Recently, a delegation from the Turkish Ministry of National Education visited Yuverta in the Netherlands to gain inspiration for further development of green vocational education and training in Turkey and to explore opportunities for cooperation.
The Turkish delegation got an insight into Yuverta’s green education programme, which is being developed in co-creation with the business community, and related technological innovations.
The attendees, including State Secretary Sadri Şensoy, were given a comprehensive tour of the school. Robotisation and precision agriculture technologies can help with current challenges within the agricultural sector. They were therefore introduced to Yuverta’s milking robot, GGI simulator and agricultural vehicles. These innovations and techniques were proudly presented by teachers.
International Cooperation
The international role and activities of the Green Hotspot Houten and the Blue Hotspot Dordrecht were also highlighted interactively. Hotspots are regional clusters where education and business closely cooperate nationally and internationally. Think of them as regional Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE). Among other things, the presentations zoomed in on existing collaborations within Groenpact, the European Platform Urban Greening and the Climate House, and the transition in the field of current water issues within the agricultural sector and urban areas.
Growth Opportunities
In Turkey, green education has experienced significant growth in recent years. Twenty-three additional training sites have been added in the past year alone. The delegation was impressed by the techniques presented by Yuverta and was surprised that a tractor driving licence can be obtained within the school. During the working visit, the Turkish ministry saw opportunities for further cooperation in the field of teacher exchange and the development of various educational programmes. State Secretary Şensoy thanked for the hospitality and fruitful informative moments of the visit and expressed his keenness to organise a return visit in the near future to further shape international cooperation.
The visit was part of a two-day programme organised by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and the Dutch VET Council. Besides visiting Yuverta, the delegation visited colleagues in The Hague and World Horti Center, where they interacted with attendees from MBO Raad, Greenport, Wageningen University & Research, Mondriaan College and Lentiz, among others.
Text: Jan Jeronimus
Photos: courtesy of Bart van Rongen / Yuverta