Recently, both parties confirmed their collaboration by signing a letter of intent. The delegation from Aeres consisted of Bastiaan Pellikaan (Chairman of the Board), Mohamad Al Hassan (Horticulture Lecturer and Researcher at Aeres University of Applied Sciences in Dronten), and Natasja Spaargaren (Head of International Education and Research Activities at Aeres University of Applied Sciences). At the end of May, they visited the agricultural school in Gyeonggi Province, in the northwest of the country. Here they spoke with, among others, Chief Inspector Lim Tae-hee of the Provincial Education Bureau. This bureau finances the plans for the renewal of agricultural education.
51 million inhabitants
South Korea is twice the size of the Netherlands and has over 51 million inhabitants, over 85% of whom live in urban areas around Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. The country has experienced rapid technological development, although agriculture has lagged somewhat behind. The landscape is predominantly mountainous, and less than twenty percent of it is agricultural land. By comparison, this percentage is 54% in the Netherlands. As a result, Korea is heavily dependent on imports for its food supply. Furthermore, agriculture consists primarily of small private farms, averaging 1.6 hectares, which are generally unable to make large technological investments.
Mediation via the Dutch embassy
According to Natasja, contact between Aeres and Korea has existed for several years. Partly through the mediation of the Dutch embassy in Seoul, Aeres University of Applied Sciences has provided international horticulture training three times in recent years for Korean students, who were able to come to Dronten thanks to a scholarship. Aeres MBO also maintains contacts with the Asian country. Wageningen University of Applied Sciences collaborates primarily on flower arranging training.
Six months of stress before final exams
Working with a country that is fundamentally different from the Netherlands in terms of culture and communication always brings new insights, says Natasja. During her visit, she spoke with South Korean students and their parents. "They told me that the stress before final exams is enormous. Students study almost continuously for six months before their exams. Parents want their children to get into the best schools and practically have a second job helping their children prepare for their exams. In the Dutch education system, we primarily focus on how pupils and students develop during their (vocational) studies."
Taking the bus to the practical facilities
Yeoju Agricultural High School is an agricultural school where nearly four hundred students aged 16-19 follow three-year, broad agricultural programs comparable in level to vocational education (MBO/HAVO) in the Netherlands. The school also has a college where over one hundred students aged 20 and older follow two-year agricultural programs at a higher level, equivalent to our Associate Degree. The school grounds have their own forest and are so large that students are taken to the practical facilities by bus. Natasja: “As a frugal Dutch person, I immediately think about the business operations. Is all that space really necessary, and couldn't it be done more efficiently? The practical facilities there aren't bad, but they're not very modern either. At Aeres Farms in Dronten, we collaborate closely with agricultural companies that facilitate our education and research with modern, high-tech equipment. This approach and vision could also be very interesting for South Korea.”
Lifelong Learning
Aeres and Yeoju Agricultural High School will develop a feasible and actionable plan in the coming months. On the one hand, they will develop new educational programs that meet the demands of the (labor) market, and on the other, the Koreans aim to build a leading training center that can train not only Koreans but also workers in the region. The collaboration is expected to begin in 2025. Before that, twelve South Korean lecturers will visit the Netherlands this fall, where they will tour various Aeres locations to gain a good understanding of vocational training in pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO), intermediate vocational education (MBO), and higher professional education (HBO). Company visits will also follow to demonstrate the essential collaboration with the business community. The Koreans are also very interested in Aeres' Lifelong Learning approach, which allows them to acquire current and recognized professional knowledge through short training programs.
The delegation concluded its trip with a visit to a private urban school near the airport. What Natasja saw there surprised her. "The school had a vertical farming setup with LED lights where students were experimenting with greenhouse horticulture. That technological side of the profession is exciting and shows young people that agriculture and horticulture can also be very innovative."