Effectiveness of higher education in Central European universities towards climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector: A comprehensive survey

Zsembeli, József and Kovács, Elza and Harsányi, Endre and Balogh, Péter and Czine, Péter and Huzsvai, László and Bihuňová, Maria and Jobbágy, Ján and Středová, Hana and Skalicky, Milan and Strużyński, Andrzej and Rolbiecki, Roman and Juhász, Csaba (2024) Effectiveness of higher education in Central European universities towards climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector: A comprehensive survey. PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING SCIENCES, 20 (1). pp. 271-306. ISSN 1786-335X

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Abstract

Similar to other regions, in East Central Europe, agriculture is the most vulnerable sector regarding the consequences of climate change through increasing variability in weather conditions, even on the short-term and local scales. Agricultural engineers make decisions; higher education has a crucial role in taking proper actions. Our survey aimed to get up-to-date information on the knowledge and attitude of graduating students completing agriculture-related studies at 6 universities located in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, with particular attention to weather projections, crop production, and soil protection issues. Analyses revealed adequate lexical knowledge of young engineers in each country. They are familiar with the agro-environmental actualities and future trends, issues to address at the right time, and the repertoire of tools and practices for taking efficient measures. A positive attitude toward proactive actions was proved. We report proof of a high level of preparedness resulting from the proper efficacy of agricultural higher education. The content of the curricula and the teaching methodologies meet well the receptiveness to learning in the V4 countries. Our findings confirm that frequent updating of the content of subjects as well as incorporating practical applications that promote active learning and engagement, are more critical today than ever, and it is possible to achieve a high level of preparedness for the challenges in the agricultural sector.

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