MISS - Master in Sustainable Development of Agricultural and Rural Areas of the Adriatic-Ionian Basin
Programme
The Master MISS foresees the analyses and the discussion of the main topics related to sustainable development, with particular current reference to the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian Basin, moreover subjects of particular relevance, such as the valorisation of the typical agro-food products, and organic farming. The valorisation of typical products can be considered a vital tool for the development of rural areas, with particular attention to the path that the countries from the Balkan area has just started or are going to start towards the European integration.
Methodology
The Master MISS intends to follow the approach of harmonisation of different scientific subjects, paying particular attention to the analyses of methodologies and operative instruments aiming at the promotion of sustainable development in the areas subject for discussion.
The programme of the Master is articulated in three different but strongly interconnected areas, which treat the topics related to international cooperation and internationalisation with particular reference to the agricultural sector, to rural development, to the valorisation of typical agro-food products, to sustainable development in its different aspects, such as for example that of organic farming.
Creating a platform for discussion among the scientific community of the member states of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, the MISS proposes to deal with the sustainable development of the agricultural and rural areas of the Adriatic-Ionian Basin through an interdisciplinary approach, which would make possible to connect different problematic related to the sustainability of development, (e.g. demographic dynamics, environmental degradation, the increase of income and production, the rule of the institutions at local, national and international level, etc.).
Didactic Plan
The Master, entirely in English, is finalised to analyse and discuss the principal dimensions of sustainable development (ecological, social, economical and international). The Didactic Plan, featured by a strong interdisciplinary approach, will be articulated in three different but strongly interconnected areas. The interdisciplinary approach can be considered as an essential requisite for the education of experts in planning and management of agricultural, rural and environmental systems. The three mains areas are the following:- International Cooperation: it includes the principal thematic connected to international cooperation and internationalisation, with particular reference to the agricultural sector.
- Rural development: it includes the analyses of the agricultural and rural systems, with particular attention to the valorisation of typical agro-food products.
- Sustainable development: it includes the analyses of some of the multiple problematic of sustainable development, with particular importance dedicated to organic farming, inasmuch as a model for development and sustainable production.
The Didactic Plan foresees different intervention methods, which in their totality constitute a didactic offer as complete as possible:
- an on-line module (composed of several courses);
- a face-to-face module. This module, composed of several courses, will take place at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna;
- workshops;
- seminars and conferences;
- field activities;
- internship (200 hours)
- realisation of the master thesis relevant to the arguments discussed in the framework of the Master
The choice to offer a blended Course intends to overcome some possible difficulties related to an exclusively distance education: the discussion of topics which are not very much suitable to be debated at distance, the lack of some fundamental components of the face-to-face education, such as social integration, the possibility to understand signs of the paralinguistic and non-verbal communication (this is going to be in part solved by utilising of video-lectures).
Blended education is understood as a teaching method to utilise the peculiarities of both the face to face education (direct interactions, and social aspects) and distance education (discussions, exercises by distance learning, access to materials, flexible schedule).
Attendance and evaluation
The first fifteen days of the introductory -propaedeutical- on-line module will be a tool for the Scientific Committee to evaluate the competencies (through tests and exams) and the level of participation of the 15 selected students. In case some participants will not succeed in passing the tests, the Scientific Committee will substitute him/her with waiting-list candidates individuated beforehand.
At the end of the on-line module, the students will have to do a final exam related to the topics discussed in the framework of the module. Those participants who do not pass the final exam will not be allowed to follow the face-to-face module, to perform the internship, and therefore to obtain the Master degree.
Attendance at the courses (both the on-line and face-to-face modules) is obligatory. The Scientific Committee reserves the right to expel from the Master as well as to cut off scholarship of those students whose attendance does not reach at least 75% of the whole Master Course. The final exam, to be conducted by the Scientific Committee, will take into consideration the Master Thesis and could have different results according to the performance of each student.