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“Agriculture returns to Cork”

11 Sep 2018

 
"Agriculture returns to Cork”– That’s the message of an exciting new Agricultural Science degree at University College Cork, in collaboration with Teagasc.

The innovative new Agricultural Science degree, which is delivered in partnership with Teagasc, will emphasize knowledge-based teaching and research to support graduates for the Agriculture and Agri-Food industry.

The new bachelor of Agricultural Science programme, launched in UCC on Saturday, September 8th, will focus on practical skills, the scientific basis of agriculture, and on supporting students to gain skills in farm management, business acumen and modern farm technology over their four years of study. It will also encompass a placement opportunity, which will provide students with a tangible experience of working in modern Irish agriculture.

The degree will be anchored in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Studies at UCC, and in the Animal & Grasslands Research Centre in Teagasc Moorepark, allowing students to learn and experience the excellence of both UCC and Teagasc.

Speaking at the launch in UCC, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan said “As a UCC graduate and former chair of the college Macra na Feirme branch, I am very proud to participate in the launch of this exciting new degree programme.

“The possibilities are endless for agricultural science graduates, both in Ireland and abroad: they may become farmers, or farm advisers; they may code or build better machines; they can build new Irish companies and brands: and whatever they choose, they will contribute to keeping our rural areas vibrant.”

Professor Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc, said: “The Irish dairy industry is in an exciting time of significant expansion, presenting challenges and opportunities for enthusiastic, young, highly skilled graduates. This degree will equip future leaders of the dairy industry with the scientific, technical and business skills needed to drive future expansion and competitiveness. This new Programme will further strengthen our excellent collaboration �������� under the Teagasc/UCC Strategic Alliance and is further evidence of our commitment to collaborate with the university sector to help deliver the skills and innovation needed by our agri-food sector.”

Professor John O’Halloran, Deputy President and Registrar of UCC, said: “University College Cork is committed to supporting a strong agri-food sector through the provision of talented graduates.  ‘We are very enthusiastic about delivering this important degree through translating our agri-food research into a connected curriculum to enable the future graduates to face the challenges of this dynamic global industry’.”

Full details of the Bachelor Agricultural Science degree at University College Cork are available on the University website at /en/ck412/

For more on this story contact:

Dr Karen McCarthy, UCC-Teagasc Strategic Alliance. Email: Karen_mccarthy@ucc.ie  Tel: 021 490 3810