IMLA 2008: compact, focussed, one location

The next IMLA course will start in autumn 2008. Some structural changes have been introduced. In short: the programme starts with an internship, each course will have a thematic emphasis and the location of study will be at one campus only.

Three study phases

The IMLA programme will start with an internship in the first semester. Graduates from bachelor programmes will thus gain first professional experience. In addition, the internship will help balancing the different profiles of IMLA students coming from different educational backgrounds. The first semester will be accompanied by online lectures. Graduates with diploma or similar certificates may be exempted from the first semester if proof of equivalent professional experience is provided.

International projects

The second and third IMLA semesters are intensive study phases and students will be based in Rapperswil during that period. The fourth semester starts with an international project in which students will work at partner universities such as University of South Australia, Adelaide (AUS), Technical University in Zvolen (SK), University College Dublin (IRL) or Polytechnic University of Valencia (E). The fourth and last semester finishes with the individual Master's thesis.

IMLA 2008: Focus on peri-urban landscapes

Each IMLA course will have an annual thematic emphasis. The 2008/09 course will focus on landscape architecture in peri-urban areas. Areas of study will be the urban regions of Budapest (HU), Stuttgart (DE) and Milano (IT). In the context of these case-studies students will identify how market forces and state regulations are interacting in differing scenarios and thus determining the possibilities of landscape architecture. This unconventional approach will ask for both planning and design skills.

One place of study

IMLA involves three higher education institutions: HSR Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil (CH), Nürtingen-Geislingen University (DE), Weihenstephan University of Applied Sciences (DE). Up to know, the modules have been organised sequentially at the three universities. The next course in autumn 2008 will concentrate at only one place of study at HSR Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil in Switzerland. However, professors and lectures from the two other partner universities will come to Rapperswil for teaching in the IMLA programme.

International Dimension

In addition to the partner universities' staff international lecturers and professionals will teach in the coming term:

  • Noël van Dooren, Amsterdam Academy of Architecture
  • Prof. Adrian Hoppenstedt, BDLA
  • Prof. Dr. Jörg Schaller, Technische Universität München
  • Jeroen de Vries, Hogeschool Larenstein
  • Peter Zbinden, AlpTransit Gotthard AG