SAEC-DE
Strengthening Agricultural and Environmental Capacity through Distance Education
We are interested in developing other partnerships and projects based on this model. Please contact us if you are interested in discussing this further.
Introduction
CIAT and UF/IFAS, building on a long-term collaboration, will partner with developing country partner institutions for capacity building through distance education and related research, outreach, exchange and institutional strengthening.
The overall approach is focused on developing multiple opportunities for linking international distance education and site specific research. This program will provide a model that will be effective with other CGIAR Centers and local and regional academic and research institutions.
- UF/IFAS Program Description
- Informational Brochure (1.83MB pdf)
- Additional Information: CIAT Web site
Goals
Demonstrate through a pilot initiative an innovative and effective approach to making higher education more accessible to international participants currently working in the agricultural and natural resource development field.
Objectives
Our objectives are to:
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Initiate a cooperative program that is sustainable and can be offered around the world.
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Provide an opportunity for students (professionals currently employed by a research center or on faculty at one of the partner institutions) to engage in a research program that leads to a thesis while satisfying course requirements through distance education, while maintaining their current professional positions.
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Assist developing country institutions develop capacity of their scientist and faculty, and increase the number and quality of faculty and scientists.
Audience
This program seeks to provide training for degree seeking students currently employed at CIAT (or other international centers) as research assistants and research associates, or working at partner local universities.
This opportunity is of special interest for those researchers who hold professional positions and therefore cannot be away for two or three years to carry out postgraduate studies.
One Student's View
Marcela Quintero, a distance education student currently working as a research assistant at CIAT, focusing on valuation of and payment for environmental services in the Andean region, highlights the following advantages of the Master of Science in Soil and Water Science through distance education:
”The classes are given using appropriate communication technologies that make distance education classes very similar to an on-campus class. There is a calendar with at least one hour live class per week where the week theme is discussed with professors and classmates. Also bulletin boards are used on a daily basis to enhance the interaction and resolve questions about reading, lab and homework assignments.
There is a continuous support from the professor supervisor of UF who is permanently following up the student progress on classes and on the development of the research proposal. Even, when possible, the supervisor is able to visit the study site of the thesis project.
The credits-hours accomplished in this master program can be part of the credits required for an actual Ph.D degree at UF. In consequence, to get a PhD degree requires about 3 years after completing the master program.”
