Section 4, 2 ============ 2.1 Rationale and background Libre (free, open source) software is a reality more and more ubiquitous in the world of computer engineering. During the last years, the world of libre software has increased exponentially (doubling in size, according to almost any parameter considered, every 18 or 24 months), and the published studies indicate that this tendency is going to continue in the next years. The idea of a master on libre software has been discussed for some time in the community of experts on this matter [OSS-DK Oct 2002], [OSS-NO Oct 2003], [OSDC-SIDA 2004]. Currently, there are more and more interest within the IT industry in libre software, while there is still little or no specific studies (in most Universities) specifically focused on libre software. Companies, public administrations and other institutions are demanding professionals (both with computer engineering and other backgrounds) with a solid knowledge on libre software from an holistic point of view (including economic, legal, sociological, computer engineering, and management approaches). As more and more organizations switch to libre software, and it becomes an integral part of the policies of many administrations, more and more specialists on these matters are needed. Several master programs have already appeared or are being planned in this field, [UOC 2003] [UniPisa 2004] (both at Universities partners for this proposal). Although they are starting to fill a gap in higher education, and offer studies with great demand, they are not designed as generic master on the matter, with structured and holistic approaches, and they are not implemented with the Bologna framework as a primary concern. In parallel with them, and under a grant by the Regional Government of Madrid on the exploration of master studies under the Bologna framework, five Universities (all of them also partners in this proposal) drafted [Madrid 2004] the design of a master on libre software. This work finished on February 2004, and since the beginning was thought as an open project, with implication from institutions, companies and the libre software community. In addition to a mailing list with more than 30 subscribers, and a web site with information and open participation about the design, several presentations were made in Brussels (BE), Soissons (FR), and Madrid (ES). In the last meeting, with 8 Universities represented, it was decided to follow on the effort, with the idea of finally implementing the master around 2006, completely within the Bologna framework, as a joint title, and with common and specific goals (see objectives, below). When this idea was announced, more Universities who had already participated with comments to the design decided to join (until completing the current partnership for this proposal). Therefore, this proposal looks for funding for an already running design, which aims to follow on using an open process which would let more Universities to participate later, or in any case benefit from the designs and other material prepared within this project. 2.2 Aims and objectives The general objective of the master proposed in this project is to provide a high quality master program on the subject of libre software within the European Higher Education Area, with collaboration of several Universities which contribute with their large experience in this field. More in details, some specific targets are: - To design a master that complements the knowledge and abilities of the engineers (and maybe professionals with other backgrounds) related to the technologies of the information with an in-depth exposition to the world of libre software, to its peculiarities, and to the new possibilities that offer. It should provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary education on the matter. - To teach it in a common language (English), by several collaborating European Universities, all of them with in-depth interests and experience in the matter. - To have into account the inputs by well known professionals from companies, institutions and the libre software community both in the design and in the implementation phases. - To make the design as much open as possible, with public discussions, dissemination of reports for comments, and presentations in meetings related to libre software. The design could even be used by other institutions not participating in this project to implement their own version of the master studies. - To use mixed learning (both in-place and distance, with local tuition), by moving all students and educators to a given location during intensive periods, and using telematic tools during the rest of the academic year. When needed, new software will be developer or integrated for supporting the specific needs of the master design, and all such software will be released under libre licenses. - To used methods and processes common in the libre software community to improve the quality, like bug reporting systems and peer review of materials (in addition to more traditional quality assurance methods). - All educational materials produced by the master will be released under libre licenses - Translation into languages other than English will be facilitated and encouraged, both by technical means and by releasing materials under suitable licenses. In short, the main idea could be summarized by: ``To let students reach, after successfully following the master, the level of a person with a good and complete knowledge of the libre software world'' 2.3 Innovative aspects The most important innovative aspects of this proposal are: - The multi- and inter-disciplinarity of the approach, covering economics, sociology, law, management, software development, etc. - The exploration of open collaboration mechanisms; among students and educators, with external external users of the educational material developed, with other educators interested in the experience, and with the libre software community at large. - Mobilization of competences from many European Universities (it is currently impossible that a single University has the resources and knowledge for implementing alone the proposed approach). - This will be the first cooperation of this type in Europe, involving most of the Universities already active in this field. - The project will contribute to the development and evaluation of new quality assurance mechanisms in the context of higher education. - The implementation design of the master will feature new ways of collaborating between educational institutions, and new templates and ways for the implementation of joint degrees, with a novel combination of in-place and distance learning. - The characteristics of the program will make it specially suitable for life-long education (with or without official enrollment in the master program). - Exploration of new ways of sharing and production of knowledge, but the redistribution of all the materials (texts, recordings, student works, etc.) under libre licenses. 2.4 Pedagogical and didactical approaches As it has already been detailed, the general approach of the master will be the use of mixed learning. There will be periods of intensive in-place learning, assisted by educators available at the location where students and educators meet together some weeks every six months. And the rest of the academic period will consist on distance learning supported by telematic tools and local tutors. In addition, some specific processes of libre software development will be explored as possible pedagogical approaches: - Collaboration in the preparation and evolution of educational material among several geographically distributed developers, and even students. - Use of tools like bug reporting systems, control version systems and online chats for the collaboration of distributed groups of students in the learning process (virtual groups). - Widespread peer-review of the student works (both by other students, and by any other interested people outside the master, by publication in the Internet). - Work in real projects, such as contributions to libre software projects as a part of the educational process. - Exploration of new evaluation methods, based in the open peer review already mentioned References [UOC 2003] Master en software libre, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (ES), which started in 2003. [UniPisa 2004] Proposal for a master on open source management, Universita di Pisa (IT), planned to start in April 2004. [Madrid 2004] Preliminary design of a master on libre software within the Bologna framework. Work done jointly by Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (ES), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (ES), Universidad do Porto (PT), École Nationale Supérieure Électronique, Informatique et Radiocommunications de Bordeaux (FR), Université Paris Dauphine (FR), under a grant by the Regional Government of Madrid