About AGROASIS – history
- NOVA University Network working group for Agroecology/Ecological Agriculture was established in 1996
- A Master of Science programme in Agroecology has existed since 1999
- PhD courses have been given since 1995
- A Nordic School of Agroecology/Ecological Agriculture was established in 2002
As a result of increased networking among scientists at the Nordic agricultural universities during the first half of the 1990s, a Nordic Network for Research and Education in Ecological Agriculture was established in 1996 with funds from NorFA. For the period 1996-98 a formalized network, also financed by NorFa was launched. The initial proposal of the group was to establish a Nordic unit under NOVA, a unit that would do research and offer education in agroecology/ecological agriculture.
Since under the current rules the NOVA University Network was not in the formal position to give educational degrees, the working group decided to apply a network approach. With this model, formal degrees in agroecology/ecological agriculture should be given by the individual member universities, but based on strong Nordic collaboration in the network, to be led by the NOVA University Network working group. In spite of institutional barriers, the group has succeeded in developing educational programmes at both the MSc and PhD-levels. Thus as a result of several years of planning the first Nordic post-graduate course was held in 1995 – and the second in 1996.
In 1999 the first semester in the Master of Science in Agroecology programme took place at the Nowegian University of Life Sciences. The Nordic network has also participated in the development of a European curriculum on Ecological Agriculture (B.Sc.) under SOCRATES and ERASMUS.
In 2002 the Nordic School of Agroecology/Ecological Agriculture was established, which sees its primary responsibility as being responsible for the development and content of a Nordic educational programme (MSc., PhD) and a Nordic research and development programme.
About AGROASIS
• Vision
• History
• Steering group
• Secretariat
• Formal structure
• Annual reports
Contact information: Associate Professor Geir Lieblein, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Agroecology Group, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Phone: +47 64 96 56 44, Fax: +47 64 94 78 02, E-mail: [email protected]