Filenews 31 March 2021
Yesterday, 30 March, the contract for the lease of state land in Acheleia, an area of more than 44 donums, was signed, in which the Cyprus University of Technology will develop its University of Cyprus farm.
According to a statement from the TEPAK, the contract was signed by the Rector of the TEPAK, Professor Panagiotis Sapphires, the Vice-President of the Council of the University Nikolas Jordanus and the member of the Council Of Anointed Earths.
The Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, added, has already presented an ambitious and creative plan that includes the University Farms of Hill and Acheleia and hydroponics greenhouse in Polemidia, which was approved by the Committee for Strategic Planning and Development of the University.
The design provides, like, the University Farms, to be the natural places to practice agronomics, where the laboratory exercises of most courses will take place, much of the experimental work of undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations, scientific research by the educational staff, as well as the practical training of students.
"Therefore, their development is considered particularly important for the better education of the next generation of agricultural scientists in Cyprus," the communication adds.
In addition, university farms will provide the opportunity for the effective promotion and practical promotion of environmental education and sustainable farming actions, through a spirit of experiential learning, teamwork among students, educational staff and the community.
In addition, "they will act as living labs, performing theoretical training in practice/application, offering an integrated environment of experimentation with alternative methods of cultivation and application of innovative research".
This educational approach, notes the COMMUNICATION of the TEPAK, will contribute to the preparation of the next generation of agricultural scientists, in view of the new reality shaped by climate change, opening new avenues for the future and upgrading domestic agricultural production.
In addition, the possibility of interdisciplinary partnerships, both at educational and research level, will be developed through the participation of a wide variety of students in farm work, providing experiential educational opportunities for a wide variety of disciplines.
For their contribution to the promotion of these designs, the TEPAK expresses its thanks to the Minister of Rural Development and Environment, Costas Kadi, to his predecessor, Nikos Kougialis, to the Minister of the Interior, Nikos Nouris, to the Council of the University, to the Director of Administration and Finance (IDO), to the University Services as well as to the previous Rectoral Authorities of the University.
Source: eyenews
