Specific educational objectives:
The Degree course provides advanced training on professional and research issues in the field of Agroengineering and Forestry Science and technologies, enabling students to face and manage complex problems related to the planning, design, management, conservation and evaluation of agri-forest ecosystems.
These objectives take into account the path included in the European Green Deal and in the UN Sustainable Development Goals of 2015.
The educational programme is based on highly topical professional issues and makes use of the experience gained in the research activity carried out by the professors of the Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences Department not only in the Sicilian territory, but also in the national and international context. Therefore, the practical experiences of the continuous and updated research of the teachers are poured into the teachings.
The Degree Course aims at training experts in the agro-engineering management of the rural territory and experts in the forest-wood system. The specific objective of the Degree Course is to develop the skills needed to face and manage complex problems, namely in: i) the precision management of agricultural production systems; ii) the use and management of water resources; iii) the territorial planning and analysis of production processes; iv) the management and conservation of forest ecosystems; v) the organization and enhancement of the forest-wood supply chain and biomass production; vi) the survey, representation and defence of the territory, the management and restoration of hydro-geological instability; vii) the organization and management of agro-forestry companies also in relation to the European Union guidelines for agro-environmental policies.
The inter-class 2nd cycle degree course in "Agroengineering and Forestry Sciences and Technologies" provides in the first year a common curricular path including teachings mainly in the economic-legal, production, forestry and environmental, defence, agricultural engineering fields. In the second year, the path is divided into two profiles, a first (class LM-69) mainly oriented towards the agro-engineering management of the territory and a second one (class LM-73) characterized by aspects linked to the forest-wood system. In particular, graduates acquire, through the Lm-69 path, specialist skills related to the design of agro-engineering works, the planning and management of the agro-forest territory with particular attention to the protection of natural resources, soil protection, to management through modern precision agriculture technologies. The issues related to the management and protection of the forest heritage, the enhancement of wood and non-wood products, the management of agro-forestry companies, the planning and management of the agro-forestry territory with particular attention to the protection of natural resources, the soil defence, are privileged in the LM-73 path.
Educational activities consist of lectures, laboratory and field exercises, specialized seminars, and possible ongoing tests. To achieve the final qualification, students must have acquired 120 credits (CFU). Each frontal credit corresponds to 10 hours, while each CFU reserved for exercises, laboratory activities corresponds to 12 hours. The educational programme consists of 12 mandatory exams including elective activities, other training activities aimed at acquiring in-depth linguistic knowledge, as well as highly professional skills directly linked to the labour market, carried out in laboratory form (9 CFU).
With reference to these activities, it is worth specifying that the course includes activities related to the agricultural sector, to the agricultural industry, to precision agriculture technologies and to the defence from the main plant diseases, as well as to the forestry sector, with laboratory activities related to mycology, geomatics and reforestation techniques. The student's training is completed by a practical/applicative internship at accredited premises, such as Italian and foreign companies (through the Erasmus + Traineeship program), public and private agencies, professional firms, non-governmental organizations. The educational programme is completed by finally by the final exam related to specific topics addressed during the course.
On the basis of the choice made, at the end of the Course students can obtain the 2nd cycle Degree in "Agroengineering and Forestry Sciences and Technologies" in class LM-69 or in class LM-73, and after passing the relevant national qualification examination, they can register in section A of the professional register of the Board of Doctors of Agronomy and Forestry.