Masters Degree Program Tel Aviv - Central Arava

NEWSLETTER 1 - February 2015 Dear partners We are pleased to share with you the recent news and events related to our new program. This is the first newsletter; we plan to send more details once every 3 months. Cooperation agreement TAU-AICAT A cooperation agreement was signed between AICAT and Tel Aviv University, initiating a program of studies toward a Masters degree in Plant Biology with an emphasis in Food Safety & Security at Tel Aviv University.

Opening ceremony for the first cohort of students The ceremony was held on November 13, 2014 at the AICAT campus in the Arava. The ceremony was attended by the 18 accepted students, Dr. Eyal Blum - Mayor of the Arava Regional Council, Prof. Nir Ohad - Head of the Manna Center Program at TAU, Honorable Mr. Ta Duy Chinh - Ambassador of Vietnam in Israel, additional staff members, and guests.

Graduate Program conference at Arava Open Day on January 29, 2015 The conference was attended by the honorable Yair Shamir, Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Representatives of Tel Aviv University, our Students, lecturers, and International guests.

Assoc. Prof Dr. Nguyen Hay, President, Nong-Lam University

honorable Yair Shamir, Israeli Minister of Agriculture

Prof Dr. Nir Ohad - Head of the Manna Center Program at TAU

honorable Mr. Jaya Mukunda Khanal, general Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Development, Nepal and delegation representatives

The delegations representatives included: Assoc. Prof Dr. Nguyen Hay, President, Nong-Lam University, Vietnam Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, Head of International Relations Office Nong-Lam University, Vietnam Dr. Tran Dinh Ly, Head of Academic Office, Nong-Lam University, Vietnam Dr. Luu Dinh Phuc, Vice-Director of International Center of Education, Nong-Lam University, Vietnam Assoc Prof Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, Vice President, Hanoi University, Vietnam Dr.Tran Van Dien, Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam. Dr. Hoang Thi Bich Thao, Vice Director of International Center, Thai Nguyen University, Vietnam Mr. Troung Xuan Sinh, Vinh University, Vietnam Ms. Diem Tuyet Mai, Bac – Giang University, Vietnam Dr. Derbew Belew, Dean, Jimma University, Ethiopia. Mr. Jaya Mukunda Khanal, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Development, Nepal Mr. Navaraj Bhandari Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Nepal. Mr. Jalan Kumar Sharma, CEO, SKBBL, Nepal Mr. Hpauyam Kha Lee, Director of KBC, Myanmar Dr. Sam Son, Genaral Secretary, KBC Myanmar Dr. Milton Melingasuk Lado, Dean, Natural Resources & Environmental College, South Sudan Mr. Nixon Tongum, Lecturer, South Sudan Mr. Agus Suherman, Flores Community Development Project Indonesia

About the Partners Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University is Israel’s largest and most comprehensive university, attracting over 30,000 talented students and renowned faculty from around the globe. Ranked among the world’s top 100 universities, the university has a strong interdisciplinary focus and collaborates closely with leading institutions worldwide. The campus is located in Tel Aviv, the financial and technology capital of Israel – which is known for its entrepreneurial atmosphere and large number of start-up companies. With the growth of high-tech industries, the Tel Aviv metropolis has become an international hotspot for business and innovation – an ideal setting for an enriching study experience

Manna Center Program for Food Safety & Security The International MSc Program in Plant Biology is housed in the Faculty of Life Sciences and part of the Manna Center Program for Food Safety and Security at Tel Aviv University. The Manna Center Program for Food Safety and Security seeks to bring together researchers from diverse academic disciplines to promote innovative research, to forge ties with professionals and academics around the world, and to prepare the next generation of scientists and policymakers to guide global food security issues.

AICAT The Arava International Center for Agriculture Training ("AICAT") currently accommodates 1,000 students from academic teaching institutions in East Asia (Myanmar, Nepal, Indonesia , Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos), as well as Africa (Ethiopia and South Sudan). The Center operates within the framework of the Central Arava Regional Council; the main goal is to impart professional agricultural knowledge and skills in modern and advanced farms. The Regional Council started to promote a recognized Graduate level curriculum track in collaboration with Tel Aviv University. Such a program, which would meet a growing demand on the part of students from Asian countries to pursue academic studies in Israel, reflects the region's expertise, and takes advantage of the regional capacity to provide both accommodation and practical experience. In addition, the program could contribute to the global need for depth and specialization in growing food for the world's population and finding a solution for the global problem of hunger

The Graduate Degree Program Courses will take place in both the Arava and Tel Aviv University campuses. Graduates of this program will receive a fully accredited Non-Thesis MSc degree in Plant Biology with an emphasis in Food Safety and Security from Tel Aviv University. The program will be held over four semesters, with most of the studies physically taking place on the Arava campus, taught by TAU professors. The summer semester will be an intensive summer session given in the Tel Aviv University campus. For most of the year, the students will live on farms in the Arava region where they will conduct research and receive handson farming experience as part of their practicum. The program will work in close cooperation with the Agricultural Research and Development Center (at the Yair R&D Station). Some of the lecturers will be researchers from the Center and students will write their practicum research papers with the assistance of these researchers. The program is one of thirteen international graduate programs at Tel Aviv. As such, most of the programs’ lecturers are tenured faculty members of the University. Curriculum Course

Credits

Prep Course: English Prep Course: Biochemistry and Genetics Prep Course: Introduction to Plant Biology Principles of Experimental Statistics

3

Scientific Writing

2

Student Seminar

2

Structure and Function of Plant Roots

4

Photosynthesis - Theory and Practice

3

Introduction to Food Security

3

Bioethics and Biotechnology

2

Plant Response to Abiotic Stress

2

Food Security & Public Health

2

Biological Plant Development

4

Plant Sciences Seminar

2

Marine Biology

4

Practicum (and final project)

5

Total

38

More information about the selection process for the next cohort of students will be given by the end of February.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Eyal Blum Mayor, Central Arava Regional Council

Professor Danny Chamovitz Dean, George S. Wise Faculty of life Sciences, Tel Aviv University

Hanni Arnon Director, AICAT

Professor Nir Ohad Director, Manna Center Program for Food Safety & Security, Tel Aviv University

Dr. Haya Kisos Academic Director, AICAT

Maya Oren Program Coordinator, Tel Aviv University

Roy Patrick Program Coordinator, AICAT

Maureen Meyer Adiri Director, TAU International