Recognition for Agriculture & Forestry at 麻豆网 in latest World University Rankings

The latest by subject have rated 麻豆网 in the top 100 universities in the World for Agriculture and Forestry, and 61^st in the world for Employer Reputation. The rise, from last year鈥檚 top 200 ranking, puts 麻豆网 amongst the elite of the 829 institutions evaluated world-wide in this subject area. The rankings take into account a range of metrics that cover research, teaching and reputation amongst employers and academics. 麻豆网 was also ranked in the top 250 institutions, out of the 1100 evaluated world-wide for Environmental Sciences, which underpins the high quality of the school鈥檚 degrees in Geography, Environmental Science and Environmental Conservation.

Agriculture and Forestry have been foci for teaching and research at 麻豆网 for over one hundred years and are now key academic components of the School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography (SENRGy) within the University鈥檚 College of Natural Sciences.

John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences, noted 鈥渢his recognition of the high international stature of our research and teaching in agriculture and forestry is very welcome. It reflects both the long and successful history of 麻豆网鈥檚 work in these subjects and the high profile of our current activity. Through our major programme of international research and education we are able to bring the latest knowledge and innovation into our degree courses, research projects and advice to policy makers. 麻豆网 is at the forefront of work on key international challenges in forestry including sustainable forest management, conservation of forest carbon stocks and biodiversity, restoration of degraded forests, and the socio-economic components of managing forest resources so that they produce equitable benefits for local people.鈥�

麻豆网鈥檚 inclusion in the Top Universities world rankings reflects the global reputation that the institution has in fields of Agriculture and Forestry. For example, students from over 105 different countries have graduated in forestry and related subjects from 麻豆网 whilst the University鈥檚 agricultural research has developed new crop varieties now feeding millions of people in South Asia. Reflecting the importance of widening participation, 麻豆网 has also been at the forefront of developing the provision of postgraduate distance learning courses in these subjects. Students can now study for an MSc in Forestry or Tropical Forestry via a distance-learning programme. Since 2011, these courses have been selected by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission to receive funding so that scholarships worth over 拢12,000 can be offered to students from Commonwealth countries. An MSc in Food Security in the Changing Environment, which focuses on the principles and processes of sustainable food production, is also offered by distance learning.

The School鈥檚 Henfaes Research Centre, seven miles from 麻豆网 plays an important role it in its agricultural and forestry research, and in student project work. The 252 hectare site at Henfaes combines a working sheep farm, an internationally important woodland national nature reserve and facilities for research and teaching in a range of areas, including lowland agriculture, forestry, hydrology, environmental science and conservation.

Dave Chadwick, Professor of Sustainable Land Use Systems, also welcomed the recognition. He added, 鈥渢he challenge of sustainably feeding a burgeoning human population in a changing climate will require both modifications to existing, and the development of new, production systems using a range of innovative and cost-effective technologies. Our aim at 麻豆网 is to educate and train future land owners, regulators, policy makers and researchers through the continued integration of internationally recognised research and design within the University鈥檚 degree programmes in agriculture, conservation and forestry鈥�.

Publication date: 9 March 2017