Using the EU Erasmus lifelong learning programme (LLP) for international education in horticulture: the intensive programme ‘Biosushort: potentials of using biodiversity for achieving a sustainable horticulture’

The European ‘Erasmus programme’ is part of the EU LLP which encourages transnational cooperation between universities, boosting mobility and improving the transparency and full academic recognition of studies and qualifications throughout the Union. Eleven European universities have organized an ‘Intensive Programme’ (IP), a short programme of study which brings together students and teaching staff from higher education institutions, on horticulture and biodiversity, implementing new educational approaches and group work. The programme was repeated for three years with 40 master students per year. In modern business life more and more teamwork is required to solve work tasks. Courses in universities are mostly organized by ex-cathedra teaching specialized on a specific subject. This results in students who learn factual knowledge of a specific subject in a short time. The subject area chosen for preparing this IP was a perfect element of multidisciplinarity because ecological and horticultural claims have to be opposed and discussed. The international approach and the need to communicate in English prepares for the work in the globalised horticultural sector. The course comprised three different phases: an individual home pre-course phase with specific assignments, a two-week gathering course, a home post-course phase with periodical e-conference meetings in group for preparing the final report of the course. Different perspectives of students and teachers on the impact of horticultural production on biodiversity and the use of biodiversity for horticulture provoked intensive discussions and resulted in an interesting range of approaches in the group work.