GRÓ LRT offers an intensive six-month postgraduate training programme on ecological restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems, custom-built for professionals in partner countries faced with severe land degradation. The overall goal of the programme is to train working professionals in low and middle income countries in the methods and theories of sustainable land management and restoration of degraded land, and to strengthen their capacities to advance and implement those activities in their home countries.
As from 2022, the GRÓ LRT six-month training is eligible for ECTS credits. This means that fellows completing the training successfully will, in addition to GRÓ LRT Certificate of Completion, also receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Land Management (30 ECTS) from the Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the Agricultural University of Iceland.
The six-month training programme is held annually and generally runs from March to August. The programme is divided into two main parts, also organised as two academic courses, each 15 ECTS.
Courses during the Training Programme
The first course is titled Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Land Management and is in the form of lectures, practical training, field visits, exercises, and group work. The aim of the course is to give comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills in the field of ecosystem restoration and sustainable land management. It covers ecological theories and biophysical processes and principles; principles and approaches in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating projects and interventions; and the socio-economic context of ecological restoration and sustainable land management.
The second course is titled Individual Project in the Field of Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Land Management and focuses on the development and execution of individual research projects on a topic of the fellows’ choice, and under supervision of an expert(s). The research work culminates in a written report and an oral presentation, and qualified research reports are published on the GRÓ LRT website.
Modules
The curriculum of the six-month training programme contains the following eight modules:
- Module 1: Scientific methods and dissemination skills
- Module 2: Course principles and frameworks
- Module 3: Biophysical fundamentals of land management
- Module 4: Sustainable land management (SLM) and restoration planning
- Module 5: Implementation
- Module 6: Evaluation and lessons learned
- Module 7: Key global environmental challenges
- Module 8: Individual research project under the supervision of expert(s)
The topics in the first six modules are organized according to the GRÓ LRT project cycle framework. The project cycle is used as a framework for process management throughout the training sessions and the modules are strategically placed within the cycle.
Theory and Practice
The six-month training focuses on both theory and practice. The fellows are trained on the theoretical knowledge of land degradation and restoration processes and principles, and the process management needed to bring about changes. By applying the project cycle as a process management framework, we link the science and practical aspects of land issues and project management. Through the research project (Modules 1 and 8) fellows gain experience in applying and synthesizing knowledge, and critically analyse and summarize topics related to sustainable land management and restoration, while developing realistic recommendations and strategies.
The teaching and learning methods of GRÓ LRT emphasise active participation of all fellows in an interactive setting. Fellows are not students, but rather experts in their fields, with valuable knowledge and experiences to share with one another and their instructors. As professionals, fellows are responsible for their own learning, and active participation is key to this aim. GRÓ LRT is committed to promoting gender equality by maintaining gender balance in the admission of fellows as well as providing a gender-sensitive learning environment.
Learning Outcomes
After the six-month training, the fellows should have:
- comprehensive understanding of the issues that must be addressed to successfully manage and restore land
- knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate and interpret landscapes (land literacy)
- understanding of socioeconomic drivers of land degradation, and the barriers that prevent the mitigation of land degradation
- knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement ecologically sound restoration of degraded landscapes
- interpersonal and leadership skills necessary for participatory project planning, implementation, and monitoring
- understanding of gender, ethical and policy aspects in the field of land restoration and sustainable land management
Our vision is that graduates will be global experts in ecological restoration and sustainable land management. When they return home, they will act on their knowledge and drive actions at different levels, from the local community to national policies.
