Research-based education for sustainable rural development

Summary:

The target regions face problems of natural resources degradation and poverty. This complex problem calls for an effort to build the necessary capacity and empower relevant stakeholders to analyse, understand and foster sustainable rural development. A sustained capacity of the university community dealing with sustainable development is a key precondition to stop the downward spiral of environmental degradation and impoverished rural livelihoods. Both partner universities play a key role within their mandate to graduate professionals active in areas like agricultural intensification, rural development and biodiversity conservation. This project aims at bending the at present mostly ‘ex-cathedra’ education format towards a research and field based, hands-on curriculum where experience sharing, multi-disciplinarity and multicultural exchange are key. This will be achieved by curriculum improvement and development, field courses, strategic alliances with relevant stakeholders and the pursuit of joint MSc theses.