Higher agricultural education around the Baltic Sea: problems and solutions

ISBN 978-9934-14-548-3 (printed); ISBN 978-9934-14-549-0 (PDF)As agricultural sector is of fundamental importance for every country and even is one of guarantees of its sovereignty also higher agricultural education is similarly relevant. This paper analyses and compares some important questions (problems) of higher education (the first cycle or bachelor level) in agriculture. Paper is mainly based on the experience of five Universities located around the Baltic Sea: Latvia University of Agriculture (LLU), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Aleksandras Stulginskis University (Lithuania) (ASU), Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU) and University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (UWM) (Poland). Totally 2661 students studied in analysed programs in 2014. History of higher agricultural education in region is 150-200 years long and rich in traditions. Further described questions were analysed and compared: interpretation of the term “higher education in agriculture”, prestige of agricultural education in every specific country and motivation for young people around the Baltic Sea to study agriculture; their dreams for future job possibilities and real places of work as well as employers’ expectations from graduates of agricultural programs; the number of students in Agricultural programs and possible reasons for drop-out are searched. Regulations for enrolment and matriculation as well as funding of studies, and possibilities of internationalization of education in agriculture are compared. Organization of study process and teaching aids as well as students’ characterization is given. Length of studies at the bachelor’s level and some peculiarities in curricula including diverse length of practice and different demands for bachelor’s theses are compared. Quality control of study programs is examined. Problems with teaching staff for agricultural students of next generations are reflected. At the end of paper a little insight in future development plans of agricultural programs are outlinedVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij