Napier University International Affairs Assistant Principal, Dr. Elizabeth Milligan, David Stevenson, Robert Scott and Brian Smith traveled to WACRA '96 in WARSAW, Poland to convey greetings from Scotland and an invitation to join WACRA '97 at Napier Uni versity in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Plans for WACRA '97 well under way. The conference is scheduled to take place from June 29 - July 2, 1997 in Edinburgh, Scotland at Napier University. The conference will present itself as an international, intercultural, interdisciplinary, interactive and...interesting 'life case' of building networks and exchanging ideas and experiences. Colleagues at Napier University with the support of the European Case Clearing House (ECCH) and the WACRA organizing committee are pre paring for a memorable academic and social experience in and about Edinburgh.
WACRA '97 will

• advance the use of the case method and other interactive learning and teaching methods
• create 'user friendly' forums for the exchange of ideas, research and experiences
• encourage research using the case method
• coordinate case writing and case application activities. For the last several years Tim Edlund has directed the Annual Case Writers' Colloquium. The Board and all those who attended his well organized, productive sessions express their gratitude to Ti m for his efforts and dedication. He made many friends. Because of other commitments, including a sabbatical leave, Tim has suggested that Jim Camerius from Northern Michigan University at Marquette, Michigan be appointed Director for the Case Writers' Colloquium. The Board is delighted to announce that Jim has accepted the appointment.
• encourage cooperation between the public sector, the business community, and other case-oriented professions
• will add new initiatives to complement the highly successful pre-conference WACRA Interactive Case Sessions (WICS).

Last June at Warsaw School of Economics, one hundred delegates from all corners of the world, many accompanied by partners and family members, met to participate in WACRA '96, the annual, international, interactive, intercultural, interdisciplinary confer ence. Academics and professionals discussed developments, exchanged experiences and ideas on interactive, interdisciplinary, intercultural and international teaching and learning. They reported on case method research (on-going and completed), case writi ng, simulations and new innovative uses of multi media and interactive teaching methods and applications. As requested by participants at previous conferences, WACRA increased the number of demonstration and interactive, hands-on sessions conducted by e xperienced, renowned speakers and presenters. These sessions and workshops included "Transforming Classrooms with Technology," the Annual Case Writers' Colloquium, Case Writing and Teaching Workshops, "Riverdance - The All Singing, All Dancing Case Study, " Teaching & Learning in the 21st Century, Multi-media Case Development and the World Wide Web and the Third Cross National Teaching Forum.

The conference began with a joint planning session of the WACRA Executive and Advisory Boards. The Boards decided to accept the proposal by Claude Clair and Mouloud Madoun of Groupe ESC (Business School) Marseille - Provence, Marseille, France to hold WA CRA '98 from July 7 - 13, 1998 in Provence, one of the most spectacular regions in world. As added attraction (if you are a soccer fan), in 1998, France will host the quadrennial World Soccer Championship. One of the semi-final games will be played in Mar seille on July 6, 1998 (the day before WACRA '98 begins). Plan to arrive early and stay an extra day to celebrate "Quatorze Juillet - 14th of July" with the local hosts. The Vice Rector of the University of Extremadura at Caceres, Spain, Dr. Ricardo Hern andez Mogollon presented the bid of his University for a future WACRA conference.

On Sunday, a series of WICS (WACRA Interactive Case Sessions) workshops including the Third Cross-National Teaching Forum, conducted by Dr. Jane Stoneback and the Fifth Annual Case Writers Colloquium , conducted again by Dr. Timothy Edlund, were fully subscribed. The Sunday evening exquisite buffet in the "Parachute Hall" at WSE provided an opportunity to beco me better acquainted with the organizers and fellow conference attenders.

Rektor Dr. Janina Joszwiak of Warsaw School of Economics officially welcomed WACRA delegates during Monday's opening session and introduced an alumni of the WSE, Alexander Olechowski, former Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Relations, to pre sent a view of Poland through the eyes of the loyal parliamentary opposition. Monday - Wednesday presentations, workshops, simulations and other interactive sessions (seven concurrent tracks including French and Polish language tracks) addressed issues in case writing and teaching.

During Tuesday's plenary session Dr. O Cinneide from Limerick University in Ireland together with David Stevenson and the assistance of Dr. Robert Scott and Brian Smith, all from Napier University in Edinburgh Scotland, presented "Riverdance - The All Sin ging, All Dancing Case Study," an unanimous academic highlight of the conference. During Wednesday's plenary, Dr. Keith Martin facilitated the 'Cross National Training Forum' with participants from Canada, Germany, and the U.S.A.

The featured post-conference event this year was a visit to the Wedel Company, a world known manufacturer of sweets. Started through personal entrepreneurship, the company was nationalized under Communism and recently was privatized again. Special confere nce events included a tour of Warsaw, including Old Town, the Jewish Ghetto and Cemetery, and a visit to Lazienki Garden. The social highlight of the conference was the spectacular banquet at Muzeum Koleckcji, a gallery with world famous paintings collected by Polish expatriates Zbigniew and Janina Carroll-Porczyski. The setting for the elegant dinner was the round auditorium crowned by a couple, the walls adorned by paintings by Cranach, Rembrandt, Tintoretto, van Dyck, Velazquez;zquez, Rubens, Goya, Renoir and others - and as special attraction a 'Chopin piano recital.' At the conclusion of the conference, WACRA delegates took part in optional post conference excur sions to Cracow or Gdansk.

"Interactive Teaching and Emerging Technologies," volume IX of the Selected Papers on Case Method Research & Application (papers presented in Warsaw and selected for publication through a double blind peer review) is now available. If you atten ded this year's conference, you will receive your copy shortly. If you could not attend the Warsaw conference, mail us your membership renewal check plus $6 ($8 international) for handling and postage before December 31, 1996 and we send you a comp limentary copy of either one of the last three volumes (1994 Montreal, 1995 Leysin, 1996 Warsaw). You can help publicize your contributions to the interactive teaching literature by bringing WACRA publications (volumes IV-IX are available) to the attention of your co-authors, colleagues and library acquisition departm ents. The annual WACRA publication of Selected Papers has become widely recognized for the timely and comprehensive contribution it makes to the case method and interactive teaching literature.

During the closing session, conference participants were unanimous in thanking the organizers for a stimulating event.

Hans E. Klein

Return to Newsletter home page.