ISHS Acta Horticulturae 204: Postgraduate Training for development, XXII IHC
POSTGRADUATE TRAINING FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES |
| Author: | W. C. Kelly |
| Abstract:
Horticulture is a very diverse field especially at the graduate level, often without rigid curriculum requirements. A wide range of background experiences and future aspirations can be accommodated without difficulty. Admission procedures vary at different universities but well-qualified students have little trouble with admission. The major problems of foreign students are language, educational systems and cultural adaption. All students have passed the TOEFL examination but they are not prepared for different regional accents and speech patterns of the U.S. Advisors play a crucial role in the adjustment of the student. Thesis research in the student's home country is desirable but needs to be carefully planned with financial support assured for completion of the thesis. At the 1966 Congress in Maryland, I presented a paper on training graduate students from developing countries. Upon rereading the paper, it seemed that the same problems were with us and that little progress had been made in 20 years. This is not really true because much progress has been made in both services for foreign students and in training; however, there is always room for improvement in any human endeavor. Many colleges now have administrative divisions of International Agriculture of one form or another. All colleges have at least certain "contact" persons for international students and visitors. The large number of foreign students trained in the 1960's and 1970's have educated university registrars and business offices. There are usually experienced people available to consult on visas, immigration rules, currency, and similar concerns. Students are not penalized because of slow payment of tuition by sponsoring agencies or governments. Housing is much better than 20 years ago and there are programs for spouses and children of foreign students at many universities. Training of foreign students must be better also since it is rare to hear of a student who was unsuccessful upon returning to his home country while in the 1950's success at home was not always assured. Graduate programs in horticulture are as diverse as the institutions offering them, yet there is a sameness among them. Programs are not standardized in the US and let us hope they never will be. Standardization saps the vitality and strength of graduate | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
