An alignment meeting with regard to the training of specialists for agricultural sector as well as effective use of the land and property resources took place at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences on 1 December. Representatives of the Ministry of Education, rectors of agricultural higher education institutions and heads of industry associations participated in the meeting.

Taras Vysotskyi, General Director of the Association ‘Ukrainian Agribusiness Club’ in his speech expressed his proposals to the employers concerning training of the agricultural sector specialists. In particular, he stressed that development of the agricultural sector requires creative and active youths which strive for learning and implementing results of the innovative developments in the agricultural production.

 ‘At present, agricultural producers are willing to cooperate with colleges and universities. Apart from that, an active position as well as readiness of the educational institutions management to accept changes and get into dialogue with agricultural producers play an important role. Now we are familiar with the successful experience of opening KUHN training classes at NULES of Ukraine, cooperation of Sumy National Agrarian University and Kernel company, and other similar positive examples. As of today manufacturers are open to collaborate not only with universities but with colleges as well. In particular, Berezovorudskyi College of Poltava State Agrarian Academy is actively cooperating with Industrial Milk Company, and within the framework of such cooperation 25 college students are undertaking internship at IMC’, said General Director of the UCAB.

Taras Vysotskyi also drew attention of the attendees to the urgent necessity of initiating changes to the tax legislation so that the costs incurred by the company while tutoring the trainee won’t be included in the structure of product cost formation. He noted that this issue was discussed at the meeting of Council for Agricultural Education within the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

General Director of the Association ‘Ukrainian Agribusiness Club’ noted that UCAB takes direct part in the formation of educational standards, reviews them and provides recommendations. The Association also supports introduction of a dual education system which will allow to engage students in the production process more profoundly. In addition, UCAB for the second year in a row conducts agricultural economics scientific events and for the first time in 25 years the European Association of Agricultural Economists organized International seminar on agricultural economics which was attended by representatives of 28 countries from more than 30 institutions. Taras Vysotskyi urged representatives of the agricultural academic economics to submit their research papers more actively in order to participate in such events. ‘UCAB unites leading agro-industrial associations, creates a platform for communication of researchers and manufacturers as well as encourages you to cooperate’, he concluded.