Establishment of a strategic training hub for the advancement of the UK agri-food industry

我们的ATP涵盖整个农业食品行业，并包括来自领先的研究型大学/机构的合作伙伴：诺丁汉大学（2008年第16专题小组研究评估活动中排名第一：农业，食品和兽医科学），克兰菲尔德大学（占英国农业和环境领域全日制研究生的25%），哈珀亚当斯大学学院（英国领先的陆基高等教育学院）和罗萨姆斯特德研究中心（英国最大的农业研究中心）。因此，在这个联盟中，我们在提供从CPD课程到研究学位的所有级别的培训方面都具有互补的研究专业知识和经验。我们的ATP的广泛性质和结构将使参与者能够选择跨部门的培训。例如，从事新鲜农产品工作的个人可能希望选择作物生产以及食品质量，食品安全和企业管理的模块。这种综合方法将使我们能够响应行业需求，并在此类培训中提供创新的交叉喂养潜力。我们的行业合作伙伴的一个共同主题是，毕业生高度专业化，但在行业内也是移动的，并将受益于对农业食品部门的更广泛了解（例如，Bakkavor回应说，ATP将为关键食品部门角色提供交叉技能课程的机会）。我们将建立一个灵活、反应迅速的高级培训伙伴关系，涵盖整个农业食品供应链，包括土壤、水、作物、动物、收获后、食品和营养。工业界的反馈表明，需要这种整体观点，因为现代农业食品工业并不局限于特定的“部门”。我们的目标是利用高等教育（HE）合作伙伴的科学和教学专业知识，从BBSRC和其他资助机构的科学产出，提供给广泛的工作为基础的学习者，这将包括并实现“CPD到博士”的进展。我们全面的服务将使参与者成为ATP的终身会员，享受属于行业和学术界充满活力的同事社区的好处，并获得广泛的技术和背景技能，可以部署在整个链中产生最大的影响。为期一天的课程，研讨会和会议将组织与适当的征税机构和其他财团的同事谁是在交付培训的经验。此举可尽量减少与现有课程的重叠，并让我们集中资源，发展更有效的培训课程。将以多种形式提供正式资格培训。来自行业的反馈表明，灵活性是必不可少的，因此将通过密集教学模块、基于工作的模块和电子学习提供模块。对于那些决定攻读硕士，硕士或博士学位的人，该研究项目将以行业为基础，由雇主和学术合作伙伴共同监督。在行业和学术界，灵活的时间（知识交流伙伴关系）的位置将在ATP内提供。这些可能是“独立”或研究培训安置那些从事硕士或博士研究。合作伙伴有管理联合企业/行业研究学位课程的经验，例如通过案例奖。将为目前在农业食品部门就业的个人提供学费奖学金。在合作的前3年，奖学金将支付100%的课程费用，行业贡献员工的时间和差旅费。由第四年起，学费助学金的水平将逐步降低，而行业每年支付的学费比例将有所增加。因此，我们设计了一个财务模式，以确保ATP在赠款期后的长期可持续性。

Our ATP encompasses the entire agri-food sector and includes partners from leading research-based universities/institutions: University of Nottingham (top in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise in Panel 16: Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Science), Cranfield University (which accounts for 25% of the UK's full-time postgraduates in the agriculture and environment sector), Harper Adams University College (the UK's leading land-based HE college) and Rothamsted Research (the largest agricultural research centre in the UK). Therefore, within this consortium, we have both complementary research expertise and experience in offering all levels of training within the sector from CPD courses to research degrees. The wide-ranging nature and structure of our ATP will enable participants to select training across the sectors. For example, an individual working in fresh produce might wish to select modules in crop production alongside food quality, food safety and business management. Such an integrative approach will enable us to respond to industry need, and offer the potential for innovative cross-feeding in such training. A common theme from our industry partners was that graduates are highly specialised, but also mobile within the industry, and would benefit from a wider understanding of the agri-food sector (e.g. Bakkavor responded that the ATP would provide an 'opportunity for cross-skilling courses for key food sector roles'). We will develop a flexible and responsive Advanced Training Partnership spanning the entire agri-food supply chain, including soils, water, crops, animals, post-harvest, food and nutrition. Feedback from industry has demonstrated the demand for such an holistic view, as the modern agri-food industry is not confined to particular 'sectors'. We aim to harness the scientific and teaching expertise of higher-education (HE) partners with scientific outputs from the BBSRC and other funding bodies, to deliver to a wide cohort of work-based learners, that will encompass and enable a 'CPD to PhD' progression. Our comprehensive offer will enable participants to become life-long members of the ATP, enjoy the benefits of belonging to a vibrant community of colleagues in industry and academia, and obtain a wide range of technical and contextual skills that can be deployed for maximum impact across the chain. One-day courses, workshops and conferences will be organised in association with the appropriate levy bodies and other consortium colleagues who are experiences in delivery of training. This will minimise overlap with existing provision and allow us to pool resources to develop more effective training. Training towards formal qualifications will be delivered in a number of formats. Feedback from industry has shown that flexibility is essential, hence modules will be offered via intensive blocks of teaching, work-based modules and e-learning. For those who decide to pursue an MSc, MRes or Doctorate, the research project will be based in industry with joint supervision from the employer and an academic partner. Placements in industry and academia, of flexible duration (Knowledge Exchange Partnerships) will be offered within the ATP. These may be 'stand alone' or research training placements for those undertaking MSc or Doctoral studies. Partners have experinence of managing joint academe/industry research degree programmes through, for example, CASE awards. Fee bursaries will be offered for individuals currently employed in the agri-food sector. In the first 3 years of the partnership, the bursaries will cover 100% of the course fee, with industry contributing staff time and travel expenses. From year 4 onwards, the level of the fee bursaries will gradually reduce, with industry contributing a greater proportion towards the course fees each year. We have thus designed a financial model that will ensure long-term sustainability of the ATP beyond the grant period.