APPROACHES REFORMING FORESTRY CURRICULA IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION: The case of the TEMPUS-TACIS `ENARECO' project in Ukraine

PREPARED BY GIORGIO ANDRIAN
Joint Doctorate Programme
Department of Geography, University of Padua, Italy
and Institute of Forest Policy, University of Freiburg, Germany

INTRODUCTION

The collapse of the former Soviet Union, in 1991, marked the beginning of a new era for the recently established independent states (former USSR republics) and for most of the satellite countries: they all entered a transitional period towards the market economy.

Since that time, most of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) population have experienced a radical change of their policy, society and economy.

In most of the CEECs, the forest sector used to be highly relevant (in the Balkans, for instance) to the national economies and their specific cultures. Therefore, academic education, as well as advanced training for forest enterprises and forest administration, has always been an important topic at the leading universities.

Forestry education, which used to be fully managed and financed by the State authorities, has also been included in the process of innovation. The traditional system, which was adopted in all the higher education institutions and technical schools, has been improved by the introduction of new study courses.

By highlighting the main constraints and opportunities in approaching curricula development, the first part of this paper argues on the urgent need for a radical reform of the formerly centralized educational systems in the CEECs, and the strategic importance to rapidly provide them with a better qualification for the existing research and academic personnel; these aspects call for a long-term comprehensive intervention strategy, to be technically and financially supported by the international community.

The second part illustrates the main motivations and methodological frames that have been implemented in the curriculum revision in the case of Ukraine - one of the first former USSR republics to declare its independence (August, 1991) - adopted by the confrontation between the advanced educational systems and the ones mostly present in the CEECs.

In particular, the third part focuses on the challenge to launch an innovative multidisciplinary study course at the Ukrainian State University of Forestry and Wood Technology (USUFWT), in L'viv with the aim of supporting the reform of the traditional forestry curricula and introducing new teaching methodologies. The European Union (EU) TEMPUS-TACIS `ENARECO' project was launched in 1997, based on the partnership of the Universities of Frieburg (Germany), Gent (Belgium) and Padua (Italy).

The paper concludes by stressing the importance of the international cooperation to better achieve an appropriate curriculum revision and new study courses implementation in the CEECs, especially in the vision of their inclusion in the frame of the coming EU enlargement.

Part I - 1. THE APPROACH TO CURRICULA DEVELOPMENT IN THE CEECS:
CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

The period immediately after the independence from the former USSR was marked by a drastic decline in all the major production sectors in the new independent republics and the satellite countries.

The collapse of the Soviet system -based on a strongly centralized economy and a fully planned industrial activity- resulted in a lack of public support to the existing manufacturing and commercial activities. The obsolete and uncompetitive productive system left a high degree of unemployment and a consequent abundance of social problems and tensions.

"The speed and magnitude of economic and political change was much faster and more disruptive in this region than in any other part of the world, in part because socialism was all-embracing, penetrating the political, economic and social life of the region; while socialism provided security, it also discouraged initiatives and limited room for innovation" (World Bank, 2000).

1.1 THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE PLANNED ECONOMIES

In the CEECs the educational system used to be structured in close connection with the corresponding productive structures, being the curricula rigidly planned in accordance to the expected labour market's needs. The central State authorities used to have total control of the entire process, allowing no room for other stakeholders' involvement. The higher education institutions (HEIs) used to be politically and financially fully dependent from the State authorities, with no opportunities to be linked, independently, to the other social actors.

The total absence of a private sector halted any process of real innovation in the productive, as well as in the educational sectors. The poorly State-financed research was not sufficient to support an appropriate teaching activity and the lack of relevant international contacts isolated most of the CEECs from the recent scientific achievements.

Problems and constraints, as well as strengths and opportunities, of the main components of a typical HEI in a country with an economy in transition are reported in Table 1, where the existing structure and functioning of the USUFWT have been analyzed during the preliminary phase of the `ENARECO' project.

Table 1. Problems and constraints in the university education system reform: the case of Ukraine

1.2 forestry sector in ukraine: its education, extension and research system

Opposite to most of the other CEECs, the forestry sector is of relatively minor importance to the overall Ukrainian economy, both as a source of State revenue and raw materials. Social and environmental concerns of forest resources are officially acknowledged by public authorities, but have limited practical application in forest investment and protection policies.

According to existing legislation, almost the entire forested area of the country is State-owned and constitutes the Forest Fund (which represents 99% of a total 458 ml. ha of forest land).

1.2.1 A synthesis of the forestry sector and its recent management changes

During the Soviet period, the entire forestry sector was centrally managed with most concern for the productivity aspects of resources. As a result, the standing volume and the quality of the plots diminished. Wood production continues to represent the main source of income in the forestry sector, and there is no established market or public incentives for improving non-timber forest production or for providing public services (e.g. recreational or environmental protection).

Since 1991, the entire public administration system has been redesigned in an attempt to stimulate larger investments and better economic conditions. The traditional forestry sector, which once included all the related fields - from nursery to furniture marketing - has been subdivided into two main branches (Weber and Lavny, 1998); the forestry sector itself, which is still under State control, and the woodworking industry, which is in the initial stage of privatization.

New approaches have been adopted in forest policy, even if their implementation is still in progress. Nowadays, "the Ukrainian State forest policy is a combination of legal, economic, administrative and forest management measures directed at preservation and reforestation, rational use and enhancement of the multifunctional role of forests as a global ecological factor in the interests of the nation" (Pelkonen et al., 1999).

The State Forestry Committee (SFC) directs planning and implementation of policy via its regional and local administrative offices, and an independent unit deals with regular forest inventory.

The woodworking sector is, instead, dependent on the Ministry of Industrial Policy and is being privatized through the State Committee on Privatization.

Recently, political parties (especially the Green Party) and environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are playing an increasing role in stimulating the decision-making bodies to implement a more environmentally sound forest policy.

1.2.2 Institutional context of forestry education and training in the country

Historically, systematic forestry research and education in Ukraine dates back to the beginning of the nineteenth century, when the first institutes were founded in Kyiv and L'viv.

When Ukraine became part of the Soviet Union, forestry education and research were totally State-managed and financed.

The existing forestry education system primarily derives from the joint action of two main institutions: the Ministry of Science and Education (MSE), which provided the educational guidelines; and the SFC, which determined the numbers and characteristics of each school and the teaching programs based on the planned needs of the sector.

After Ukraine's independence, the reformed MSE initiated the reorganization of the entire educational system, based on the adoption of a multi-level structure. The MSE provides the general guidelines for higher education (HE), while the definition of specific forestry issues is delegated to the SFC, under the supervision the Cabinet of the Prime Minister (see Table 2).

Table 2. Main institutions involved in curricula definition and revision in Ukraine

Forestry education and training is still entirely dependent upon the State budget and management. The structure of the institutions reflects the "wood chain" system: each teaching unit corresponds to a sectoral branch of the economy.

On the other side, woodworking industries cannot directly finance any research or training programs yet, and so are dependent upon public investment to ensure available professionals for their employment requirements.

The entire public educational system is still in its infancy and as yet does not actively involve stakeholders, other than the traditional academic and political ones.

1.2.3 Forestry education and training system

Forestry education is entirely financed and managed by the State budget and consists of the following levels:

1^st level: technical schools (providing students with technical forestry skills);
2^nd level: colleges and equivalent institutions (providing education up to the level of Bachelor's degree);
3^rd and 4^th levels: HEIs, such as universities, academies and similar institutions (providing Bachelor's and Master's degrees, as well as Ph.Ds and Doctorates).

Programs for both Bachelor's and Specialist degrees are offered by a large number of forestry colleges around the country, while Master's, Ph.D. and doctoral programs are available only at the three main higher education forestry institutions (Kyiv, L'viv and Kharkiv) (see Table 3). The education programs at technical schools and colleges directly correspond to the requirements of the local forestry job market and are designed to provide students with practical-oriented training. Higher education is designed for those who intend to deepen their theoretical background and prepare themselves for top professional jobs.

Table 3. The geographical distribution of the forestry schools in Ukraine

The MSE provides specific guidelines for organizing higher education curricula, while the SFC deals primarily with programs at technical schools and colleges. While the majority of graduate students are employed by State forest administration agencies (both at national and regional levels), only few of them find an occupation in the recently born private woodworking sector.

The general unemployment situation is also affecting the forestry sector, mainly because there are too many schools in the country. In fact, due to this reason, the number of students graduating each year exceeds the existing available job places. Clearly, the number of schools offering forestry programs has no balanced relation with the actual role of the forestry sector within the Ukrainian economy.

1.2.4 Forestry extension

Ukraine is still in the very first stages of privatization of State-owned properties. In particular, land tenure and property rights have remained virtually unchanged since its independence from the USSR. The total lack of private investment in forestry translates into a reduced demand for extension services, and an effective system of technical assistance to private enterprises is lacking.

Extension services are sorely needed in order to address new issues that have arisen with the first few private forest enterprises (such as loggers and small farmers that are investing in the forest sector). At the same time, neither the SFC nor the educational systems are prepared to offer appropriate consultancy services.

1.2.5 Forestry research

In Ukraine, exclusively State-financed institutions perform forestry research. Universities and higher education institutions concentrate on fundamental research, while non-university research institutes focus on field investigations.

The existing research system consists of two institutes and eight stations, directly depending on the SFC. To date, an experimental 16-plots network that is regularly monitored by the leading centre in Kharkiv covers all the major climatic and natural research areas.

The network has been financially supported by the SFC, which once encompassed the largest share of the budget (75-80%), while specific research contracts with forest enterprises and other public institutions represented only a small share.

In recent years, the entire forestry research sector has been suffering from the overall economic crises. As a consequence, the main results seen are the reduction in scientific and technical personnel, proper maintenance of equipment, limited updated participation in international scientific meetings and the decline of publishing activities.

Part II - 2. REASONS AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH BEHIND CURRICULA REVISION

The "traditional" forest profession is undergoing significant changes and the "internal" perception that the corresponding education has not kept pace with recent societal changes, called for a revision process.

Radical modifications in the educational systems, as well as in the professional activities, are occurring in all those countries in which forest resources have been managed in respond to the societal and environmental needs.

At this regard, the European Union (EU) member states decided to adopt a standard multi-level higher education system, to enable learners to get their education recognized all around the Union on the basis of a joint European Transfer Credit System (ETCS). The adoption of the new common system, called for a radical and comprehensive revision of the existing curricula - including forestry - supporting the adoption of innovative didactic methodologies as well as improving the in-field experiences within the study courses. In particular, based on the Sorbonne Agreement and Bologna Declaration, it has to be emphasized the importance of joint curricula development in socio-economic and environmental economics subjects within the traditional frame of forestry education.

On the contrary, forestry education sector in most of the CEECs still reflects the traditional productive vocational training, and is far from perceiving the fundamental changes occurring in this sector in many other countries. Their institutions are still focusing very much on listing the most appropriate items to be included into the "ideal curricula", rather than concentrating on the importance of the educational process itself.

In Table 3, the main issues of the changing educational process in forestry have been highlighted, and, for each of them, the traditional educational systems - mostly occurring in the CEECs - are compared with the most advanced ones.

The strong need for educational institutions to realize their potential for learning about and transforming the relationship between society and nature is still far to be fully understood in the transitional CEECs.

As far as forestry is all about collective human action, a trust in more responsive institutions is a key issue. In this very moment, the transitional economies are in an urgent need to activate appropriate institution building process, leading to a collective appropriation and construction of a new model of management with the participation of people, both from inside and outside.

The adoption of a holistic approach in revising the existing study courses, has to be linked with the implementation of sound Participatory Curriculum Development (PCD) processes: all the main stakeholders are to be involved, starting by the ones already operating within the institutions themselves.

Research and education programme design is expected to be emergent rather than pre-determined. The main reasons for this is that meaning is determined by context to such a great extent and the existence of multiple realities constrains the development of a design based on only one (the investigator's) construction. What will be learnt at a side is always dependent on the interaction between the investigator and the context, and the interaction is also not fully predictable. Finally, because the nature of mutual shaping cannot be known until they are witnessed (Lincoln and Guba, 1985).

So far, HEIs are expected to become catalysers of both horizontal and vertical interactions between organizations at various levels, thus transforming into innovative incubators.

Table 3. Main issues of the changing educational process in forestry

The entire process is very much facilitated by focussing on the primacy of the partnership; external actors contribute to improve the capacity of the HEIs to act as "catalytic facilitators" of the fundamental educational process revision. Which is expected to incorporate the field-based learning into the formal study structure.

In the centralized Soviet system, educational policies were included in long-term planning strategies. Study programs and curricula were developed according to the expected social and economic needs of the country.

Once independent, Ukraine felt the need to reform all the major sectors of its social and economic life. The country's new constitution highlights the strategic importance of adequate access to education, combined with higher quality standards.

A radical reform of the educational sector was launched in 1998 (Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine, 1998), the core of which was the introduction of a multilevel educational system, developed in harmony with international standards.

Therefore, the process of curricula definition and revision has been slightly modified within that reform. In fact, the State administrative bodies (MSE, SFC) still play a major role, and most of the stakeholders involved are either part of the ministerial or of academic staff. The entire curricula development strategy is still under State control and with minor involvement of non-State authorities (private sector, NGOs, students' representatives). The methods are slowly changing, but objectives and didactic methodologies in curricula reform have not yet been adopted.

Nevertheless, the pressure of the international community and the growing number of projects financed by foreign institutions are stimulating Ukraine to introduce more radical changes in the educational system and to adopt totally new study programs.

Part III - 3. THE CHALLENGE OF THE INTERDISCIPLINARITY: THE CASE OF THE "ENARECO"STUDY COURSE

Since 1991, the EU has been supporting the transition of the New Independent States (NIS) by the TACIS programme. "The TACIS Programme is one of the instruments developed by the EU to forge closer economic and political links with the NISⁱ It operates within the wider context of a deepening and evolving relationship between the EU and the NIS, enshrined in Partnership and Co-operation Agreements which commit both sides to a new level of political, economic and cultural dialogue" (TACIS, 2000)ⁱⁱ

A large part of the TACIS budget is devoted to cultural and educational projects; in fact, partnerships between universities and HE institutes are becoming an important item in the EU foreign policy. It has been realized that most of the future co-operation will rely on cultural links that have to be established and reinforced from now onwards.

Within this framework, January 1, 1997 saw the start of the Joint European TEMPUS TACIS Project `ENARECO' (Environment and Natural Resource Economics), with the main aim of establishing a three semester post-graduate study (at MSc level, according to the newly established system) course leading to the degree qualification of Environmental Economist at the USUFWT in Lviv. The JEP project ENARECO had a successful precursor in the one-year pre-project NARECO (Natural Resource Economics) in 1996ⁱⁱⁱ For this project USUFWT is a partner with the EU Universities of Freiburg (Germany, seat of the coordinator), Gent (Belgium) and Padua (Italy), each of them providing expertise in the main scientific areas covered by the project.

The main purposes of this project are to provide the Ukrainian higher education system with a new teaching framework in order to respond to the urgent need of preparing high level specialists who can combine ecological and economical backgrounds, and who will be able to tackle the demands arising from the transitional processes taking place in Ukraine as "novel ecological, economic and social challenges have to be met. Therefore, sustainable development should be induced as an instrument to balance society's various demands with each other and nature's tolerance to human interference" (ENARECO, 1998).

The ENARECO course has some peculiar features (Essmann, 1999):

• Regardless of the large number of subjects, the basic theme for all classes is the question of how economic and society's demands can be rendered compatible with the requirements of environmental conservation and a careful use of natural resources.
• The teaching contents of the study course ENARECO are not limited to the theory of environmentally friendly, resource preserving economics, but attempts to practically illustrate principles of the various sectors of a political economy. Thus the study of agriculture and forestry, tourism and recreation, and land use, is included, which is supplemented by such subjects as environmental policy and environmental law. It is the intent and expectation of the program that this variety of subjects will ensure that students will be trained to become experts, capable of implementing the principle of sustainable development in practically all relevant areas of economy and society.
• The central concern of the program is a practical-oriented education. Besides the theoretical basics, the presentation of practical experiences is a main goal. Therefore, so-called project studies, as well as internships in administration and businesses, form an integral part of ENARECO.
• Due to the large range of subjects, the ENARECO course has not been connected to an already existing faculty, e.g., the Faculty of Economics. The risk would have been too great for the "parent faculty" to dominate the new study program and to influence its direction and further development. ENARECO has therefore been designed as an independent unit within the university, with its own administration and directly answerable to the Rector.
• The new study program has been opened to college graduates from a variety of different fields, not restricted to economists, but also open to geographers, law students, forest scientists, ecologists, etc.

The key constraints in curricula revision have been identified in the process of courses reorganization and teaching staff retraining.

A new mentality has been stimulated to encourage a multidisciplinary and cooperative approach in teaching, and active involvement of students. The introduction of these changes has been easier at the lower institutional level and a bottom-up approach to reform has been considered.

In fact, the existing bureaucratic procedure to include a new study course is complex: in the case of ENARECO project, a long-lasting process had to be initiated in order to gain official accreditation by the MSE. Once the study course was launched (October 1998), the entire study program was evaluated by a specific EU team of experts and by an officer from the World Bank Institute. In both cases, experts stressed the need for a further involvement of teachers and researchers from different backgrounds in the management of the Master's program and the need for new potential stakeholders to be involved in curricula revision and in the dissemination process.

Part III - CONCLUSION: THE LESSON LEARNT

To the degree that the forestry educational system is totally dependent on the State budget, it suffers from many of the same problems, economic constraints and political uncertainties of the overall CEECs situation.

In particular, no real change in the Ukrainian higher education system is expected without a radical reform of the forestry sector itself and of the decision-making bodies, to include stakeholders from the private sector and provide the system with more flexibility and larger financial support.

As a crucial part of this process, university and research institutions need to revise their teaching methods and programs and move away from the existing rigid centralized system. Recent innovations introduced by the last reform in higher education represent a first step towards a proper reform of the previous structure.

It is essential to continue in this direction by introducing further changes. Such improvements could include, for example, restructuring at the institutional level in order to adopt a less bureaucratic decision-making process, and involving major stakeholders and representatives from private institutions and industry in the process of curricula revision and implementation (Schmidt et al., 1998).

A stronger link with the woodworking sector could also provide the educational institutions with further stimulus in adapting to the constantly changing needs of the labour market, as well as financial support to revitalize the research activities.

By reducing the number of technical schools and limiting the study of forestry to two main higher education institutions, a sufficient number of graduates would be available to meet the needs of the country's forestry sector. Consequently, better service would be offered due to lower overhead and less management costs.

Students are also expected to play a part in the reform by becoming actively involved in the decision-making process and by giving them opportunities to officially express their evaluation of the teaching standards and course contents.

International scientific and technical cooperation is one of the keys to improve the management of the CEECs natural resources. Limited and focused partnerships, rather than large general programs, would ensure more successful academic partnerships. Any project or intervention that is designed to improve academic exchange and cooperation can only be successful once institutional building and infrastructure are improved; it is the only way to ensure the sustainability of the investment.

Within a world that is rapidly changing and so dependent on globalization, both in the social and economic context, education will increasingly represent the key factor to a country's development. It is necessary for the CEECs to rapidly adopt important innovative features and to be flexible in curricula development and revision. This also requires involving different stakeholders in a multilevel educational system. All of these steps are crucial in order to successfully complete the transition to a sustainable market-led economy.

REFERENCES

Andrian, G., Ciaghi L. & Pettenella, D., 2000, The Ukrainian forestry sector and the needs for new educational programmes, in ENARECO - A new Master Study Course on Environmental Economics in Ukraine, Ideas, Objectives, Contents. Ukrainian State University of Forestry and Wood Technology Press, Lviv, Ukraine: pp. 8-16.

Bäcksrtom, P.O. 1999, Report of the International Consultancy. Ukrainian-Swedish Project, Ukrainian Forest Sector Master Plan, Mid-Term Report - Group 7. Kyiv, working document, unpublished.

Essmann, H., Lust, N., Pettenella, D. & Thunitsya Y., 2000, ENARECO - A New Master Study Course on Environmental Economics in Ukraine: Ideas, Objectives, Contents. The Ukrainian State University of Foresty and Wood Technology Press, L'viv, Ukraine, pp. 21-28.

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Krott, M. 1998, Policies for sustainable forestry in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. In: Forest policy in the countries with economies in transition - ready for the European Union? EFI Proceedings No.21, Joensuu, European Forest Institute, pp.83-94.

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ⁱ The NIS comprises the former republics of the Soviet Union(the Baltic States excluded), and Mongolia. The Programme is managed by the European Commission's DG1A (Directorate General for External Relations: Europe and the New Independent States, Common Foreign and Security Policy and External Service).

ⁱⁱ "The programme provides grant finance for the transfer of know-how to twelve countries of the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia. In doing so, it fosters the development of market economies and democratic societies. It is the largest programme of its kind operating in the region, and has launched more than 3,000 projects worth over ECU 3,290 million since its inception" (TACIS, 2000).

ⁱⁱⁱ During these pre-project important basics were developed which have been instrumental in the implementation of the JEP project, and for the new course that started on 1 September 1998.