We are happy to announce that five Communication and Journalism departments of universities in Romania, The Netherlands, Hungary and Turkey are involved in this special EU Project, students as well as lecturers. Last year the summer course was in Hungary, the year before it was in The Netherlands, now we are in Istanbul. Again it will be a real lifetime experience, I am sure.
  
  In the extended European Union we see important change processes. On the one hand we see increasing cooperation, for instance by knowledge sharing in academic environments. Our cooperation among universities is a symbol of this. On the other hand we are more and more confronted with multifarious forms and diversity, which sometimes also cause tensions between countries or groups in society. On one side we have a ‘global village’, on the other side cultural elements are influencing societal processes.
  
  Communication/PR and the media play an important role in the change processes connected with European integration. They are able to help building up a European ‘civil society’, in which support is created for cooperation and democracy and in which we respect ethnic groups and cultures. For this reason the theme of the course is extremely important, also in the framework of the research we need.
  
  Transparency is a keyword in our society. But how does it function? Richard W. Oliver wrote in his book ‘What is Transparency’,  ‘In learning about transparency, I experienced a journey around the globe, peeking into places I had never heard of, and finding to my surprise that transparency truly begins at home’. I think we all have to learn. Transparency starts with our own efforts. I hope all of us that we will show this during this international Summer Course.
  
  It is significant that we have this Summer Course in the center of Istanbul. In this city we experience a modern type of metropolis, based on the Kemalist Reforms. At the same time we see many monuments of an old history, in which many cultures have found their place. And really, Istanbul University, founded in 1453, is in the center of this. It will be really the best place for bridging cultures in an academic debate and an open dialogue.
  
  The program you find in this booklet, is interesting and impressive. We especially thank our Turkish colleagues Dr. Serra Gorpe, Adem Ayten MA and Dr. Nilufer Ocel for their initiatives, their creativity, their perseverance. We also thank the Istanbul University for all support and hospitality in hosting our summer course.
  
  
  Drs. Ton Veen
  Erasmus IP Coordinator
  The Netherlands
  
  
  
  General Introduction on the Summer Course
  A EUROPE OF VALUES: TRANSPARENCY IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
  
  The aim of this conference is to contribute to the development and awareness of future journalists and communication specialists in light of the European integration process. Communication/PR and the media play an important role in the change processes. Specific professional strategies are needed. The Intensive Program will provide for real cross-cultural competence learning experiences for students as well as for lecturers.
  
  Special features in this Intensive Program are the communication with minorities and the cooperation between ‘Western’ institutions and universities from ‘new participant’ countries (Romania and Turkey). The project focuses on improving and building competences of students and staff members.
  
  Keywords are:
  ·                     European integration and cooperation;
  ·                     Sustainable development;
  ·                     Cross-cultural communication;
  ·                     Intercultural dialogue;
  ·                     Role of media and communication/PR in society;
  ·                     Minorities in society;
  ·                     Social responsibility and societal legitimation;
  ·                     Transparency and integrity in (civil) society;
  ·                     Future-oriented professionals and EU knowledge, skills and attitudes;
  ·                     Interactive education approach (competence learning);
  ·                     Knowledge management;
  ·                     Interactive E-learning;
  ·                     Multidisciplinary approach;
  ·                     Cooperation between EU and ‘new participant’ countries.
  
  The aims of the project are:
  ·         gaining knowledge of the way in which communication and media function in different European cultures;
  ·         gaining insight into the way social/cultural situations in Europe influence the professional practice;
  ·         gaining cross-cultural skills in dealing with cultural dimensions within the European context;
  ·         developing a cross-cultural professional attitude in cooperating and dialogue with project participants from different countries and cultures in Europe.
  
  
  General Introduction on the Summer Course
  
  Yearly there will be a two-week conference for students and staff members, organized in one of the participating countries: Hungary, The Netherlands, Romania or Turkey. The conference will be based on a variation of educational methods, in which interaction, working in mixed groups, action learning, competence learning, visits and case studies are central.
  
  Keeping in mind the European issue, the following topics will be addressed in any case:
  ·         European professional standards of communication/PR and the media
          (quality aspect);
  ·         Universal and non-universal values in different cultures;
  ·         Relationship between the press and public information offices;
  ·         Transparency in society in general and transparency in the communication
         between PR officers and journalists;
  ·         Human rights, the role of authorities, religion and minority groups;
  ·         Social, psychological, historical and language aspects of cross-cultural 
         and change communication.
  
  A concrete product will be a manual on a website about these and other topics, to multiply the effect for all the students and staff members of the home institutions. Besides a web site will be set up with a public domain on information about relevant topics and an internal domain which functions as a platform for participants to exchange their experiences, papers, and discussions. A very important product at the end will be a ‘Competence Developing Plan’, developed by each conference participant, focusing on a sustainable effect of the project as applied to the individual situation of the participants. 
  
  The following outcomes are expected:
  
  1. Products made by teams: case studies, analyses of communication
     problems, advice reports for organizations, PowerPoint presentations,   
     websites.
  2. Individual products: analyses of communication problems, vision papers,
     PowerPoint presentations, parts of a website.
  3. Portfolio’s of the participants.
  4. Personal competence developing plans (PDP) of the participants.
  5. Readers with study texts about the subjects mentioned in paragraph. 2.3.
  6. An interactive CD-ROM with papers, case studies, information, reports of
     discussions and vision documents, including audiovisual elements.
  7. A website with two domains: a public domain and an internal domain.
  
  VISIT ALSO OUR WEBSITE: www.summercourse.info

    ‘The Contribution of Media Literacy Course to the Transparency in the Media’
  In communication studies media is accepted to be transparent when there are many, often competing, sources of information;much is known about the method of information delivery and the funding of media production is available. In Turkey,with the rise of globalization all mentioned above almost became impossible and the inevitable result of this was the misuse of the media for  the very best interest of the media conglomerates instead of citizens’ interest.This process led to sensationalism,disinformation/misinformation and most of all it violated the public’s right to know. In such a media environment, Turkey is in a great need of increasing the level of Turkish citizens’ critical thinking and self-expression through the media literacy. The Turkish Ministry of National Education and Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK)  introduced media education into the high schools’ seven grade curriculum and they are planning to implement it as an elective course given  by the social sciences teachers in the curriculum of 2007-2008. Since teaching media literacy requires a specific training on subjects like main structures of media, historical backgrounds of media, theories and effects of media and the methods for reading a text in terms of semiotic analyses, rhetoric and other related subjects, this paper aims to discuss the efficiency of media literacy courses, sufficiency of the teachers, sources and methods if applied any.  Is it possible that media literacy course could eventually contribute to achieving Transparency in media, which currently is regarded by most to be an utopia?

 

Dr. Yasemin Giritli Inceoglu (Prof., Galatasaray University)