Opportunity for globetrotting students
Called AquaCulture, Environment and Society (ACES), the degree is quite different from aquaculture courses elsewhere in Scotland and is being run by SAMS in partnership with the universities in Crete and Nantes. Students will spend semester one at SAMS before going on to study finfish aquaculture in Greece and shellfish aquaculture in France. The students will then complete research projects at one of the three centres in semester four, before returning to Oban for the final conference.
Dr Liz Cook, ACES programme leader, explained to Fish Farming Expert: “It is a two-year Masters so we hope to cover a lot of ground and students will gain experience of farming salmon, trout, common carp, mussels, seabass, gilt-head seabream and prawns.
“The Masters will be looking more at environmental interactions, minimising impact from aquaculture from the outset and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture. There will be a focus on SAMS’ expertise in farming seaweed and echinoderms.”
“Students gain a much more international outlook, studying in three European countries, at three centres for excellence in aquaculture research, with an international cohort of students. The three centres have very different specialisms and commercial connections.
“Fully funded scholarships are available for a maximum of two students per country, with 75% of the studentships aimed at students from outside the EU. Students will be immersed in the different approaches that different countries bring to the table – and leave with life-long friendships established with people from all over the world. There is of course room for self-funded students, who will still gain all the academic and networking benefit the course offers.”
“We received 40 applications but our first cohort [which starts on August 31st] will be small with only 5 students, two of whom are Scottish SAMS graduates. The course is heavily funded by the EU to provide highest level of training to the most outstanding students – many applicants did not meet the academic criteria and so were not accepted onto the course. The other students are from Bangladesh, Brazil and Italy.”
Industry partners include Huinay Research Station, the European Aquaculture Society, the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, Sainsbury’s, Selonda, FAI Aquaculture, Ifremer, Jersey Sea Farms, Nireus, and Marine Harvest Scotland.
The second year of the ACES programme starts in September 2016. SAMS will be inviting applications for scholarships from 1 August 2015. Scholarships which will cover not only the cost of tuition fees but also living and travelling expenses.
Up to 36 scholarships will be available for the second (covering academic year 2016 – 2018) and third (covering academic year 2017 – 2019) intakes. Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in one of the fields of environmental or social sciences including aquaculture-related studies, marine science, aquatic biology, biology, marine resources, environmental economics and policy.
