BLENDED INTENSIVE PROGRAM (BIP) PRECISION TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABLE AND WELFARE-FRIENDLY ANIMAL FARMING (8 ECTS) Erasmus – Action KA1

The Erasmus+ Program 2021-2027 (Action KA1 – Blended Intensive Programmes, BIP - https://www.unipd.it/bip) funds intensive courses developed by consortia of Higher Education Institutions, organized into short periods of in-person activities combined with online learning and collaboration activities (virtual exchange and active learning).

The Master's Degree Program in Animal Sciences and Technologies at the University of Padua offers the BIP "PRECISION TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABLE AND WELFARE-FRIENDLY ANIMAL FARMING." The objective of this program is to train students capable of identifying priorities for sustainable development of animal farming systems in Europe, identifying the most suitable precision farming tools for managing animal welfare and production sustainability, and recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of implementing precision farming tools in intensive and extensive systems.

Coordinator: University of Padua - Prof. Angela Trocino (Coordinator), Prof. Enrico Sturaro, Prof. Andrea Pezzuolo
Partners: VetAgro Sup, France (Dr. Paul Villate); Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain (Prof. Salvador Calvet); KU-Leuven University, Belgium (Prof. Tomas Norton)
Participants: Erasmus students and University of Padua students (elective activity). Students will be selected based on a motivational letter and interview.
Maximum number of students: 20 Erasmus students and 15 University of Padua students.
Duration: week 1 (13-17/05/2024); week 2 (20-24/05/2024); week 3 (27-31/05/2024).

Activities and Methodologies
Online activities in the first week (13-17/05/2024, 1 ECTS credit) and in the second week (20-24/05/2024, 1 ECTS credit): two to three meetings per week with all participants (1-2 hours per meeting); one to two small group meetings (4-5 students) supervised by dedicated teachers and tutors; individual asynchronous activities on materials (e.g., videos, texts, feedback) available on the Moodle page of the training activity.
In-person activities in the third week (27-31/05/2024, 6 ECTS credits): lectures and seminars, practical activities, technical visits to the "Lucio Toniolo" Experimental Farm of the University of Padua and commercial farms, and project development activities in small groups of students.

The educational activities will be delivered by experts from the four partner institutions, as well as external experts. Students will be supported by dedicated tutors, in addition to the faculty, and the activities will follow the principles of virtual exchange and active learning.

Selection process for Erasmus students: Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. students eligible for a short-term Erasmus grant at their home institution; selection of candidates based on CV and motivational letter; contact your Erasmus office for selection details; nomination required by the University of Padua by 15/02/2024.

Selection process for University of Padua students: Open selection until 15/01/2024 with the completion of the form https://forms.gle/jJfHM1y1qZRTTHBm8; CV and motivational letter required; results by 30/01/2024.

Involved Faculty
University of Padua: Profs. Angela Trocino, Enrico Sturaro, Andrea Pezzuolo, Giulio Cozzi, Francesco Marinello, Flaviana Gottardo
VetAgro Sup: Profs. Paul Villate, Audrey Michaud, Adeline Vedrine, Nathalie Hostiou
Universitat Politecnica de Valencia: Profs. Maria Cambra López, Salvador Calvet Sanz, Fernando Estellés
KU-Leuven University: Prof. Tomas Norton, Dr. Andrea Parmigiani, Dr. Özge Günaydın