Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC)

Background

The Southeast Asian region is annually affected by climate extremes, particularly, floods, droughts, and tropical cyclones, threatening the livelihoods of poor people living in rural areas, as well as food security in the region. As such, the vulnerability of agriculture to climate variability and change, and food security are issues of major importance that need the attention of the international scientific community, among the many other stakeholders. Achieving food security amidst climate change, requires a global solution through the implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures. As a professional domain, food security and climate change require interdisciplinary skills, which can be achieved through both degree and non-degree trainings.

The Master of Science in Food Security and Climate Change (MS FSCC) project, funded by the European Commission's ERASMUS + Capacity Building for Higher Education from 2016 to 2019, is designed to help develop the next generation of high-quality, interdisciplinary professionals able to address the imposing challenges of climate change and food security in their country and the Southeast Asian region.

The project was an initiative of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC), led by Kasetsart University (KU) and SEARCA. It is envisaged to be a joint degree among the members of the UC, namely: KU in Thailand, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), and Universitas Gadja Mada (UGM) both in Indonesia. Other project partners include six (6) other universities in Southeast Asia, three (3) universities from Europe, the French institute IAVFF-AGREENIUM, and AGRINATURA — a consortium of European universities.

With the conclusion of the ERASMUS+ project on MS FSCC in 2019, the program offering and its activities will continue under UC's projects which involves other leading universities such as Universitas Brawijaya in Indonesia, UC regular member since 2019, and National Taiwan University and Tokyo University of Agriculture, UC associate members.

Project Highlights (2016-2019)

MS FSCC was first offered as a dual/double degree using the MS programmes already recognized at the different FSCC Universities. The joint study program was simultaneously developed for accreditation in the Universities. It involves a compulsory mobility for students in at least two universities, co-supervision of thesis and conferment of a joint degree. Students also had the opportunity to study in a partner European university for a semester. Three Summer Schools were conducted by the project: Integrated Forestry Farming System: A Transition to Food Security in a Changing Climate in 2017 at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia; Oil Palm-Cattle Integration: A Transition Towards Sustainability in Food Security and Climate Change in 2018 at Universiti Putra Malaysia; and in 2019, Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Vulnerable Areas organized by SEARCA and the University of the Philippines Los Banos. These activities were conducted back-to-back with the Training of Trainers (ToT).

Students received funding to cover their airfare and cost of stay in their host university during the mobility period and attendance to two Summer Schools. The project also offered one-semester mobility for graduate students from partner universities, namely: Central Luzon State University in the Philippines, Nilai University in Malaysia, Royal University of Agriculture and University of Battambang both in Cambodia, and Chiang Mai University and Prince of Songkla University both in Thailand.

For the duration of the project, a total of 119 students were trained. 81 of these (degree and non-degree) were under the MS FSCC project while 21 were under SEARCA's Institutional Development Assistance (IDA) program, 9 as UC non-MSFSCC delegates, and 8 were funded by a European Institution.

55 individuals participated in the one-semester mobility. Mobilities from SEA to EU Universities were participated by 28 individuals with Montpellier SupAgro directly funding 15 of them. Mobilities from EU universities to SEA were participated by 5 individuals. There were also 119 delegates who joined the Summer Schools from 2017-2019, some attending more than once as part of the MS FSCC requirements. Lastly, 95 lecturers underwent training from 2017-2019.

Who We Are

IPB logo
UGM logo
UPM logo
KU logo
UPLB logo
 
University of Brawijaya Logo
MJU logo
VSU logo
CLSU logo
TUA logo
 
NTU logo
CMU logo
UBC logo
Georg August Logo
SEARCA logo

Contact Us

  • UC Secretariat
  • Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
  • College, Los Baños, Laguna 4031 Philippines
  • Email: mcnc@searca.org, gsid@searca.org
  • Tel:
    • Manila Line: +63 2 8657 1300 to 02
    • Laguna Line: +63 49 554 9330 to 39
      +63 49 536 2290 local 2200 to 2203
  • Fax: +63 49 536 7097