Labour Policies and Globalisation: Berlin School of Economics and Law

The Masters programme “Labour Policies & Globalisation” (LPG) offered by the Global Labour University started as a pilot course in Germany in October 2004. The one-year programme is part of a wider project to promote cooperation between trade unions and the research community and to strengthen the analytical and policy development capacity of trade unions.

The didactic concept of the modules within the course "Labor Policies and Globalisation" is research oriented learning. Through this, the modules offered strive for an innovative curriculum focussing on student participation. New knowledge in/for the subjects will be jointly developed by both the academic teaching staff and students. Emphasis is placed upon investigating new types of research, new modes of studying, and broadening the interrelation between the academic fields and the trade union practices. Whenever possible, an interdisciplinary approach will be developed, one which strives to integrate the different cultural backgrounds of the students.

Due to the fact that most of the students have already earned a first academic degree, and also due to the fact that they have at their disposal extensive knowledge and experience with trade union work or with work in comparable organisations, there is lesser need to introduce them to academic working. This prior experience challenges the traditional role setting between learner and instructor.

Course modules are:

• Trade Union Strategies in a Global Economy;
• International Workers' Rights;
• Governance of Globalisation;
• Economic Policy and the Role of Trade Unions;
• Strategies of Multinational Corporations and Labour;
• Organisational Development of Trade Unions;
• Governance of Globalisation;
• International Business Law;
• Gender and Globalisation;
• Globalisation and the Welfare State;
• Political Economy of Privatisation;
• Development Economics;
• Worker's Rights in the Informal Economy