Harmonisation of Higher Education in Agricultural/Biosystems Engineering

Abstract

The international harmonisation of the Higher Education Area (HEA) in Agricultural/Biosystems Engineering (ABE), was started by Prof. Giuseppe Pellizzi during the CIGR 1989 Conference. This action was carried out in the EU by EurAgEng SIG RD12 - Education and Communication (Chairman Prof. Pierluigi Febo from 1994) and also elsewhere by CIGR WG1 - Agricultural Engineering University Curricula Harmonization (Chairman Prof. Pierluigi Febo from 1994 and Secretary Dr. Antonio Comparetti from 2007). The book and CD-ROM: “The University Structure and Curricula on Agricultural Engineering. An overview of 36 countries”, were presented by Prof. Pierluigi Febo during the AgEng 2000 Conference. Three thematic networks followed: 1) USAEE-TN (University Studies of Agricultural Engineering in Europe - A Thematic Network), comprising 31 institutions from 27 Countries, from 2002 to 2006; 2) Consortium POMSEBES (Policy Oriented Measures in Support of the Evolving Biosystems Engineering Studies in USA - EU), comprising eight EU and four USA institutions, from 2006 to 2008; 3) ERABEE-TN (Education and Research in Biosystems Engineering in Europe - A Thematic Network), comprising 35 institutions from 27 Countries, from 2007 to 2010; 4) Consortium TABE.NET (Trans-Atlantic Biosystems Engineering Curriculum and Mobility), comprising four EU and two USA institutions, from 2009 to 2013. The major outcomes were: - Agricultural Engineering degree study programs, satisfying FEANI (European Federation of National Associations of Engineers) and EurAgEng criteria; - studies on Accreditation Procedures of the above degree programs in the EU; - studies on the transition of Curricula from traditional Agricultural Engineering to the broader Biosystems Engineering; - development of an ABE core curriculum and 11 European degree programs in the EU. What will the future of Higher Education in Agricultural/Biosystems Engineering be?