Education

This is the most exciting time to build your career in horticulture, taking advantage of developments in science, engineering and computing to build truly multidisciplinary solutions to the challenges of feeding 9 billion people.

Education And Learning

With more than 125 years of history in teaching and education, Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury campus has provided educational excellence for future horticultural and agricultural professionals for decades.

With the completion of the new glasshouse as the centrepiece of our protected cropping facilities, we have an exceptional opportunity to provide next-generation teaching, education and learning.

The glasshouse is the perfect teaching ground for applied education across a range of disciplines, from food production, computing and engineering, sustainability and business and entrepreneurship. The Centre’s placement on the Hawkesbury campus offers an ideal location for providing educational context as the issues of urban encroachment on food and agriculture becomes ever more central to life in the Sydney region and beyond.

NSW Education Produces Educational Video Series

In mid-2019, NSW Education and Western Sydney University released a six-part educational series about protected cropping and the need for research in producing crops in enclosed and protected environments.

Our Academic Program

Our Bachelor of Science (Agrifood) (opens in a new window) is a comprehensive program that connects elements of science, business, health and community development into an integrated learning pathway designed for the professionals of tomorrow.

The key protected cropping unit in this course is Protected Cropping Technology (HORT 3002) (opens in a new window).

Other Programs offered:

• Graduate Diploma in Protected Cropping (opens in a new window)
• Graduate Certificate in Protected Cropping (opens in a new window)
• Master of Science (Greenhouse Horticulture) (opens in a new window)

Building sustainable food production systems requires diverse and extensive skillsets that factor in social, economic, technical and cultural issues to ensure food security, reliability, safety and quality at every stage.

We also have three protected cropping units developed for the Tertiary Pathway in Protected Cropping (NSW Department of Education). These units are:

• Protected Cropping Climate Control and Technology (AGRI 1010) (opens in a new window)
• Protected Cropping Biosecurity and Pollination (HORT 1006) (opens in a new window)
• Protected Cropping Plant Nutrition (HORT 1007)

Our Training Programs

There is clearly a pressing need to provide advanced protected cropping skills across Australia’s horticultural industry. The Centre offers opportunities to design tailored training and development programs across the spectrum of horticultural applications from designing trials, to managing glasshouse software systems, commercialisation and energy management.

We can work with you to design a solution that addresses the issues faced in your protected cropping enterprise, partnering with your teams to provide comprehensive answers where you most need it.

Past customers have benefitted from the unique glasshouse facility and access to Australia’s leading scientists in protected horticulture and the broader Western Sydney University environment to drive innovation and engaged learning. Through industry masterclasses, tailored partnerships and personal consulting, our researchers can help you build a more informed, educated team using Australia’s leading glasshouse and plant science facility.

Contact Prof Zhonghua Chen for more information.