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Plant Breeding Business School
Education and capacity building for the plant breeding industry.
The plant breeding and propagation industry is an innovative and knowledge intensive industrial branch. In The Netherlands, it is an important part of the cluster “Flowers and Foods”, that has been designated as one of the key clusters for innovation in the Dutch economy.
The international plant breeding industry is facing the challenge to guarantee sufficient supply of well trained plant breeders and researchers for the coming decennia. Rapid technological developments urge for more opportunities for training and education. However, the numbers of students and graduates with a degree in plant breeding, or even in plant sciences, has decreased in the last decennia. This is due to demographic development, broadened education possibilities, but also to the poor image of agriculture in general.
Students are not aware of the fascinating and innovative world of plant breeding and the contribution of plant breeding to solve societal global problems. Universities, even in life sciences, do not always have a strong connection with plant breeding industries.
These developments lead to a shortage of adequately trained personnel, and a high need for training and education programmes. This was made clear in an investigation around Dutch breeding companies in 2008, supported by the Technological Top institute Green Genetics and the Groene Kenniscoöperatie.
A broad approach is necessary to solve these problems.
Educational institutions and breeding companies have already started to collaborate in projects with the aim of getting students from secondary schools interested in plant breeding.
Additionally, the Plant Breeding Business School is aimed at strengthening education and training opportunities for breeding companies and improving the interaction between plant breeding industry and higher educational institutions in the field of life sciences.
The Plant Breeding Business School will:
A. Develop training and course programmes for employees of breeding companies or related institutions.
B. Improve the visibility of the plant breeding sector in higher education programmes.
C. Support companies in their education policy ( implementation of “life long learning”)
D. Strengthen the knowledge base of SMEs with courses specific adapted to their needs.
Key words are: “Demand driven” en “flexible”.
The Plant Breeding Business School is an open programme of activities, in which all stakeholders (breeding companies, knowledge and education institutions, branch organizations and private education providers) are welcome to participate, contribute to the progranme or express their needs and ideas.
Activities started in 2009:
Summer School Green Genetics
“Meet the fascinating world of green genetics”
This Summer School was held in August 2009 and was designed for academic and professional bachelor students who want to know more about the world of green genetics. The programme included short lectures, covering the basic topics in plant breeding, and excursions to worldwide leading Dutch breeding companies and research laboratories .
All 25 students with various backgrounds (biology, horticulture, agriculture, biotechnology, laboratory schools) expressed their enthusiasm about the Summer School. For most of them, the image of the plant breeding sector had changed in a positive way. Two third of them expect that the Summer School will influence the choices they will make in their future education career.
The Summer School will probably be organized again in the Summer of 2010. If you are interested to receive the flyer, please let us know.
International Postgraduate Course Plant Breeding
For more information click in the menu on the left
The International Postgraduate Course Plant Breeding enables professional plant breeders and researchers to upgrade their knowledge in parallel with their current career. It is aimed to add academic knowledge to the professional experience of plant breeders worldwide.
This course covers all theoretical and some practical subjects that are necessary for managing a professional breeding programme. It includes both basic and more complex breeding and selection methods. Also, new technological developments and their application in breeding programmes are part of the curriculum.
The course consists of 6 sessions of 1 week in the period January 2010 until October 2011. In between sessions, participants are expected to perform self-study and work on specific assignments. After completing the course, participants will receive a certificate.
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The Plant Breeding Business School is supported by the Technological Top Institute Green Genetics. The mission of TTI GG is strengthening the knowledge base of the Dutch plant breeding and propagation industry. Through closer cooperation with research and education institutions, the sector seeks to improve the knowledge infrastructure and promote capacity building. See www.greengenetics.nl.
For more information, new ideas, needs, you are invited to contact.
Dr. Joke Janse
Programme leader
Wageningen Business School
Telefoon: 0317 484970
E-mail: joke.janse@wur.nl
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