The aim of the network is to help European student movements to be more effective in their ministry and strategic development, by being culturally sensitive and relevant to heir own context. It is based on the realisation that in the light of our fast-changing societies, student movements also need to change (without losing their core values and theological commitment) in order to be able to bring the Gospel to students in a way that is clear and understandable to the present student generation.
 
The network will answer the question: what is the role of cultural research in that process, and how can it contribute to this process?
 
The work of the network will consist of two key elements:
1) analysis of the culture and environment of the student movements
2) developing specific suggestions for how that understanding is to be applied to the ministry and development of the student movements, mainly in the area of evangelism, but also in other aspects like leadership development, discipleship, etc. This will take the form of process, methodology, materials, strategies, etc.
 
The first meeting of the network will be in Frankfurt, 10 - 12 May 2010.
After this each of the participating movements will do field research at the begining of the next academic year (October - November 2010). This will be used to collect data, but also to create opportunities for evangelistic contacts.
The second meeting in May 2011 will discuss results of the field research and help analyse it.
Further meetings will look at the question of how these results bear on our ministry approaches and strategy.
 
This network is facilitated by Charlie Hadjiev and Edith Vilamajo, in cooperation with Nova Research Centre - www.novaresearch.eu
For more information, please contact charlie@ifeseurope.org