadership as a collective. Building on the aforementioned vision and having allowed for each team to establish themselves, the Leadership will gather for the Leadership Consolidation Weekend in December, in Basel. This weekend serves the purpose of further vision conceptualisation, and hopes to set the platform for the Officials’ Team as a whole to continue their projects into 2018. In addition to this, the Innovative Capacity-Building Training (ICBT) brings the entire Officials’ Team together for three days in February, again in Basel. Here, the Leadership is tasked with providing a programme that highlights the needs of all teams and also creates a sense of togetherness. Beyond this, there is only the Forum itself to tackle. No biggie. If you feel enticed by this project and its methodology, and would like to be part of the largest and most ambitious event of the EYP spring, you are welcome to join us. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to your applications! Should you have any questions about the call or the questions posed, do not hesitate to contact me. Yours,
Hugo Dürr, President of Basel2018
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ACADEMIC CONCEPT NOTE The idea of an Academic Concept in EYP is no longer a revolutionary thought experiment - it is a tried and tested method in which to organise an event in the name of emphasising and fostering exchange, collaboration, and interactivity between all participants. Having witnessed the success of previous implementations of this method, Basel2018 will continue surfing this new wave of EYP methodology, with a refocused aim: for all participants to learn beyond EYP. In the past, the Academic Concept has succeeded in engaging all participants with several topics and allowed them to make a meaningful contribution to resolutions other than their own. This has allowed for the critical review of the work of other Committees, a process of developing constructive criticism during the session, as well as truly well-considered and opinion-driven debates. All of this is the hope of the intended result of the Academic Concept at Basel2018. To further develop the previously successful Academic Concept, Basel2018 will foster three priorities in particular.
Collaborative Topic creation The key to commitment is a sense of ownership.To ensure this, Chairpersons will have the possibility to actively shape their own committee topic that they will be working with for the Forum together with the Board. Whilst the Board will have to give final approval, Chairpersons are able to tailor their topic according to their own academic interests, in line with the theme of the Forum. Considering that the team will work with their topics for about five months, it seems only fair that Chairpersons have as much say as possible on the topic they will be dedicating so much time to. With this approach, Chairpersons can align their topic research with their full-time academic projects or passion topics, blurring the borders between what some call “EYP life” and “real life”. Ideally, these are perceived as one and the same.
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Extended Topic Overview process It should not be a fact to shy away from - this Forum hold aims to hold academics in high regard. This brings with it challenge, but also growth for all those involved. There is no threshold to pass or expected level of knowledge, but rather an attitude of possibility and willingness to grapple with methodical research to understand an issue more holistically. In practice, this entails an extended Topic Overview process, with several rounds of research and writing in order to get to the core of topics. What is more, the Forum will be supported by the University of Basel and will therefore aim to have academic experts provided for each topic, to assist in the topic formulation, final review of the Topic Overview, and available at the Forum to meet with the committee. Such an approach can perhaps be considered rigorous, and that is precisely the point. The process aims to mirror the development of an academic article, strengthening Chairpersons’ research and writing capacities beyond EYP. We are, after all, an educational organisation at our core.
Innovative Capacity-Building Training (ICBT) In order to enhance unity and collaboration between the Officials’ teams, an Innovative Capacity Building Training (ICBT) will be hosted in early February 2018. This weekend will gather all Officials for two and a half days of Forum concept development and academic preparation, and also as a platform for inter-team exchange and the possibility for everybody to first meet each other as people, and not as titles. At this stage, with roughly two months to go until the Forum, Topic Overviews will be completed and Media Team aims should be consolidated, leaving space for all Officials to bond and align their holistic vision for the Forum.
In addition to these three priorities, Basel2018 will be organised to accommodate two Interactive Modules for collaborative committee exchange, a Lobby Event to stimulate the sense of ownership, and one General Assembly to gather both amendment and resolution debates. Beyond these practical elements, the Forum is organised to foster a relaxed atmosphere seeking to avoid overload of information or stress of expectation. Practically, this implies that mandatory events will - where possible - conclude at a reasonable hour, with some free evenings planned. The aim is to allow space for participants to properly wind down and contemplate the events of the day, and also allow for the freedom to manage and adapt your Basel experience to what suits you best. Collectively, this captures the Academic Concept of Basel2018 by the Forum President and its Head Organisers. As we see it, the notion of an Academic Concept is never finalised, an ever-evolving interpretation of those in positions to interpret it. What we hope to do, is widen this sphere of influence, to allow for the Officials’ Team of Basel2018 to influence the development of this Academic Concept in EYP by the principle of collective ownership. It is the intention that many of the lessons learnt along this process will translate into future opportunities for influence beyond EYP.
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I M P O R TA N T D AT E S LEADERSHIP WEEKEND
1-3 December 2017 (preliminary dates)
ICBT
8-11 February 2018
THE FORUM
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4-12 April 2018
C O N TA C T FACEBOOK PAGE
fb.com/basel18
SESSION EMAIL
basel2018@eyp.ch
MEMBERS PLATFORM
bit.ly/2jhUHPt
WEBSITE
eyp.ch/if-basel-2018/
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