Higher Education Innovation in Plant Diversity: flexible learning paths for emerging labour market Erasmus Project

Project Title

Higher Education Innovation in Plant Diversity: flexible learning paths for emerging labour market

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Open and distance learning; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Since millennia plant biodiversity represented the base of civilization, provided food, fibers and medicine; thus contributing to human well being and societies development, it has many foremost implications at environmental, economical, political, social and cultural level. As for instance by providing basic goods and ecosystem services it plays a pivotal role for poverty reduction: more than 1.3 billion people depend on plant biodiversity and on its basic ecosystems goods and services for their livings. However, plant biodiversity is also recognized as one of the most imperilled; it is estimated to experience greatest proportional change by 2100 owing to the environmental alterations caused by human impacts, climate changes, water shortages and recurring droughts. The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation addresses the challenges posed by threats to plant diversity and its mission statement “is a catalyst for working together at all levels – local, national, regional and global – to understand, conserve and use sustainably the world’s immense wealth of plant diversity whilst promoting awareness and building the necessary capacities for its implementation” (http://www.cbd.int/gspc/strategy.shtml). The promotion of “Education and awareness about plant diversity, its role in sustainable livelihoods and importance to all life on Earth” is one of the five Strategy objectives. Societies sustainable development depends on this important objective and its related Target 14: The importance of plant diversity and the need for its conservation incorporated into communication, education and public awareness programmes; Target 15: The number of trained people working with appropriate facilities sufficient according to national needs, to achieve the targets of the Strategy; and Target 16: Institutions, networks and partnerships for plant conservation established or strengthened at national, regional and international levels to achieve the targets of the Strategy. In this context, the interdisciplinary co-operation across EU boundaries throughout a strategic partnership involving higher education institutions, conservation and research organizations (botanic gardens, gene banks, universities, research institutes, non-governmental organizations) can greatly contribute to the Strategy objectives achievement, by developing higher education programs on understanding of plant diversity threats, their possible solutions, and conservation, characterization, and sustainable use management practices. Moreover, providing human professional resources with deep knowledge and practical skills on different plant diversity aspects, it offers a possible response to the international emerging green jobs labour market. The HEIPLADI project aimed at developing, testing and implementing an higher education pilot program on different plant biodiversity issues. HEIPLADI follows the priorities of 2011 EU Modernization Agenda to equip young generation with transversal skills for the new emerging labour markets, such as green jobs, related with environmental protection and conservation. The pilot program implementation required the constructive cooperation and the successful integration of expertises between Botanic Gardens and Germplasm Banks from 5 Universities, i.e., Molise (IT), Cagliari (IT), Lisboa (PT), Malta (MT), Sofia (BG), and 2 research institutes, i.e., Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (GR), Centre for Biological Diversity Conservation in Powsin (PL). HEIPLADI flexible program, integrates ICT techniques in a blended path of virtual (e-learning modules) and physical mobility (practical activities). Five e-learning modules have been implemented and made available “in an open access” on the Moodle platform (https://dibt.unimol.it/HEI-PLADI/home/); thus they are usable by different stakeholders: i.e. students, educators, laboratories, herbarium, museum, germplasm banks, botanical gardens, natural parks, and plant nurseries staff at national and international level. Seven short-term training activities were organized as field works with the aim of developing skills and deepen knowledge on the e-learning module subjects. Beside the implementation of the flexible learning path on plant biodiversity evaluation, characterisation, conservation and sustainable use, the project provided: (a) teaching/learning materials usable in courses of established curricula degree, and available for a worldwide number of different stakeholders; (b) the exchange of the best practices between partners and the enhancement of the use of ICT for teaching and learning, promoting HEIs modernization; (c) the reinforcement of cooperation and integration between European Botanic gardens and Germplasm banks in the field of higher education (c) the base for the development of joint international courses such as a professional master on Applied plant biodiversity.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 378560 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DEL MOLISE & Country: IT

Project Partners

• MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC INSTITUTE OF CHANIA
• UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA
• UNIVERSITA TA MALTA
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARI
• SOFIISKI UNIVERSITET SVETI KLIMENT OHRIDSKI
• Polska Akademia Nauk Ogrod Botaniczny-Centrum Zachowania Roznorodnosci Biologicznej w Powsinie