Animal Breeding and Genetics

The integrated European Master of Science Course in Animal Breeding and Genetics (EM-ABG) aims to offer high quality international training, both in terms of scientific knowledge as well as in didactic skills.
EM-ABG is a response to the need for highly qualified graduates, as well as to the need to adapt education systems to the demands of the knowledge society, and to enhance the attractiveness and visibility of European higher education world-wide. The focus of EM-ABG is on the development of sustainable breeding programmes for farm animals, fish and companion animals. This innovative approach is based on mobility of people, exchanging experiences in different disciplines and establishing a common high quality standard in education and training.

EM-ABG aims at building capacities in the fields of animal breeding and genomics to meet the following challenges in developed and developing countries:

• increase of livestock and fish production, while preserving the quality of the products and the welfare of animals;
• preservation of natural resources, especially biodiversity, which become scarcer and scarcer;
• development of sustainable animal breeding programmes that contribute to improved livelihood of farmers and efficient food chains;
• development of sustainable breeding programmes that contribute to the improved health and welfare of companion animals (including populations in zoos and nature reserves).

The EM-ABG graduate will be trained to formulate and provide effective and appropriate responses to these challenges. The EM-ABG offers quality higher education in Animal Breeding and Genetics with a distinct European added value, which is attractive for students from all over the world. Students will be awarded two nationally recognized masters degrees (double degree), together with a specific EM-ABG certificate.

Representatives of seven international organisations have agreed to participate in the international advisory board which will meet once a year to advise on development of the course.

The instruction language of the two-year MSc Course is mainly English. An opportunity to study other European languages and to become familiar with European cultures will be provided. The annual student enrolment is expected to be 30 third-country students and 18 European students.

EM-ABG starts with an orientation period for all students in Wageningen. Students will conduct the major part of their training at two institutes / institutions of the consortium. The duration of the stay at one institute / institution varies between 6 and 18 months.
The consortium consists of Wageningen University (the Netherlands) as Co-ordinator, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (Austria), Christian-Albrechts-Universität (Germany), AgroParisTech (France), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden) and The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway).

Structure and content of the programme

The EM-ABG MSc Course generally combines a first year (M1 slot) in one institute / institution with a second year (M2 slot) in a second institute / institution. Optional choices are proposed to the students depending on their previous personal experience of scientific own professional goals.
The EM-ABG MSc Course will concentrate on use of quantitative and molecular genetics for animal breeding purposes. This involves the following concepts:

• understanding of and measuring genetic variation (Statistical Genomics)
• molecular genetics and bioinformatics (Genomics)
• design and evaluation of breeding programmes (Animal Breeding)
• understanding of intra-animal biological relationships (other)

The EM-ABG MSc course will be truly international and have many links to global research and to capacity building in developing countries. The length of the EM-ABG is 2 years (120 ETCS). The EM-ABG builds on existing MSc courses and consists of required and elective subjects: Orientation Period, Applied Period, Problem Oriented Subjects, Complementary Subjects, and Thesis Research.

Date of Application

Wintersemester: 7. September 2009 bis 9. Oktober 2009 (Nachfrist bis 30. November 2009)
Sommersemester: 8. Februar 2010 bis 12. März 2010 (Nachfrist bis 30. April 2010)

Duration: 2 Jahre