ICA Conference 2007 Enhancing the attractiveness of European life science universities for international Master students

Thursday 30 August and Saturday 1 September
at the Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Tennenbacher Strasse 4, University of Freiburg

European higher education institutions offering degree programmes in agriculture, forestry, the applied life sciences and the rural environment have a real and promising potential to increase their global market position. This applies particularly to the developing Master degree programmes resulting from the restructuring of European higher education, not withstanding the need to also attract Doctorate students. However, to achieve an improved market position higher education institutions need to assess the education needs of international Master students on a global basis taking account of the economic, social and technical situation in their own countries.

The Conference first examines the students' perceptions of European universities in relation to our competitors on other continents. The Conference then focuses on enhancing the attractiveness of European life science universities for international Master students. The papers address issues in the design and delivery of an appropriate curriculum for international Master students, and the provision of institutional services to ensure that the students receive the appropriate support for both their pastoral and academic needs. There will be structured group discussion sessions to follow up on the points raised by the speakers. In part the Conference will report on the outcomes of ICA 's EU funded project - Enhancing the attractiveness of Masters programmes at European universities in agriculture, the applied life sciences and the rural environment (AMEU).

Expected outcomes: Identification of key factors to enhance the educational experience of international Master students at European life science universities

PROGRAMME:

Thursday 30 August

18.30 Reception: at the Gerichtslaube, Rathaushof, Freiburg
Welcome by the city of Freiburg and the University Freiburg
Vice Rector Dr. Gerhard Schneider

Friday 31 August, Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences

9.15 Welcome and introduction
Maurice Boland, Incoming President of ICA
Bernd Finger, Director of the International Office, University Freiburg

Chair Maurice Boland, University College Dublin , Ireland

9.30 Perceptions of European higher education in third countries
Bernd Wächter, Academic Cooperation Association, Belgium

10.15 Designing and delivering the MSc in European Forestry
Gerrit Epema, Wageningen University , The Netherlands

Chair Per Holten-Andersen, Copenhagen University , Denmark

11.30 Designing a MSc in Sustainable Development in Agriculture - which benchmarks specific to Europe ?
Didier Pillot, Montpellier SupAgro , France

12.15 Opportunities and challenges in developing a joint international master: the case of the International Master in Rural Development (IMRD)
Evert Waeterloos and Guido Van Huylenbroeck, Gent University , Belgium

Chair: Eduardo Rosa, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro , Portugal

14.15 Using the quality assurance process to enhance the educational experience of international Master students
Andrew Cobb, Harper Adams University College , United Kingdom

15.30 Group Discussion: Design, development, delivery and evaluation of Master degree programmes for the inclusion of international students

17.00 Report back
Philippe Choquet, Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais , France

20.00 Conference dinner, Restaurant Greiffenegg Schlössle, Schloßbergring 3, Freiburg

Saturday 1 September, Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences

Chair: Pavel Kovar, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague , Czech Republic

9.15 Good practice in the pastoral and academic care of international Master students
Stina-Lena.Hellgren, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden

10.00 Preparing international Master students for their participation at a European university
Anne-Grethe Routley, Copenhagen University , Denmark

11.15 Group Discussion: Academic and pastoral care of international Master students

12.45 Report back and Closure

Maurice Boland, Incoming President of ICA