RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A Multiinstitutional Spanish Master’s Program in Ecosystem Restoration: Vision and Four-Year Experience
JF Ecological Restoration
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 188
OP 192
DO 10.3368/er.28.2.188
VO 28
IS 2
A1 Rey Benayas, José M.
A1 Escudero, Adrián
A1 Martín Duque, José F.
A1 Nicolau, José M.
A1 Villar-Salvador, Pedro
A1 de Jalón, Diego García
A1 Balaguer, Luis
YR 2010
UL http://er.uwpress.org/content/28/2/188.abstract
AB Since 2006, an innovative, multiinstitutional Spanish Master in Ecosystem Restoration (MER) is jointly offered by four major public universities in Madrid. In view of the high student demand—about 900 applications this academic year for only 30 places, a remarkable 75% rate of professional poststudy employment in a period of economic crisis, and the high number (> 40) of prestigious organizations involved in the program, we consider the MER program, although still young, to be very promising for the long term. We explain the process to create the MER and achieve the results obtained thus far. We describe its organization, report its vital statistics in terms of students, and identify some strengths and weaknesses observed to date. The MER program has evolved as a network of knowledge and experience that links universities, lecturers, researchers, students, private and public companies, NGOs, and administration centers. Our aim is to help other groups that may want to launch similar graduate-level ecological restoration degree programs.