Duration
20h Th, 24h Pr
Number of credits
| Master in agricultural bioengineering, professional focus | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course aims to broaden students' understanding of agroecology beyond its technical and agronomic dimensions, by integrating environmental, social, human and economic considerations.
Designed for second-year Master's students who already have a solid background in agricultural sciences and techniques, the course seeks to foster open-mindedness and develop their ability to critically and thoughtfully assess the diversity of agroecological approaches.
Through theoretical sessions, field visits, conferences and group discussions, students will explore a range of agroecological initiatives and reflect on the challenges of agricultural, food system and societal transitions, as well as their role as future bioengineers in these processes.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the main concepts and principles of agroecology, considering their agronomic, environmental, social and economic dimensions.
- Analyse different agroecological approaches, taking into account their context, potential benefits, limitations and associated trade-offs.
- Develop a critical and nuanced perspective on the challenges of agroecological transitions and the role of bioengineers in these processes.
- Independently explore an agroecological topic and present a structured, well-supported analysis.
- Raise thought-provoking questions, engage with different perspectives and contribute to constructive debate.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
AGRO0001 Basics of agriculture and agroecology
AGRO0021 Initiation to cultural tehcniques and levers
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course combines different teaching approaches that encourage exploration, critical thinking and discussion:
- Theoretical sessions focusing on the concepts, principles and challenges of agroecology.
- Three full-day field visits to farms or initiatives applying agroecological principles.
- Conferences and guest lectures, including Pablo Servigne's "Engineers in Transition" conference at the University of Mons, addressing various dimensions of agroecology, with a particular focus on tropical agroecology whenever possible.
- Individual assignment in which each student independently explores a topic of their choice related to agroecology in its broadest sense and presents it orally to the group (10-20 minutes). The presentation will be followed by a discussion of similar duration, aimed at encouraging critical reflection, questioning and constructive debate.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Written work / report
Further information:
The assessment consists of two components, each accounting for 50% of the final grade.
Individual oral presentation (50%)
Presentation of a freely chosen topic related to agroecology, followed by a group discussion. The assessment will focus on the relevance and quality of the analysis, critical thinking, clarity of the presentation, and the ability to stimulate reflection, develop arguments and foster constructive discussion.
Individual oral examination (50%)
The examination will assess students' understanding of the concepts and challenges addressed during the course, their ability to establish connections between the different learning activities, and their capacity to develop personal, critical and well-reasoned reflections on agroecological issues.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The course adopts a participatory and reflective approach, combining theoretical sessions, field experiences, guest lectures and group discussions.
Attendance at scheduled classes, guest lectures and field excursions is mandatory. Each unjustified absence from any of these activities will result in a deduction of 0.5 points from the final grade.
Contacts
Ludivine Lassois
ludivine.lassois@uliege.be