Higher education: what opportunities can it offer to rural development? A case study of postgraduate studies in European Rural Development from the University of Gloucestershire by the Course Leader: Dr Anne Miller by the Course Leader: Dr Anne Miller

Structure of presentation 1. The benefits of education and training in rural development 2. The timeliness of these developments 3. An outline of our postgraduate programme 4. The case for distance learning

Education & training: the benefits to rural development  Fundamental to development and empowerment of individuals and of communities  Essential for capacity building  Enhancement of what people can do, through learning, practice, training and education, leads to greater well being (Chambers 1998)  A need to balance theoretical and experiental learning and nurture critical reflexive practitioners

Education & training: the benefits to rural development  “communities could play a much bigger part in running their own affairs, influencing and shaping their future development but they often lack opportunities, and support” ( UK Govt ) -same report included an undertaking to  “help rural communities train and attract volunteers to support local projects”  UK government committed to ‘double devolution’

Timeliness  Rural development - the second Pillar of the CAP- of growing importance throughout the EU  All EU member states, plus the accession countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Macedonia, Turkey) are about to enter a new era of Rural Development programmes, funded by the EU: EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development) in EU-25, SAPARD or CARDS (and from 2007 IPARD)  In other (non-EU, non-applicant) countries the same principles are being applied

Significance: for EU-15  provides a new context, with a shift from the LEADER+ Community Initiative (now operating) to the mainstreaming of LEADER  brings new people into work on rural development who have not been in it before  engages a wider range of partner organisations (municipalities, NGOs etc)  promotes a new ethos of multi-level action- from parish to province

Significance: for new member countries  major need to support the rural economy more widely, rather than the (more) problematic farm sector  rapid growth in LEADER-type local partnerships over the last two years  many new people coming into rural development and this will continue to grow  need for up-skilling

Significance: for new accession states  many new people will become involved in rural development e.g. staff in: -ministries, -government agencies, -regional administrations, -NGOs-sub-regional partnerships  but often are having to acquire these skills on the job

Timeliness:  Pressures on all these newcomers to “learn on the job”- the key personnel often cannot be seconded for a year or more  Need to learn about many different aspects of rural development and community building  Opportunity to learn from others’ experiences across EU  Building up of networks to share ideas, experience and good practices

Structure of UoG courses:  Modular, to facilitate flexible learning  Postgraduate Certificate = 3 modules  Postgraduate Diploma = 6 modules  MSc = 6 modules plus research dissertation

Distance learning: the advantages  Allows participation by learners in remote locations  Flexible, undertaken at times that suit students within a specified “window”  Encourages discussion with others who share interests and experiences but not location!  Can fit in study around work and home-life

Distance learning: the challenges  Need good time management skills  Self discipline, need to prioritise time for learning  Dependent on others participating on time  Asynchronous discussion can erode own time management capacity  Can encourage ‘risk takers’ who say a lot and others to become readers or ‘lurkers’

Learning on the job  Need access to a good computer with internet connections  WebCT used as delivery medium  Allows for downloading of electronic versions of papers for reading and discussion in “class areas”  Assignments carried out and submitted electronically  Even the possibility of teleconferencing!

Real life relevance:  Emphasis of the programme is holistic: integrates social, economic and environmental aspects  Each unit incorporates reflective elements using live projects and an emphasis on working out approaches/solutions

Detailed programme  Core elements for the full MSc: European Rural Policy; Europe’s Rural Mosaic; Project Planning and Management; Research Methods; Dissertation  Options: Rural Social and Community Development; Rural Economic Development; Project work in a New Environment; Vocational Placement; Environmental Policy Planning and Legislation

Our aspiration  To build a network of partner institutions: to share delivery with others to share delivery with others to collaborate on research initiatives to collaborate on research initiatives to develop pedagogic best practice to develop pedagogic best practice to obtain sponsorship for high quality students to obtain sponsorship for high quality students to create a cadre of experienced collaborative learners to provide leadership for rural development to create a cadre of experienced collaborative learners to provide leadership for rural development