Heidelberg Center for American Studies
Encyclopedia
The University of Heidelberg's Heidelberg Center for American Studies (HCA) is an interdisciplinary institute for higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...

, a center for advanced research, and a forum for public debate on topics related to the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It was founded in 2003, making it the newest institute of Germany's oldest university.

Building on long-standing ties between Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...

 and the United States, the HCA fosters interdisciplinary and intercultural
Interculturalism
Interculturalism is the philosophy of exchanges between cultural groups within a society, as used by nationalists of the Canadian province of Quebec. Quebeckers have historically been sensitive to any perceived degradation of their heritage...

 exchange across the Atlantic.

Higher education

The HCA contributes to interdisciplinary academic and cultural expertise on the United States in Europe. It trains Americanists
American studies
American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of the United States. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also includes fields as diverse as law, art, the media, film, religious studies, urban...

 in response to increasing demand in academia and the business community.

The University of Heidelberg introduced the MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

 in American Studies (MAS) at the HCA in 2004. Since 2006, the HCA has also offered a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...

 in American Studies. In 2010 the first class of students of BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 in American Studies (BAS) was introduced.

Research

The HCA supports individual doctoral projects as well as international and interdisciplinary research cooperation.

Furthermore, the HCA hosts and organizes international conferences and symposia, workshops, and seminars.
Since 2004 it has run an annual HCA Spring Academy on American history, politics
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...

, and American culture
Culture of the United States
The Culture of the United States is a Western culture originally influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore...

. The principal aim of the Spring Academy is to establish an international network of Ph.D. students in the field of American studies.

Forum for public debate

As a public forum, the HCA facilitates communication among the business community, the media, the political sphere, academia, and the general public.

The HCA regularly hosts lectures and lecture series as well as high-profile keynote addresses on U.S. affairs and transatlantic relations
Transatlantic relations
Transatlantic relations refers to the historic, cultural, political, economic and social relations between countries on both side of the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes specifically those between the United States, Canada and the countries in Europe, although other meanings are possible.There are a...

.

A lecture series "Typisch Amerikanisch" was offered every winter from 2002 to 2006. Each annual series was organized around a central theme, such as foreign policy, multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...

, or the economy of the United States
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...

.

Development and goals

In 2002, an interdisciplinary group of professors and administrators of the University of Heidelberg began working toward the establishment of the Heidelberg Center for American Studies. The HCA opened its first office in the spring of 2003. By October 2004, the HCA was officially inaugurated as a central academic institution of the University of Heidelberg.

In the Summer of 2006 the HCA moved into its present offices located in a historic building in the old city center of Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...

, the Curt und Heidemarie Engelhorn Palais.

Generous public and private funding was crucial in establishing the HCA. The institution aims to raise an endowment sufficient to ensure its permanent success.

Spin-off

In October 2006, Athena Wissenschaftsmarketing, HCA's first spin off, commenced operation. Having its sights set on the new challenges presented by the global education market, Athena has already opened an office in the still young business park of the University of Heidelberg. As an independent agency, Athena supports academic institutions to successfully brand their products and introduce them into the international education market. Athena is particularly experienced in international student recruitment campaigns. Additionally, the agency operates as an intermediary between the realm of academia and the world of business, advising academic institutions as well as private and corporate donors on fundraising and sponsoring schemes.

External links

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