Coordinator: Jos Paulusse

Email: jpa@planet.nl

Founding Agency: Lifelong Learning program of the EC

Starting / Ending Date: 1-10-2010

Summary: Colleges, students, authorities and many other involved persons, organisations and research confirm that a practical period in another country has a great influence on life, experience and behaviour of students. Many students in Dutch agriculture have spent a period abroad but nowadays the number of farms in The Netherlands has decreased and educational programs have changed towards more attractive study programs fitting to the modern societies (landscape, environment, animal care, veterinary assistance, gardening, flowers, etc.) and students seem to prefer a placement nearby because of additional jobs (income) or personal reasons.

A lot of money, time and a number of arrangements are available to persuade students to do a practical period abroad (e.g. mobility funds). Improve of knowledge about other cultures and religions, improve of language skills and improve of flexibility and adaptability is realised among all by a foreign traineeship. It is observed that youngsters more and more turn down foreign people while we increasingly have open borders, free mobility, and an open labour market. We aim to increase the number of students of agricultural colleges to go abroad, get a professional attitude and experience intercultural competences.