Main Theme: Globalization of Higher Forest Education in a Digital Era
Beijing, China: 27-28 March 2018
The Asia Pacific Forestry Education Coordination Mechanism (AP-FECM) invites submissions of abstracts for oral and poster presentations during the 5th Asia-Pacific Forestry Education Conference, March 2018, in Beijing, China in parallel with the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet)’s 10th Anniversary Congress (26-29 March, 2018).
Over the past decade, rapid global change poses both challenges and opportunities to higher forest education in the Asia-Pacific region. Higher forest education has embraced a more collaborative role in response to global forest challenges and cultivate new generations to address them. Globalization becomes increasingly important for the development and reform of higher forest education in the Asia Pacific region and worldwide. In addition, technological innovation is opening up new opportunities to improve higher forest education at regional and global levels. The AP-FECM, an international university consortium supported by APFNet, has brought together forestry institutions from the Asia Pacific region and the world to enhance higher forest education and sustainable forest management through international collaboration.
In keeping with the theme of the 5th Asia Pacific Forestry Education Conference – Globalization of Higher Forest Education in a Digital Era, the AP-FECM invites submissions of presentation abstracts highlighting the current status of higher forest education worldwide and new initiatives in higher forest education to tackle global challenges.
All abstracts should relate to the following sub-themes in higher forest education:
- Current Global Higher Forest Education
This theme will discuss the overview of higher forest education worldwide. Speakers are invited to present current status and pressing issues facing higher forest education in different regions to provide a broad understanding on challenges and development trend in global higher forest education.
2. International Competency in Higher Forest Education
The international competency is covering learning outcomes and competencies related to generic skills and specific professional skills that enhance the ability for forestry graduates to work in international context. This theme will exam research and comparison studies conducted to identify key competencies for students to succeed, as well as introduce pedagogy and teaching methods to produce these competencies in higher forest education.
3. New Programs and Curriculum in Response to Global Change
Global change is posing demands on forest education to promote sustainable forest management. Forestry educators and schools are exploring new curriculum for cultivating forestry practitioners to address global pressing issues like climate change, environmental protection, biomass, community forest management, etc. Multidisciplinary educational programs created at local, regional and international level are widely applied to meet the needs of students and society. In this theme, new concepts, approaches and successful examples will be showcased to support the development of new curriculum and programs in response to global changes. Discussions on new business model for higher forest education will also be encouraged.
- Technological Innovation in Higher Forest Education
Technology is changing the nature of learning and the means of knowledge and skills obtained. Educators and schools are adapting to this digital age to incorporate new technologies in higher forest education to improve teaching and learning worldwide. This theme will introduce new initiatives and practices on innovative pedagogical design, open online learning, flexible and blended teaching, research on learning processes and outcomes in higher forest education.
This 5th Asia Pacific Forestry Education Conference will provide an opportunity to connect and share resources on globalization of higher forest education, discuss new means to help improve the quality of forestry education globally, as well as to identify transformative developments and new trends in higher forest education. Field trip and networking activities will also be arranged to promote international collaboration during the Conference.
Share your ideas and expertise!
AP-FECM members, faculty, instructors, school administrators, university students, forestry professionals, and stakeholders with an interest in advancing higher forest education through international networking are strongly encouraged to submit abstracts for the oral and/or poster presentations.
Instructions for submission
- Submission will be open from 4 December 2017 until 1 February 2018.
- Applicants will need to complete the Abstract Submission Form – 5th Asia Pacific Forestry Education Conference. The abstract text is limited to 350 words, i.e. excluding the title and authors’ information. The text should highlight the main points the presenter or presenters wish to communicate.
- Oral: 15-minutes presentation and 5-minutes discussion.
- Poster & Pitch: 5-minutes presentation.
- Abstracts can only be submitted in English.
- Abstracts are to be submitted via the Executive Office of AP-FECM (apfecm.forestry@ubc.ca, or michelle.zeng@ubc.ca).
- Applicants will be notified of acceptance of the abstract by 15 February 2018.
Financial support for invited speakers and participants will be available.
Contact information
Executive Office of AP-FECM
Faculty of Forestry, UBC
Tel: +16048225432
Apfecm.forestry@ubc.ca