Innovative Agricultural Systems

The Bachelor’s degree course in Innovative Agricultural Systems (SAI) aims at providing students with a strong interdisciplinary expertise, based on the ability to manage the complexity of agricultural activities in the context of innovative and sustainable production processes. Students will acquire skills and in the agri-food supply chains and in the nursery sector. The SAI course will be structured in an open innovation context, that acknowledges the conditions for the diffusion of innovations suited to the specific needs of the territory and of the operators and maintains a sustainable approach.

TRAINING PATHS

The degree course in Agricultural Innovative Systems aims to provide graduates with a multitasking preparation, in order to have a full view of agricultural activities and problems related to the crop production, innovative production systems (smart agriculture), the economic, social and environmental impact of technological innovations on the agricultural sector, the enhancement of agricultural supply chains, the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, the plant propagation and urban green management. 

The degree course in Innovative Agricultural Systems is based on basic and specific disciplines during three years, organized in monodisciplinary and integrated courses. 

During the first year, basic disciplines allow to achieve a common scientific language in the mathematical, physical, chemical, and biological areas, which are completed by disciplines able to provide skills in the ecological, pedological, microbiological and business management areas which are fundamental for sustainable cultivation systems. In addition, English language level is verified. 

In the second year, skills in agronomic and tree cultivation, genetics, and the plant protection of crops and ornamental plants, fundamentals in smart agriculture, methodologies for the interpretation of remote sensing data and for sustainable farm management. 

In the third year, specific disciplines (i.e. sustainable cultivation of crops, plant propagation and nursery activities, cultivation and management of ornamental plants in urban environment, economic and environmental sustainability in the productive processes) complete the training paths. The opportunity of the students is amplified providing a minimum of 12 ECTS free choice courses, which better characterized the specific skills of the students. 

Furthermore, the students carry out an internship period to acquire practical skills in one of the sectors related to agricultural technologies and innovations, plant propagation, nursery and urban green management, and agricultural supply chains. The internship activities will involve the writing of a final report, which the student will present to acquire the 6 ECTS. The internship and the final exam allow to the students to apply knowledge and understanding, autonomy of judgment and communication skills. 

Finally, In particular, the preparation of the final exam consist in discussion of a written report, organized according to the modalities of a technical-scientific publication, concerning an original activity related to the topics of Innovative Agricultural Systems. 

The degree course in Innovative Agricultural Systems also aims to provide an adequate base for access to Master's degrees related to the agricultural sector. Within the didactic structure described above, the educational path will include: 

- strong integration between the lessons taught to encourage the development of clear multi-disciplinarity and an integrated vision of problems, according to the systemic approach; 

- the use of diversified teaching forms and materials that in addition to the lectures and the most up-to-date reference texts for the various disciplines, will include: critical reading and discussion of scientific articles, laboratory activities, seminars and workshops also organized with the collaboration of companies and professionals in the agriculture, food and environmental sectors; 

- the use of the Moodle technological platform, such as the Learning Management System for the development of blended training courses, in which traditional classroom training is integrated with the most innovative IT technologies. This will be achieved through the creation of personalised learning environments that in addition to directly supplying the contents to authorised users, will allow tracing of the frequency of courses and activities (e.g., access to contents, time of use, results of evaluation activities). Both unidirectional and bidirectional synchronous and asynchronous communication tools are used within the Moodle environment (teachers to students; students to colleagues and teachers) through the use of integrated modules, such as discussion forums. Additional possibilities made available by Moodle include online testing; self-evaluation; wiki; surveys (course satisfaction questionnaires); online assignments (uploading of files by students); glossaries; and audio, video and other multimedia content. 

Graduates in Innovative Agricultural Systems will be able to coordinate the agricultural and ornamental production process, nursery industry, and urban green management with a multitasking approach, taking into account biotechnology and innovation, social, environmental and economic sustainability in specific production contexts: 

- Regional, National Agricultural Department; 

- Agricultural consortia;

- Nursery industry; 

- Freelance professional activities (e.g., young agronomist); 

- Single or consortium farms;

- Producer associations; 

- Agricultural contractors for agro-mechanical and technological service;

- Large fruit and vegetable distribution;

- Agriculture products industries;

- Quality control bodies;

- National and regional services for the protection and development of the environment and the territory (e.g., State Technical Services; National and Regional Agencies for the Environment; Hydrological and Soil Authorities; Technical Services and Regional, Provincial and Municipal Departments; Reclamation and Irrigation Consortia; Mountain Communities; and Mountain Hydrological Consortia); 

- professional firms, service companies and laboratories operating in the agricultural sector and in the management and protection of the environment and the territory; 

- IT service societies for agriculture;  

-Environmental certification bodies