The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Edwin Poots, has announced the launch of a new Honours Degree in Sustainable Agriculture, with pathways in Land Management and Agri-business, commencing in September 2021.
The new degree, which will be delivered at Northern Ireland’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount campus and validated by Ulster University, is a four year degree, including an optional one-year industry work placement.
Minister Poots said:
Given the growing importance of the environment and the need for increased productivity and resilience in the agri-food industry, this degree is very timely and will complement the existing higher education courses in agriculture.
“CAFRE has an excellent reputation for producing ‘work-ready’ graduates and students completing this new degree will be greatly sought after.”
‘This is a significant milestone for CAFRE’
CAFRE Director Martin McKendry said:
This is a significant milestone for CAFRE and in particular for Greenmount campus. The new degree will be of interest to those young people interested in a broad range of careers in agriculture, agri-environment and agri-business sectors.
“The Honours degree in Sustainable Agriculture will also offer seamless progression for those students completing Foundation degree qualifications.”
Professor Carol Curran, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences at Ulster University welcomed the launch of the new degree which will complement the existing portfolio of eight Foundation and Honours degrees delivered by CAFRE and validated by Ulster University.
She added:
The agriculture industry will play a key role in Northern Ireland’s economic recovery and this new degree will ensure that an industry ready pipeline of graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the changing technology advancements, infrastructure considerations, process improvements and sustainability to shape the landscape of local agri-businesses.
“Ulster University’s well established partnership with CAFRE continues to grow from strength to strength and we are pleased to play our part in the civic mission of making life better for our people; the business; art; the science of farming and the environment where we all live and call home,” Curran concluded.
