General overview
In 2011 SIMI has launched the Graduate Diploma in Pastoral Care of Human Mobility as a new annual online training programme. The course is available in three languages (Italian, English, and Spanish). The program is an initiative of the Scalabrini International Migration Institute, under the patronage of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and benefit of special recognition from the Fondazione Migrantes (Italia), the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO), the Fundación Comisión Católica de Migraciones (Argentina) and others academic institutions and research institutes.
The Online Diploma is a single-cycle programme consisting of six courses. All courses are offered in three languages: Italian, Spanish and English. Each course consists of ten virtual lessons, held every fortnight. For all the courses offered, the “reading course” mode is adopted, which involves the delivery of a summary or answer to some questions on the material read. A final examination is scheduled at the end of each course. The Diploma is obtained after passing all the final examinations.
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Beneficiaries
The Diploma is offered to the following candidates:
Religious women and men, priests, seminarians and lay people already working, or preparing to work, in pastoral care with migrants, refugees, displaced persons, victims of trafficking, seafarers, itinerants and their families.
The programme is also open to those interested to work in this specific area of pastoral care.
Pre-Requisites
The pre-requisites to apply for the SIMI Graduate Diploma Program are the following:
- Age of consent (18 years);
- High School Diploma or equivalent;
- Sufficient pastoral experience (at least two years).
Exceptions to the above pre-requisite may be considered on specific request of the candidates and have to be explicitly mentioned in the Bishop/religious superior/parish’s presentation letter.
Description of the Program
The Online Diploma is a single-cycle programme consisting of seven courses. All courses are offered in three languages: Italian, Spanish and English.
All courses are “reading courses” where face-to-face lessons are substituted by the individual reading of reference materials prepared by the professor every fortnight. This online reading course is delivered through the SIMI e-learning platform. Students will be required to show the completion of the assignment by summarising readings or by providing written answers to questions prepared by the professor. The successful completion will be determined by the passing of exams of all the courses and the final exam.
Courses are divided into common courses and elective courses.
Common courses:
Introduction to the Migration Phenomenon – Card. F. Baggio
The Teaching of the Church and the Pastoral Care of Human Mobility – G. Campese
Pastoral Work in Migratory Contexts: Foundations and Methodologies – A. Skoda
Elective courses:
Communicating Human Migration: Socio-pastoral Challenges and Perspectives – G. Beltrami
The Pastoral Care of Sea People: Theological Perspectives and Accompanying Tools – Vincenzo Tomaiuoli
A Theological Reading of the Migration Phenomenon – G. Campese
Migrations and Ethical Issues – Card. F. Baggio
Migrations in the Bible: Human Experience and God’s Design – E. Chavez Dias
Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in the Context of Migration – C. Boca
Pastoral Care in an Inclusive and Intercultural Perspective – A. Skoda
Mental Health and Cultural Psychology – A. Skoda
Editions
2022-2023
The current edition has over 100 students, including around 80 religious sisters who are training to assist migrants, refugees, and their families, as well as victims of trafficking and seafarers. The countries represented in the program include Germany, Argentina, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Spain, the Philippines, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Uganda, and Venezuela.
2021-2022
The current edition has 72 students enrolled, residing in 17 different countries (Argentina, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Philippines, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, United Kingdom, Spain, Taiwan, Uganda, Venezuela).
2020-2021
The tenth edition counted 58 students enrolled, residing in 10 different countries (Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Philippines, Italy, Switzerland, Tasmania, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Venezuela).
2019-2020
The ninth edition of the Diploma counted 51 students enrolled, residing in 16 different countries (Albania, Argentina, Antilles, Cameroon, Colombia, Philippines, Italy, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, United States, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine).
2018-2019
The eighth edition of the Diploma counted 67 students enrolled, residing in 14 different countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Philippines, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Uganda, United States).
Enrollment
There are several enrolment modes:
Regular: this is the standard enrollment option and leads to the award of a diploma upon successful completion of all required courses;
Non-degree: this option allows you to take up to three courses of your choice, with a certificate of attendance awarded upon successful completion of the courses for which you are enrolled;
Audit: allows you to take up to three courses of your choice, without having to complete the required assignments or take the final exams.
Students are requested to pay a tuition fees, which includes the academic taxes, access to the e-learning platform, reading materials in PDF and the official diploma. Tuition fees would vary depending on the country where the applicant is based. For emerging countries there are scholarships available.
In order to asses properly all the enrollment requests, SIMI requires candidates to complete the form in the box below.
The courses take place from October to June.
Enrollment closes in October.
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