FOR PARTICIPANTS FROM AFRICA
June 15 – July 9, 2009
MASHAV is the Hebrew acronym for the Center for International Cooperation, a department established 50 years ago in Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. MASHAV is responsible for designing and implementing Israel's international development programs, carried out in Israel and in development partner countries.
In cooperation with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Faculty of Agriculture – MASHAV's only academic professional affiliate – we are pleased to announce the opening of a training and capacity building course entitled Horticultural Crop Production for participants from Africa. The course will be held in Israel at the Faculty of Agriculture from April 20 – May 14, 2009.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the course is to train participants in various aspects of horticulture, with particular emphasis on the problems encountered in tropical and subtropical climates. It is our anticipation that participants will enrich their respective countries with new scientific knowledge and research approaches, while simultaneously establishing a basis for future research cooperation between the participants and the researchers at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
The course is designed for participants from developing countries in Africa in order to promote the use of new techniques in modern horticultural production. Participants will gain important knowledge which they will be able to transmit and adapt to the unique development challenges of their countries. The course promotes networking and research cooperation between the participants, their respective countries and the researchers at the Faculty.
Increased agricultural yields are needed in order to feed a growing population. We focus on providing the participants with the necessary tools to develop and pursue ways of improving productivity by selecting superior cultivars and rootstocks, optimizing water and nutrients application, controlling pests and diseases, by using effective post-harvest techniques.
COURSE OF STUDIES
TOPICS OF STUDY
Reproductive biology and productivity
Pollination of cultivated crop plants
Vegetable production
Fruit production
Post-harvest of vegetable and fruit crops
Irrigation and mineral nutrition
Integrated pest management
STUDY CONDITIONS
Classes will be held at the Faculty’s Rehovot campus, where there are laboratories, advanced research equipment and the Central Library of Agricultural Science.
Around-the-clock computer access will be provided, and computers will be used extensively.
Basic instruction will be given to achieve the required level of proficiency in PowerPoint for preparation of a final project.
Scientific material and homework will be assigned and graded.
Professional field trips to orchards, vegetable fields and greenhouses in various parts of Israel will be held.
Full attendance is required.
COURSE COMPLETION
Each participant will prepare a final project, which will be reviewed and graded. It should apply knowledge acquired during the course to a topic in horticulture. Participants are advised to bring with them digitalized data relevant to their countries.
On completion of the course and fulfillment of its requirements, participants will receive certificates, which will be accredited by many universities.
REQUIREMENTS
Candidates interested in attending this program require:
M.Sc. degree or above in biology or agriculture from a recognized university. (A detailed record of studies and copies of degrees must be included with application forms.)
Documentation of academic studies conducted in English OR a TOEFL score of at least 89 on the internet-based scale OR an internationally recognized equivalent. (The language of instruction is English. Therefore, participants whose native tongue isn't English, must furnish proof of proficiency in this language.)
Professional experience in the field is recommended.
An official certificate of good health.
Letters of recommendation are required from the candidate's place of work or university.
COST AND APPLICATION
MASHAV (see below) will grant all participants a scholarship to cover the cost of the course. The scholarship does not include travel costs to and from the home countries or incidental expenses.
Application forms may be obtained from the nearest Israeli diplomatic or consular representative or can also be downloaded from the website of the Foreign Ministry of Israel, MASHAV Study Programs. The e-address for the application form is:
http://mashav.mfa.gov.il/mfm/Data/52920.pdf
Or here
Completed applications (2 copies) MUST be sent directly to the Israeli representative in your country as soon as possible. In addition, please send a copy of the forms to the Faculty by e-mail to
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.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR PARTICIPANTS
ACCOMMODATIONS: Single bedroom accommodation in a shared apartment will be provided in our fully equipped guest-house on campus. Meals will be provided. Both laundry (on campus) and dry cleaning (in town) are at the participant’s expense.
WEATHER: The weather in Israel during the spring months is very comfortable. It’s the nicest season of the year with very comfortable weather and the temperature in Rehovot is usually 16 - 24C. Participants are requested to bring clothes suitable for outdoor activities, including a light jacket and comfortable walking shoes. We also recommend that you bring long-sleeved and short sleeved shirts and some light sweaters. There is no need to bring a raincoat or an umbrella.
INSURANCE: Participants are insured for medical care during their stay in Israel. This does not include pre-existing conditions and /or major dental care. Personal belongings are not insured, and are the responsibility of each individual.
Participants who take regular MEDICATION are requested to bring enough medicine for the duration of the course. Participants who wear GLASSES are advised to bring a spare pair.
We recommend that HAND LUGGAGE include basic toiletries and a change of clothes for the first day or so. These should be carried separately in case of delay in baggage delivery.
Participants will not receive any allowance or pocket money. Please bring some money for SMALL EXPENSES.
AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION: Those accepted to the course will supply flight details to their local Israeli representative, to be forwarded to us. Upon arrival in Israel, the participant will pick up his/her luggage. After passing through customs, the participant will enter the arrivals terminal and walk towards the right. Near the car rental counters, you will see a “TOURBUS†counter. This is a special taxi service, which has a list of expected arrivals. Go to the counter and tell them your name, country and that you’re attending a course at the Faculty. You will be taken to the Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, free of charge. This service is pre-paid. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY OTHER FORM OF TRANSPORTATION.
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS
This 25-day course is truly a joint venture. Involved in its implementation are:
Academics: under the auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment.
Academic Coordinator: Prof. Shmuel Gazit
Administration: by the Faculty's Division for External Studies in cooperation with the Division for International Cooperation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MASHAV).
MASHAV
Israel’s Center for International Cooperation, known as MASHAV in its Hebrew acronym, was founded in 1958 as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is responsible for initiating and implementing Israel’s development-cooperation program worldwide. MASHAV aims at transferring the expertise and technologies, which have assisted Israel in its own path to development, to other countries. Today, Israel cooperates with almost 140 countries, providing training in Israel and abroad, operating on-site demonstration projects and building medical infrastructures in partner countries. MASHAV is active in fields ranging from agriculture to medicine and from community development to entrepreneurship.
THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem was opened in 1925, preceding the establishment of the State of Israel by over two decades. The University was designed to be a world class institution of higher learning and research. Today, the Hebrew University comprises 7 faculties, 15 schools, some 60 research centers, a present student body of about 24,000 and a tenured-track faculty of some 1,500. One third of its enrollment is at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level.
THE ROBERT H. SMITH FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD & ENVIRONMENT
The Hebrew University’s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment was established in 1942 in Rehovot, a city at a distance of some 55 km (35 miles) from the main campus of the University in Jerusalem. The site was chosen due to considerations of climate and soil conditions. It is the only agricultural institution of higher education in Israel offering university degrees.
The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture is the largest, most diverse and interdisciplinary Israeli academic institution devoted to plant sciences. The Institute combines applied and basic research, employing conventional and most novel research tools, at the whole organism and the cellular-molecular levels.
The Institute is engaged in four major thematic areas:
1.Management and interaction of agricultural plants with the environment
2.Biotechnology and biochemistry at the cellular, tissue and intact organism level
3.Genetics, breeding and genomics
4.Applied ecology
The interdisciplinary research at the Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture encompasses a range of scientific fields, and is devoted to increased production efficiency, maintaining sustainable production systems, including yield and quality, and simultaneously understanding the basic processes of plant development. This is manifested in the aforementioned four thematic areas of activity, and is evident from the research activities of the Institute's academic staff.
The Faculty’s Division for External Studies was established in 1986. One of its aims is to expose academic graduates from abroad to post-graduate programs, giving them insight into the achievements and research of Israel in general (and of the Faculty in particular), expanding their knowledge in specific fields and creating opportunities for international cooperation.
COMMUNICATION
Further information relating to the subject matter of the course may be obtained from:
Division for External Studies
Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment
P.O. Box 12
Rehovot, Israel 76100
Tel. 972-8-9489509, or 972-8-9489511
Fax. 972-8-9470171
Web-site (being up-dated): http://www.agri.huji.ac.il/external/international.html
Director: Ms. Miri Ben-Haim
Program Administrator: Ms. Joyce Fried
E-mail address:
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