TEMPUS Projects

AC-JEP 14051-1999 Establishment of training centres for Agricultural Extension at Agricultural Universities in Romania

Project title:
Establishment of training centres for Agricultural Extension at Agricultural Universities in Romania
 
Project Number:
AC-JEP 14051-1999
Contracting Institution University of Hohenheim
Coordinating Institution

Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Timisoara

Project Leader

University of Hohenheim

Prof. Dr. J. Zeddies

Institute of Farm Management

Project Duration 1.11.1999 - 31.10.2001
Origin of Funding European Commission, Tempus-Phare
Project Partners 1) Landwirtschaftliche Universität Timşoara,Lehrstuhl für Management
2) Agricultural University Cluj-Napoca, Department of Economy, Romania
3) University for Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Iaşi, Department of Management, Romania
4) Agricultural University of Bukarest, Faculty for Economy
5) University Craiova, Faculty for Agriculture
6) National Agency for Agricultural Extension (ANCA)
all Romania
7) Wageningen University, Department of Farm Management, The Netherlands
Objectives of the Project • Establishment and equipment of training centres for Agricultural Extension at the Agricultural Universities for training on the job for staff of Romanian Agricultural Extension Services
• Preparation of a corresponding seminar design
• Development of individual training modules (et alli Agricultural Extension, Economy)
• Training of younger teaching staff
• Development of training and teaching materials
Description of the Project The modernization and development of Romanian agriculture is supported by the Romanian government through the National Agency for Extension in Agriculture (ANCA) that is affiliated with a national extension service. The formation of this service was decisively supported by the European Union as for a future integration of Romania into the EU. Therefore, there is a considerable need for highly qualified extension personnel for whose education and further training there are no adequate study and teaching facilities in Romania.

In a joint TEMPUS-GEP the Romanian agricultural universities of Timisoara, Bukarest, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and the Agricultural Faculty of the University of Craiova together with the National Agency for Extension in Agriculture (ANCA) want to develop and institute an education and training system for agricultural extension in collaboration with the Universities of Hohenheim (Germany) and Wageningen (The Netherlands). For this, at each agricultural university in Romania a training centre for agricultural extension shall be founded that offers short training courses in major extension topics.

As part of the TEMPUS-GEP the individual education modules will be designed, the syllabi will be elaborated and teaching material will be created. The centers‘ future teachers will be trained in the fields of extension and agricultural economics during visits of a several months to Wageningen and Hohenheim. Furthermore, they will be offered the possibility to get insights into the established extension services in Germany and The Netherlands.

By including The National Agency for Extension in Agriculture (ANCA) as a project partner it is guaranteed that the newly formed education and training system will both meet the requirements of the Agency and be highly accepted by the extension organizations. At the same time it is insured that the training capacities are fully utilized and are demanded for. The courses are financed independently from the project by the Romanian agricultural universities, the ANCA and the course participants. Thus, it is insured that the training centres will continue to exist after the expiration of the TEMPUS-financing.

The experiences gained from the formation of university training centres as well as the offer of short courses can be transferred to other subject areas and universities. Therefore, they are suitable to give impulses for the further transformation of the Romanian system of higher education.
Outcome of the Project - Establishment of Training centres
- Purchasing of essential equipment, teaching materials and literature for Romanian Univeristies
- Development of training modules
- Two weeks visits for 10 Romanian professors and representatives of the Extension Agency in Hohenheim and Wageningen (Curriculum development and revision)
- One week seminars in Romania
- Retraining of teaching staff and preparation of teaching materials
- Three months visits of 10 Romanian lecturers in Hohenheim and Wageningen (training, development and revision of courses, preparation of teaching materials)
- 18 month training of five Romanian lecturers at the Wageningen University
- Coordination and evaluation
- 3 Coordination and Evaluation meetings in Hohenheim, Timisoara and Wageningen
- Final conference in Bucharest
Output (Materials developed)  
Project's website