Developing XXIst Century Bio-Sciences Program In Central America
With a $95,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund, Zamorano University launches project to enhance and strengthen the teaching and learning of the bio-sciences in Central American universities and secondary technical schools.
The program will establish a vision of the new graduate profile needed in the region to face the challenges of the next decades: the production of biomass for food, feed, fiber, bio-energy and biomaterials in a sustainable manner. By revising and updating existing bio-sciences programs into innovative and rigorous applied science curricula based upon advances, new knowledge in biology, the project will develop a Program of Teaching/Learning Excellence to help students acquire and apply challenging concepts and guide them to higher levels of learning and deeper levels of understanding.
“As the world moves away from a stage of producing food and fiber for a growing urban population, educational institutions must adopt and teach sound policies and appropriate technology – from the use of bio-control agents and bio-fertilizers to biotech crops and good management practices”, says Zamorano’s Academic Dean, Raul Espinal. “This has to be accomplished in a context of less available land and water, more degraded soils, using less chemical fertilizers and pesticides, while facing climate change and using less energy from fossil fuels.”
Running in its first phase through June 2011 with the Monsanto Fund support, this project is an expansion of an on-going process at Zamorano to maintain academic excellence in a fast changing global environment, and of several cooperative projects devoted to strengthening educational institutions in the region.
“Working with Zamorano, we are developing and strengthening Central American students’ interest in the bio-sciences”, says Brett Begemann, Chairman of the Monsanto Fund, “We are also helping to make education available to young people in the region, regardless of their age, location or economic standing.”
Understanding the huge potential of plant sciences in modern agriculture, Zamorano University faculty and colleagues of at least four other universities and rural technical secondary schools in Central America will develop a set of concrete educational products that will address competencies, values and technical skills that a graduate will need to be successful professionally.
Achievement of this objective will result in first-rate professionals and technical specialists who will be able to address challenges facing biomass production in the 21st century.
