The MCTS program is designed to provide faculty with an opportunity to teach abroad and to interact with a variety of colleagues and students from around the world. The three-and-a-half-week teaching schedule allows faculty to participate who otherwise could not due to departmental or family responsibilities. Most of all, it provides faculty with a chance to get out of their old familiar patterns, to try something new and challenging, and to recharge their batteries.

Members of the MCTS faculty are chosen primarily from the member universities, although occasionally someone from outside the consortium is selected to teach. Typically faculty teach for one block (3 ½ weeks), although in some cases faculty may teach in two consecutive blocks. For each semester a faculty director is appointed from the consortium, and he/she teaches in two of the four semester blocks.  (See the 2009/2010 Academic Calendar at the bottom of this page.)  

The home universities of all visiting faculty members pay their salaries. An on-site "apartment", board, and office accommodations are provided by the center.

As courses/curriculum are determined up to a year in advance, faculty interested in teaching at the MCTS should contact their university director as soon as possible for information on how to submit a course for possible inclusion into the program. Faculty should be as flexible as possible when selecting a time period as this allows for the greatest chance for selection.

Courses from the social sciences, humanities, fine arts and business are appropriate as long as the course includes a comparative, transatlantic approach. In addition, faculty are encouraged to include field trips and a variety of teaching techniques and styles whenever appropriate.

Faculty Development Opportunities

In addition to the opportunity to teach in a unique educational setting, faculty may use their time at the MCTS to do research or write for publication. Our first book, Transatlantic Studies, was published by University Press of America in the fall of 2000, with the majority of chapters written by our faculty and edited by Will Kaufman and Heidi MacPherson of the University of Central Lancashire. Future volumes are planned for a two/three-year cycle.

Our first conference on Transatlantic Studies was held in Maastricht in October 2000, and over 60 papers were presented by colleagues from around the world. Ranging over a wide variety of topics, the conference helped establish the Transatlantic as an evolving field of study.  Plans are now in progress for the Fifth Biennial MCTS Conference, which will be held in Middelburg, October 20-23, 2010. 

2009/2010 Academic Calendar 

Fall 2009 

Monday, August 24, 2009: Orientation Begins 

Monday, August 31, 2009: Block 1 Begins 

Wednesday, September 23, 2009: Block 1 Ends 

Monday, September 28, 2009: Block 2 Begins 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009: Block 2 Ends 

Saturday, October 24, 2009: Fall Break Begins 

Sunday, November 1, 2009: Fall Break Ends 

Monday, November 2, 2009: Block 3 Begins 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009: Block 3 Ends 

Monday, November 30, 2009: Block 4 Begins 

Wednesday, December 23, 2009: Block 4 Ends 

Spring 2010

Monday, January 18, 2010: Orientation Begins 

Monday, January 25, 2010: Block 1 Begins 

Wednesday, February 17, 2010: Block 1 Ends 

Monday, February 22, 2010: Block 2 Begins 

Wednesday, March 17, 2010: Block 2 Ends 

Monday, April 5, 2010: Block 3 Begins 

Wednesday, April 28, 2010: Block 3 Ends 

Monday, May 3, 2010: Block 4 Begins 

Wednesday, May 26, 2010: Block 4 Ends 

Summer 2010 (tentative) 

Wednesday, June 9, 2010: Block 1 Begins 

Wednesday, July 7, 2010: Block 1 Ends

Monday, July 12, 2010: Block 2 Begins 

Saturday, August 7, 2010: Block 2 Ends