Subject Area
The Division of Resource Economics offers courses in the areas of environmental and resource economics, as well as institutional analysis and political economy. Teaching focal points are applications in agricultural and agri-environmental policy, natural resource use, and rural development with a focus on transition countries. In addition to a basic environmental economics training at the Bachelor's level, the Division offers English languages modules related to the Master's programmes in “Integrated Natural Resource Management”, “Agricultural Economics” and “International Erasmus Mundus Master Rural Development”. In line with the Division's scientific orientation towards institutional environmental and resource economics, a main focus, particularly for advanced students, is the application of the concepts and methods of institutional and governance analysis to natural resources and the environment. In special modules, issues of land and water management and questions of agricultural and environmental ethics are addressed with the involvement of external experts.
All teaching activities make use of integrative teaching approaches. The acquisition of theoretical and methodological knowledge is combined with a policy of active participation of the student and made concrete through examples of formation and change in institutional and organisational arrangements. In this way, students are offered the opportunity to learn collectively about the formation of institutions and the process of generation of organisations, and to increase their understanding through concrete problems. In practice, currently existing problem constellations will be taken on, excursions and case studies carried out and different forms of group work conducted. All course materials will be available through the internet platform “moodle” and tutors will be available for consultations on the exercises.
Special attention will be given to – in addition to the mentioned application of integrative teaching concepts – the further development and quality assurance of the above mention English language Master Programmes, the extension of the Faculty's international educational relationships and the further development of the PhD Programme. The co-ordination of the Master's Programme in “Rural Development” is undertaken within the Division. In each semester we enjoy the involvement of foreign guest professors in teaching, and master students may take part in international workshops and case studies in other countries. For the support and supervision of the Master thesis, a regular Master Colloquium (MAKO) is convened, while a Research Colloquium (FOKO) serves for the discussion of dissertation and habilitation work. The Division contributes to the Doctoral Certificate Programme in Agricultural Economics through offering the relevant courses for the PhD Programme, and also regularly co-ordinates Training Workshops and Summer Schools for PhD students and post-docs in various countries.
