Undergraduate University Module in Permaculture

The “Undergraduate University Module in Permaculture: Creating new synergies between higher education and professionals to promote sustainable systems” project – in short, PermaModule – is an Erasmus+ project which SAFE proudly coordinates since September 2019.

The project also involves four partner universities:

and two permaculture associations:

The module is built around 3 main outputs:

 For universities who want to engage with the project, please contact us at communications@safefoodadvocacy.eu

Discover our PermaModule:

More info: https://www.safefoodadvocacy.eu/perma...

The present section details the entire content of the curriculum, to be freely used and adapted by teachers.

This section is divided in three parts:

• Part I - Description of the module

La presente sezione dettaglia l'intero contenuto del curriculum, che può essere liberamente utilizzato e adattato dagli insegnanti.

Questa sezione è divisa in tre parti:

•     Parte I - Descrizione del modulo
  

 Gli obiettivi del modulo, gli scopi e come Permacultura e Università possono interagire.

•     Parte II - Metodologie di insegnamento
  

Esempi pratici di lezioni e lista di strumenti.

•     Parte III - Contenuto teorico
  

1. Introduzione
2. Etica e principi
3. Comprensione dei modelli
4. Scienza e leggi naturali
5. Metodi di progettazione
6. Strategie di agricoltura rigenerativa e agricoltura urbana
7. Suolo, acqua e regioni biogeografiche
8. Soluzione - Cambiamento climatico, design e tecniche appropriate

La présente section détaille l'ensemble du contenu du programme, qui peut être librement utilisé et adapté par les enseignants.

Cette section est divisée en trois parties :

•     Partie I - Description du module
  

 Les objectifs du module, ses buts et comment la permaculture et les universités peuvent interagir.

•     Partie II - Méthodologies d'enseignement
  

Exemples pratiques de leçons et liste d'outils.

•     Partie III - Contenu théorique

Secțiunea de față detaliază întregul conținut al curriculumului, care poate fi utilizat și adaptat în mod liber de către profesori.

Această secțiune este împărțită în trei părți:

•     Partea I - Descrierea modulului
  

Obiectivele și scopurile modulului și modul în care Permacultura și universitățile pot interacționa.

•     Partea a II-a - Metodologii de predare
  

Exemple practice de lecții și lista de instrumente.

•     Partea a III-a - Conținutul teoretic
  

1. Introducere
2. Etică și principii
3. Înțelegerea modelelor
4. Știința și legile naturale
5. Metode de proiectare
6. Strategii de agricultură regenerativă și agricultură urbană
7. Solul, apa și regiunile biogeografice
8. Soluție - Schimbări climatice, proiectare și tehnici adecvate

This coursebook is a work in progress.

Feel free to use it with your students.

Discover some of the PermaModule's best design projects from our students!

(EN) This toolbox contains links to useful resources to learn more about permaculture strategies, techniques, tools,...

(FR) Cette boîte à outils contient des liens vers des ressources utiles pour en savoir plus sur les stratégies, les techniques, les outils,... de la Permaculture.

(IT) Questo toolbox contiene link a risorse utili per saperne di più su strategie di permacultura, tecniche, strumenti,...

(RO) Acest set de instrumente conține linkuri către resurse utile pentru a afla mai multe despre strategiile, tehnicile, instrumentele,...

On February 24th 2022, SAFE hosted the “Permaculture and Sustainable Agricultural Systems” Conference.

The conference sought to introduce permaculture and the outcomes produced by the Erasmus+ Permamodule project. Permaculture is a set of principles that integrates land, resources, people, and the environment through mutually beneficial synergies. It aims to imitate and recreate natural ecosystems through the use of closed-loop and no waste techniques. It has gained increased visibility in light of a growing environmental threat and deterioration of ecosystems.

 Permaculture is indeed a good alternative to intensive conventional agriculture, which generally results in high productivity at the expense of biodiversity. Fostering the implementation of permaculture principles at a wider level would thus have significant environmental benefits as it would participate in a more sustainable management of land, therefore addressing societal and environmental needs. There is, however, a gap in higher education concerning modules exclusively dedicated to permaculture. Through innovative pedagogies, our project proposes to train undergraduate university students in permaculture with specific skills in environmentally-sustainable design, such as designing objects, building environments, and services compliant with the principles of ecological sustainability

. Panelists of the whole day included:

• Natasha Foote (agri-food and health reporter at EURACTIV), conference moderator
  
• Floriana Cimmarusti (Secretary General, SAFE) - Nick Jacobs (Director, IPES Food)
  
• Antoine D’haese (EU Project Manager, SAFE)
  
• Francesc Font Rovira (Farmer and CEO, Font Rovira Agricola S.L. & The Regen Academy)
  
• Ionut Badica (President, Permaculture Research Institute of Romania)
  
• Paolo Guarnaccia (Professor, University of Catania)
  
• Ezio Gori (Permaculture trainer, University of Catania)
  
• Censu Caruana (Lecturer, Center for Environmental Education and Research (University of Malta))
  
• Mihai Prejma (Student, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest)
  
• Pascale Paulus (Lecturer, University of Liège – Gembloux AgroBioTech)
  
• Marie Collard (Student, University of Liège – Gembloux AgroBioTech
  

PERMACULTURE WEBINARS - "Diving in Permaculture"

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, students following the PermaModule course were invited to participate to several sessions with Permaculture practitionners on 12, 14 and 27 May 2021, and 23 February 2022.

• On 12 May 2021, the Institutul de Cercetare în Permacultura din România presented the case study of their farm in Romania which applies regenerative agriculture practices and was thought from the ground up with permaculture principles in mind. Watch here:
  .
  
• On 14 May 2021, the Accademia Italiana di Permacultura presented the whole design process of a permaculture project in Nuweiba, Egypt. Watch here:
  .
• On 27 May 2021, Dr Censu Caruana (Centre for Environmental Education and Research, Universita ta Malta) gave a presentation on how and why universities need to bridge the gap with permaculture. Subsequently, Dr Paolo Guarnaccia and Ezio Gori (Universita degli Studi di Catania) presented an outline of a permaculture lesson in the framework of the PermaModule project. Watch here:
  .
• On 23 February 2022, our two Permaculture expert organizations (Permaculture Research Institute of Romania, and Itlian Academy of Permaculture) replied to questions from students. Watch here:
  .

Content of the chapter: