Brazil - Brazzil Mag - Brazil Offers World's First Master's in Agroenergy Management

The first course specialized in agroenergy in the world is the result of a partnership between Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and the College of Agriculture (Esalq).

The idea of creating the master's degree progressed in November 2006, with the establishment of the Agribusiness Center at FGV, coordinated by former minister of Agriculture Roberto Rodrigues. In March 2007, the proposal was forwarded to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and approval was received in September. The course will begin in January 2008 and enrollment is under way.

According to Roberto Rodrigues, the importance of the initiative may be evaluated by the reality of the agroenergy sector in Brazil and the world. There are currently around 350 sugar and alcohol mills in the country and another 60 new units are being established. In the area of biodiesel, there are also a great many enterprises being prepared for implementation.

"These figures should increase dramatically if some points are defined, especially with regard to international certification of sugarcane ethanol," he pointed out. "In our visits to sector companies, the managers complain about the lack of professionals prepared to manage organizations," explained Rodrigues.

Brazil has been standing out in the sector of renewable energy and is in the forefront of international discussions about biofuels, but other countries are also aware of the capacity of green fuels. "In the international arena, there is now great demand presented to FGV for the establishment of similar courses that may help professionals from other countries, especially Central America," he said.

In future, Rodrigues believes that there will be two kinds of needs. The first will be the training of professional who may supply the demand originated by new companies that produce ethanol in Central America and other regions, which will probably generate the establishment of smaller courses, reducing the focus to more specific themes than the master's degree. The second will be the creation of future professors for other countries.

"In the later case, it would be necessary to develop a master's degree adapted to the reality of foreign participants. If it is a course in Brazil, it cannot be 'professionalizing', designed for those who intend to continue working while studying, on the contrary, it must be full time," he evaluated.

According to Roberto Rodrigues, FGV is prominent in the areas of economics, law and administration and its partners (Embrapa and Esalq) were chosen as they are two of the most important research institutions in the country in the area of tropical agriculture, agroindustry and technology.

According to the director at Esalq, Antonio Roque Dechen, the development of technologies that make it possible for Brazil to make use of abundant natural resources to increase productivity in the countryside in the field of bioenergy is permanent due to the period the country is living, the era of green fuels.

"The school has always been attuned to the development phases in the sector. Currently, the institution already integrates the tour of ethanol, which includes organizations that produce agricultural technology, equipment and scientific research," pointed out Dechen.

In practice, the partnership will operate in the following way: FGV is going to be responsible for disciplines in the area of "Economic and Financial Management of Agroenergy", Esalq is going to be responsible for the area of "Agricultural Production Technology and Market", whereas the Embrapa is going to be in charge of the area of "Principles, Tools and Agroenergy Processes".

The lessons will take place at three organizations. According to Rodrigues, the course counts on high-level staff, all with doctor's degrees and PhDs from the three institutions.

The course is managed by professionals in the area, with agronomical engineers, administrators and economists who are seeking greater technological and professional knowledge. "It is guided to people who seek greater theoretical knowledge, but who are not going to stop working," stated Rodrigues.

The Master's course is the professional kind, and it requires a heavy load of research to accompany the elaboration of the individual dissertation, but applied to the reality studied. After the compulsory disciplines, the student should select elective disciplines and, at the end, present his dissertation.

The selection process has three phases: analysis of the curriculum, analysis of the dissertation project and interviews. All candidates should have completed their graduate course. Enrollment for participation in the class that begins in January 2008 ends on November 30th, 2007, and registration may be done on the Internet.

Ohh Brazil...
written by bo, 2007-10-24 09:40:56

that world beacon of education. smilies/wink.gif

Just think BO
written by foryourassonly, 2007-10-24 12:35:00

this is a hell of a lot more education than your third grade education! smilies/wink.gif

well thanks...
written by bo, 2007-10-24 13:35:32

for your ass.

"FGV is prominent in the areas of economics, law and administration"
written by ch.c., 2007-10-27 14:32:58

then your federal, states and municipal authorities, should take a course....at FGV !

Is Brazil not famous for HIGH corruptions practices, HIGH but innefective bureaucracy, and VERY LOW GDP growth rate when compared to your peers, the others emerging nations ?????

In my view, Brazilians should better take courses in China, India, Russia, Argentina, in the subjects of economics.
But what you already have in common is the high and innefective bureaucracy, the corruption practices and your famous
INjustice dept applying their own laws, not the laws written in the constitution or in judiciary laws. .
Therefore an exchange of knowledge in the innefective bureaucarcy and corruption practices that you have, could have you think
how to do things even better.
By even better, I mean more inneficiencies and more corruptions.
You could also think of creating a common Masters degree. No doubt many of these students will get a A grade or could buy the certificate very cheaply in supermarkets !

And if Brazilians have been so successful in agroenergy economics, laws and administration, why NOT ONE company involved in this sector has seen its stock prices going UP in the last 2 years, when oil prices soared ???????
And why have these comoanies seen their profits plummet when oil companies profits soared ?

Brazilian expertise in economics and administration ?????
Or a simple HUGE bug...in the softwares made by Brazilians "experts" ?

Or even more simple : a Brazilian cheating, lying and hiding........as usual ????????

Hmmmmm ! Your apparent but unproven expertise has not been translated into....PROFITS.....so far !!!!

What everyone can see and understand with the Brazilian history is :
"The Portuguese colonists adopted an economy based on the production of agricultural goods that were exported to Europe. Sugar became by far the most important Brazilian colonial product until the early eighteenth century.[11][12] Even though Brazilian sugar was reputed as being of high quality, the industry faced a crisis during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when the Dutch and the French started producing sugar in the Antilles, located much closer to Europe, causing sugar prices to fall"
Sources : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil

Stupid question : WHAT HAS CHANGED.....SINCE THEN ??????
For centuries, you believed sugarcane is your future. And today you still believe that sugarcane for ethanol is your future. !!!!!
Sugarcane for sugar or for ethanol has made only a few wealthy and a majority of poors. But over the centuries you always insisted that it will create more wealth for the majority of poors !

Re-read your own history and mistakes. Today, you are doing them just....ONCE MORE !!!!!
Not learning from past mistakes is your biggest error.
Guess what will be written in the Brazilian history....200 years from today !!!!!!!
Nothing more than what is written in your past history...TODAY !.
Your previous visions in economics were as wrong as your today visions for tomorrow.
You have proven it, time and again. Including in your "teak" investments and "ostrich" investments, or coffee investments, or orange juice investments.

Lets face it, In Brazilian currency your sugarcane price is as low as the historical record low it reached....5 years ago !!!!!!
Could it be better medium term ? yesssss....from a historical low....things tend to go better....somewhat.
But better doesnt mean ....GOOD OR GREAT !

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hello
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