About the Master's programme
Information technologies (IT) are key technologies of the 21st century. Even today, information technologies are deep-seated in many fields of research and practice.
The aim of the programme is to produce scientifically trained specialists who are particularly qualified for the creative application of IT to describing problems and creating solutions for environmental issues. We achieve our goal by imparting a wide range of scientific methods and tools for the collection, analysis, visualisation, and communication of environmental data. The factual basis of the education is applied mainly to the fields of forest ecosystems and forest management.
The application of IT can help to improve the recognition of silvicultural problems as well as of environmental changes that are becoming more complex and more global, and to point out solutions. By applying modern IT, it becomes possible to prepare sustainable forest cultivation and ecologically compatible actions. Well trained specialists are needed for these challenging and exciting tasks.
Environmental information technologies such as Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Statistics, Databases, Programming, the Internet and their forest ecosystem- and environment-related application form the core of the subjects taught. The core modules are accompanied by selected topics in forest and ecological disciplines.
Students learn the relevant concepts and methods for survey, analysis, visualisation and communication of environmental data, acquire practical skills in handling common software products particularly related to spatial data, achieve a critical understanding of the processes in forest ecosystems and of forest management and are able to apply information technologies creatively to describe problems and find solutions, develop methods for sampling environmental data and computer- and model-based assessments of the effects on forests and other ecosystems, and they learn how to cooperate in interdisciplinary work groups.
The first semester takes place at the University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde and covers fundamental knowledge of environmental information technologies.
The second semester takes place at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (Poland). It focuses on teaching continuative knowledge of environmental information technologies including specific silvicultural contents.
Third semester: independent research project (at the particular university or partner institution in Germany, Poland or abroad); range of elective courses (in Eberswalde partly together with the study programme MSc Global Change Management).
Fourth semester: Master's thesis; range of elective courses (in Eberswalde partly together with study programme MSc Global Change Management)
About the Faculty of Forest and Environment
Since 1830, Eberswalde has been one of the major academic centres of forestry studies in Germany. The forest campus houses the faculties of “Forest and Environment” and “Wood Sciences and Technology” with their lecture rooms and workshops.
Teaching and research in the range of topics related to forests are the main fields of activity of our Faculty of Forest and Environment. We work intensely together with private businesses, administrations and authorities. Thus we have established a fundamentally new profile of our faculty during the last years, supported by a broad network of international partners. The faculty employs at present more than 30 staff members.
The overall concept of our faculty is built on the exceptional ecological and economical importance of forests for the global environment and the well-being of mankind. Thus, our goal is the education of practice oriented and problem-solving experts who understand working with the environment and natural resources as interfering with very complex systems. Human beings as a part of these systems have to be the focal point of any strategy.
The idea of a comprehensive forest-related, higher education is reflected in the broad offer of study courses and comprises at present two Bachelor courses (Forestry, International Forest Ecosystem Management), as well as two Master courses (Forest Information Technology, Global Change Management). Graduates — “traditionally classic” foresters, IT specialists or ecosystem managers — look forward to a broad variety of job opportunities in Germany and abroad.
To the Faculty of Forest and Environment belongs a Forest Botanical Garden (founded in 1830). This site comprises the Garden itself planted along the banks of a small creek called “Schwärze” as well as modern, multi-functional building with greenhouses and collections on the other side of the road and an about 150-hectare arboretum.
Next-door neighbours of our Faculty are the Eberswalde Forestry Research Institute, the Institute for Material testing Brandenburg and the Institute for Forest Ecology and Forest Inventories of the Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute.
About the University of Applied Sciences in Eberswalde
Some 1,600 students are registered at the Fachhochschule Eberswalde (University of Applied Sciences), which was founded in 1992. The town has a population of 42,000 inhabitants and is located in a natural setting of extensive forests and numerous lakes just 50 km north-east of Germany's capital Berlin. By now, 14 programmes have developed which have shaped the university’s profile as a place of genuine commitment to the concept of sustainable management. In addition to its academic and teaching successes, the university stands out for its extremely successful research projects. It is one of Germany’s best universities of applied sciences with regard to receiving sponsoring monies.
All programmes at the University of Applied Sciences in Eberswalde strongly relate to practical issues of real life. In lectures, seminars and excursions dedicated university professors and visiting lecturers work together with motivated students on subject matters.
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