Description
The project is focused on organising common field-work in polar ecology. This proposal of the University of South Bohemia and the University Centre in Svalbard is focused on prolongation of regular education of life science in arctic environment. It is preparation for acredidation of arctic life science courses into university education system in the Czech Republic, and in addition it is preparation phase to establish the common university education provided in collaboratioun of above mentioned universities. This field work is continuation of previously organised education offered by the Centre for Polar Ecology, University of South Bohemia. The project will intensify the university education using field logistics capacities of USB and laboratory equipment of UNIS together with joint scientific teams of both institutions. The most important benefit is mutual collaboration of Czech and Norwegian students and establishing of opportunities for long term research cooperation.
Summary of project results
The proposed project was focused on organising common summer field-work in the respective fields of life science in polar ecology: microbial ecology, phycology, botany, plant physiology, zoology, parasitology. This project of the University of South Bohemia (USB) and the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) is focused on Arctic Ecology in mentioned topics. The project was components of polar ecology education and students share theoretical part of course. The project was intended to offer intensive university education collaboration using field logistics capacities of USB and laboratory equipment of UNIS together with joining scientific teams of both institutions. The most important benefit was that Czech students have learned about Arctic nature.
Summary of bilateral results
The project has followed the proposition given by the Czech Government (Usnesení vlády ze dne, číslo: 15 March 2010, No. 208) to manage the Czech Arctic Research Infrastructure and participate in international Arctic research and university education. We feel that organising the course in close cooperation with our Norwegian partner shift the outcome to a higher level. Apart learning the basic field methods that are used in these extreme environments, students have also oportunity to experience the international cooperation that is becoming almost an essential knowledge in modern science and life in general. Both groups of students also have the chance to see how the education works in different educational systems. This can encourage them to find other possibilities and continue with their university education abroad. All challenges and potential problems were connected to the environment where the course is being organised - safety and health issues. Which outputs and results were delivered or produced as a result of the main activities financed by the project? The main goal of the project was in continuation of a joint education courses in polar life science, represents a logical step in development and improvement of teaching approaches at both institutions. Such joint activity provides 1) a platform for educational innovation in highly specialized topics covered to a different extent at both universities, e.g. parasitology, entomology or microbial ecology, and 2) a great potential for knowledge exchange and cooperation strengthening in more general fields covered similarly by both universities, as for example plant ecology or general zoology. Student evaluation was finished and writing tests are stored at CPE. Several diploma thesis were finished and several research papers were published.