Continuing education for high school teachers

Formazione continua per i docenti delle scuole medie superiori

The Department of Education, Culture and Sport of the Canton of Ticino (DECS) and Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) have signed a cooperation agreement for continuing education courses for high school teachers of Canton Ticino. According to the agreement, high school teachers have the opportunity to attend a number of USI Master's and PhD courses. A valid certificate of attendance is issued as proof that teachers have completed the required activities in continuing education. 

 

Objectives and context

The selection of courses open to high school teachers is defined within the framework of a four-year plan (2020-2023) prepared by the University in agreement with the Department in charge of higher education (SIMS). The courses are the same as those offered to enrolled university students and are based on the most recent findings in scientific research. They are open to high school teachers with the aim of fostering their professional and personal growth through the development of new practical and theoretical skills and competences.

The offer of continuing education for high school teachers proposed in agreement between DECS and USI is in line with the recommendations of CDPE, the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Public Education, about the importance of making university courses accessible to high school teachers. The offer is part of the broader framework of the Lifelong Learning programmes offered by USI - click here for more information.   

 

Attendance

High school teachers can attend the courses freely, without having to take the final exam.   

 

Certification

USI certifies course attendance by issuing of a certificate at the end of the course. This certificate is a valid document and proves that the teacher has fulfilled (in whole or in part) the obligation to follow recognised continuing education activities for at least a total of eight over a four-year period, as indicated in the Regulations on the continuing education of teachers.

Courses are expressed in study credits (ECTS) exclusively for the sake of their equivalence with continuing education expressed in days. Teachers will therefore not acquire cumulative and expendable university credits. Courses expressed in days are equivalent to:

ECTS  Lesson hours  Continuing education
expressed in days 
1.5 14 2
3 28 4
4.5 42 6
6 56 8
 

 

Fee

The fee for taking part the courses offered at USI is covered by the Canton limited to eight days over a four-year period. Any additional days to the eight required (i.e., extra lessons over 56 hours) are the responsibility of the teacher himself - more information is available in the attached brochure. 

 

Enrolment

High school teachers are required to apply in advance for permission to participate in USI's Master and PhD courses in the High School Section (SIMS), according to the procedures provided internally at the school/institute to which they belong.

Enrolment in one or more Master's and Doctorate courses at USI is therefore possible by filling out the following online registration form:

www.usi.ch/formazione-docenti/iscrizione

Once the registration has been completed, a confirmation email with all the additional information will be sent to the teacher.

As a rule of thumb, the Master's and PhD courses are open to high school teachers, with a maximum of three teachers per course. USI Faculties may decide to change the number of the teachers who can be admitted to a course.

 

Courses and schedules

The following are the Master's and PhD courses open to the high school teachers of Canton of Ticino. The list – in Italian language – is divided into school areas and subjects. Courses in English require an advanced knowledge of the language, approximately level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Practical information – directions to the campus, map of the campus, services available, ... – are available in the brochure attached.

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