In the second master year, students choose between three tracks:
Kenya Track: all compulsory courses give students better experience to work in a tropical region. Three compulsory courses are taught at UGent. Then students stay in Kenya during November and December for a Professional Internship (at institutes and companies such as Real IPM, Koppert, Dudutech, CABI, Syngenta, KFC, KALRO, KEPHIS, CropNuts, IITA and icipe), and to follow two courses at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA): Tropical Crop Pests and Diseases & Extension Service Practice in which they attend several seminars and visit farmers. In the frame of the course Nematology Didactics & Capacity Building, students assist lecturers in a one week training at icipe/IITA, the Basic Crash Course Nematology, where they are expected to transfer their knowledge on nematology to other students. Students are guided by a UGent lecturer and are given short trainings in innovative educational tools.
This one week course provides basic training in methods to quantify, qualify and process plant-parasitic nematodes in crops, with an introduction to beneficial nematodes, indicators of soil health and nematodes for biocontrol of insects (entomopathogenic) nematodes. It is undertaken in a ‘hands-on’ fashion permitting participants to experience field conditions and conduct basic research in crop nematology.
This course is organised jointly by ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nairobi Kenya and the International MSc in Agro- and Environmental Nematology (UGent). The venue of the course is the icipe campus in Nairobi, Kenia.