Global Competition on Best Practices in Forest Education
TF Joint IUFRO-IFSA Task Force on Forest Education
Background
On the 21st March of each year the forest community at large comes together to celebrate International Day of Forests (IDF). In 2019 the day will address the theme, 'Forests and Education', and will seek to raise awareness on how sustainably managed forests provide a variety of contributions in this area. The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), the International Forestry Students' Association (IFSA) and the University of Helsinki with HY+, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO), wish to mark the occasion by shining a spotlight on forest educators and rewarding winners of the "Global Competition on Best Practices in Forest Education" for their outstanding teaching.
Quality education plays a critical role in ensuring that the next generation of foresters are well equipped to face the multitude of challenges that a dynamic society and changing forest landscape will inevitably provide. As such, the Joint IUFRO-IFSA Task Force on Forest Education (JTF) and collaborators have many ongoing activities seeking to bring together perspectives and knowledge, to encourage international discussions on forest education and capacity building, to identify gaps in current forest education and to improve mobility and forest education opportunities.
The call is now open for you to submit the best practice from your own course and program or from a worthy nominee who helped you in your own pursuit forest knowledge and throughout your forest education career.
Aim
The "Global Competition on Best Practices in Forest Education" aims to raise awareness about education in the context of sustainably managed forests. Specifically, the competition seeks to share valuable information among educators, foresters, students and the general public on the best forest practices carried out globally.
Prizes
The Best Practices competition will award 2 main prizes which will be rewarded at the discretion of the Prize Committee. The awards are intended to further highlight these best practices and give winners the opportunity to share methods with the global forest science community.
Prize 1: An IUFRO 2019 World Congress Prize Package sponsored by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) - inclusive of round trip economy airfare, accommodation and conference registration to attend and participate in the 2019 IUFRO World Congress in Curitiba, Brazil - from 29th September to 5th October, 2019.
Prize 2: A ForestVisit, generously sponsored by the University of Helsinki and University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education HY+, inclusive of airfare and accomodation for the winner to visit Finland and explore the innovative forest-based bioeconomy and the high-level expertise in forest governance, industries and education.
How to participate
Thank you for having participated in the best practices competition!
| Competition Schedule | Due date |
| Public Call for Competition release | November 28, 2018 |
| Submission Deadline | January 18, 2019 |
| Shortlist announced by the Prize Board | March 1, 2019 |
| Press Release announcing winners on the International Day of Forests | March 21, 2019 |
Competition rules. The best practices in forest education could be related to teaching and learning methods for in-person or online education at any level from elementary, secondary (vocational or general education), or tertiary (college or university). The practice might be an innovative teaching method or learning material in the context of teaching and/or learning subjects related to sustainable forest management. There are no restrictions on persons making proposal of the best practice, for example it could be any individual or group of student(s), teacher(s), or other(s). However, nominees of the award are restricted to individual or group of teacher(s), teaching assistant(s), professor(s), or professional educator(s). Proposers must ensure to have the consent of the proposed nominee in order to nominate them for the award.
The nominee should have the intellectual property rights (IPR) - if any - of the practice. For example, the nominee should be a teaching material author, or generally known as an origin or innovator, or the most prominent user of the practice.
Proposals are ranked by Prize Board using predetermined criteria: 1) pedagogical quality, 2) novelty of practice, and 3) practical effectiveness.
