On the 14th of February 2020, the Belgian Newbie team (KU Leuven) organized a meeting on the topic of business models in agricultural education in Flanders. The Newbie team invited diverse stakeholders in Flanders to discuss this topic and explore the opportunity of cross-institutional cooperation in this field.
The idea behind the workshop is obvious. There is a consensus that a decent business model is a precondition for a successful farm business. This holds truth for all farmers, and in particular for new entrants. However, the first Newbie analyses showed that the attention paid to (new) business models in agricultural education – both in university colleges and in universities – remains limited. This is a tendency we notice all across Europe. Flanders is no exception, although there are for sure educational institutes that perform better than others in this regard.
The workshop in Leuven was organized by both the KU Leuven Newbie team and a team from the university college Odisee, which also offers agricultural education. The workshop was attended by various actors that work on business models in agriculture including representatives from several universities and university colleges, the education organization Landwijzer, the largest farmers’ organization in Flanders (Boerenbond), experts from the financial sector, advisers, the Catholic Educational Association for Rural Women (FERM), and the research institute for agriculture, fisheries and food in Flanders (ILVO).
This first meeting in Flanders on business models in agricultural education showed the willingness for further cooperation and the added value of exchanging information in this domain. A follow up meeting has been scheduled for the 5th of February 2021.
For more information on this event, you can contact the KU Leuven Newbie team: newbie@kuleuven.be
