1st Study trip in Poland and Czech Republic [31.10.16]
The first study trip for the developers of the SARUD Master`s program took place on the 2-15th of October at the University of Life Sciences–SGGW (Warsaw) and Czech University of Life Sciences (Prague)
The participants represented the Russian and Kazakh universities elaborating the new study program SARUD, or Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development. Two representatives per institution from Omsk State Agrarian University named after P.A. Stolypin, Michurinsk State Agrarian University, Buryat State Academy of Agriculture named after V.R.Philippov (Ulan-Ude), S.Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University (Astana), A.Baitursynov Kostanay State University and Sh.Ualikhanov Kokshetau State University, as well as one representative from Russian State Agricultural University and Novosibirsk State Agrarian University actively took part in the two-weeks study trip, which also included a didactic training.
The activities started in Warsaw University of Life Sciences with the Symposium “Sustainable agriculture and sustainable development of rural areas – theory and practice”, the practical part of which took place on the Ecological Research Station “Dolina Szkła”. The participants had an opportunity to visit several local farms with the examples of the conventional, sustainable and organic agriculture. In the frames of the training there were also organized visits to the Ministry of Environment in Warsaw and the General Directorate of the National State Forests with the trip to the Forest District “Jabłonna”.
On the 10th of October, after a fast transfer to Prague, the study trip continued with the workshop on the socioeconomic aspects of rural development. The trainees from Russia and Kazakhstan also got acquainted with the Local Action Groups established and operating in Poland and Czech Republic with support of the European Union in the framework of "LEADER" program.
As the methodological support for the study trip served the three-days didactic training implemented by Agency for Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas of the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (LEL), Germany. The training covered practice and action oriented teaching, facilitation methods and approaches for project work planning and conduction. All participant were actively involved in the interactive activities aimed at learning approaches and methods for facilitating learning situations, improving an overview and planning skills for curricula development and didactic methods to be used in teaching the SARUD modules. The trainees additionally had an opportunity to exchange their experience in the ongoing development of the study program.
Upon return, the participants of the study trip and didactic training are due to disseminate the gained knowledge and experience to colleagues in their home universities.
