BRIDGING FIELD EXPERIENCE AND ACADEMIA: AN INTERNATIONAL AGROECOLOGY DOCTORAL PROGRAMME

Summary

Students interested in achieving advanced education in agriculture and food systems using holistic, integrated approaches can find MSc programmes in Agroecology that meet such demand at universities such as UMB in Norway and ISARA in France. Many students now seek opportunities to pursue a PhD degree using a systems approach across disciplines. Interdisciplinary research in Agroecology is embraced by a dispersed group of researchers around the world, and few universities have their own capacity to offer adequate PhD courses and supervision for such interdisciplinary PhD training. To design a new programme, we have established an international network of Agroecology researchers, advisors, and instructors from several universities in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. They were recruited to organize a post-graduate study programme in Agroecology that will provide courses and dissertation opportunities. Using a combination of distance and blended courses, regional workshops, and electronic networking, an international faculty will offer high-level education and research supervision to help talented candidates in national research programmes, universities, aid and non-profit agencies, and private industry achieve a doctoral degree.