24 November 2015 – Agricultural professionals from 10 countries received their graduation certificates yesterday (23 November 2015) at a ceremony to celebrate their successful completion of the first University Neuchâtel-CABI jointly coordinated integrated crop management degree.
The Masters in Advanced Studies in Integrated Crop Management (MAS in ICM) programme was launched earlier this year by CABI in partnership with the University of Neuchâtel and the Canton Jura to help address the need to improve global food security.
Students benefited from learning how ICM can help to support farmers around the world to produce sufficient and safe crop yields and avoid a food crisis. They graduated from the programme with either a Masters or a Diploma of Advanced Studies and will return to jobs addressing sustainable agriculture within a range of organisations including governments, advisory services and universities.
The graduation ceremony took place at the Université de Neuchâtel and featured speeches by the University’s Professor Ted Turlings and CABIs Regional Director for Europe and the Americas, Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann.
‘We congratulate the students on their graduation,’ said Dr Kuhlmann. ‘They have all worked extremely hard and deserve their success. We’re very proud to have supported our first set of students to graduate and we look forward to working with more in the years to come.
‘Launching the course was an exciting moment for CABI as it enabled us to unlock our expertise in scientific research and training in sustainable agriculture for students from all over the world. We therefore thank and acknowledge the support of the University and other partners as the expertise and support of our fellow institutions in Switzerland helped to make this possible.’
Course student, Raymonda Johnson, Acting Assistant Director and Head of the Crop Protection Service at the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security in Sierra Leone said: ‘I’m delighted to have graduated from the MAS in ICM programme. The course has broadened my knowledge and introduced me to new skills and technologies. I look forward to bringing this new knowledge back home to help improve and sustain agriculture in my country – especially knowledge relating to my area of pests and pesticide management.’
The MAS in ICM course is a unique higher education programme delivering science-based knowledge in the field of sustainable agriculture which is supported by the Canton Jura, Plantwise and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. For more information, visit the course website.
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