Shared Graduate Student Education by International Networking

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Provision of highly specialized and detailed courses essential for high‐caliber graduate student education often presents a problem of small but essential classes. There are many pitfalls, costs, and successes associated with this problem. For example, meat science is a relatively strong area of research and graduate education in the Nordic countries. Good‐quality Master's level education exists in all countries. The challenge comes in that, in some instances, the class sizes of Master's and PhD courses may be small (3 to 9) with challenges in resource management. Two solutions were considered with the Nordic Forestry, Veterinary and Agricultural Univ. (NOVA), a virtual organization, and the Nordic Network for Meat Science (NNMS). Several major barriers to implement a concerted Master's degree under NOVA related to the realities of resource management and costs. The resource implications effectively meant that the proposed sharing of courses within an existing subject area proved nonviable, although it was recognized that new Master's courses could be constructed on this model. A successful resolution to the problem focused specifically on teaching doctoral level courses. NNMS provides an electronic communication forum, training courses, and an annual workshop for approximately 60 workers in the field with an emphasis on graduate students. The annual workshops allow a relaxed forum where PhD students discuss their work with leaders in their area. NNMS conducts doctoral courses with a very high standard, utilizing both local research expertise of international standing and bringing in well‐known figures from the USA and Australia as guest teachers. Further funding has been successfully obtained against the promise of incorporating the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) into the network.