A unique Masters Program on Forest Policy and Economics for the Balkan region of South-Eastern Europe has been delineated at the European Forest Institute. The EFI Forest Policy and Economics Education and Research-team (FOPER) has done ground breaking work with representatives of several universities throughout the Balkans. The curriculum will be submitted to national accreditation processes in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia. Croatia and Montenegro are also actively involved in the process
The curriculum was designed by an international expert team in close cooperation with regional project partners. The team leader was Dr. Ewald Rametsteiner from the EFI Project Centre INNOFORCE. The team based its work on a training needs assessment carried out in 2005. Additional stakeholder consultations were held both in national and regional events.
The Masters Program will be carried out at the Faculties of Forestry of the Universities of Sarajevo and Belgrade. Other co-operating faculties will participate actively in the program by e.g. taking part in teacher exchange. Commitment of the faculties is real. It is rewarding to see the faculties work together in such a cooperative atmosphere. We can see the ownership growing as the project progresses, says project coordinator Mr. Tomi Tuomasjukka.
Thirty students will be selected for the new masters program, once it is accredited in the autumn 2006. The actual studies will start in February 2007. In the course of their studies the students will gain in-depth knowledge in areas such as forest economics, forest policy analysis and evaluation, forest products marketing, and governance of change.
Additionally, the students will have training in soft skills, such as communication, negotiation and public relations in forest sector. It is also very important to gather students together from different countries and let them learn from each other. The students will spend nearly two years together. Social aspects of the intensive Masters studies should not be underestimated, reminds vice coordinator Ms. Mari Pitkänen.
For further information, please contact the FOPER Project: Mr. Tomi Tuomasjukka (tomi.tuomasjukka (at) efi.int) or Ms. Mari Pitkänen (mari.pitkanen (at) efi.int).
Source : EFI