Landscape ecology education in a changing world

Authors and Affiliations: 

Niina Käyhkö, University of Turku, Department of Geography and Geology, nivuore@utu.fi;

Hermann Klug, Paris-London University Salzburg, Centre for Geoinformatics, hermann.klug@sbg.ac.at;

Maria Kozova, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Landscape Ecology, kozova@fns.uniba.sk;

Sandra Luque, IRSTEA - National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture, France. Sandra.luque@irstea.fr

Emilio Padoa-Schioppa, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, emilio.padoaschioppa@unimib.it;

Janez Pirnat, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, janez.pirnat@bf.uni-lj.si;

Isabel Ramos, University of Evora, ICAAM, Department of Landscape, Environment and Planning, iar@uevora.pt;

Fabio Salbitano, University of Florence, GESAAF, fabio.salbitano@unifi.it;

Veerle van Eetvelde, Ghent University, Department of Geography, veerle.vaneetvelde@ugent.be

Email: 
janez.pirnat@bf.uni-lj.si
Abstract: 

Landscape ecology education is an essential support for landscape ecological research. The main goal of the round table «Landscape ecology education in a changing world» is to critically evaluate landscape ecology education principles in various European countries to promote good praxis and suggest future development.

 

A round table will be divided into two parts. In first part authors will explain briefly key aspects of past and present situation of different European Landscape Ecology educational programmes. Main topics will be:

- Education Evaluation Processes following the Bologna charter based on a massive number of quali-quantitative indicators regarding education evaluation processes in term of checking the negative/positive aspects as well as the opportunities and threats of the ongoing processes.

- Mixing virtual and contact teaching in landscape ecology.

- Experiences from new initiatives in modern MSc Landscape ecology teaching (Evora).

- A history, current status and future development of the landscape ecology at universities in selected countries of the Central and Eastern Europe at BSc, MSc, and PhD level.

- A survey on landscape ecology education in different IALE chapters and countries with a summary of IALE education at the international level (linked to IALE WC) and the different needs that were identified in different regions.

- Landscape ecology is a «non neutral» discipline: the linkage between ethics and education need to be underlined.

 

In second part the discussion on future development is going to be encouraged based on four years term (2013-2017) of IALE Europe WG Education activities. Following topics are suggested:

- What needs to be done to improve present educational praxis, how to exchange experiences and initiatives. Identify present gaps

- How to link teaching projects, initiatives, students´ needs and teachers exchange.

- How to develop activities and sharing materials for Summer Schools, e-learning and online courses.

- Development of tools and methods of Landscape ecology, applied to different case studies and landscapes (e.g. Mediterranean, central European, Nordic, urban vs. forested landscapes, aquatic, marine…).

- Relation and division of tasks between LE Net @ international level and IALE Europe WG Education.

- Look into the possibility of holding a workshop/discussion at the IALE WC follow up pre-conference courses for the WC

- How to integrate experience from other networks (i.e. IUFRO; ESA; AlterNet).

- Promotion of teaching in Landscape Ecology within IALE Europe.