In January 2025, Thessaloniki became the starting point of a powerful journey toward modernizing agricultural education in Eastern Europe. Hosted by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), the ReGrow project officially launched with a dynamic two-day kickoff meeting on January 22–23.
This event brought together representatives from all 15 consortium partners—universities, a research institute, sectoral organisations, and a ministry—from Georgia, Ukraine, Germany and Greece. Their shared mission: to reshape agricultural higher education by embedding precision farming, sustainability, and digital transformation into academic curricula that respond to regional and European needs and priorities.
A Shared Vision for Capacity Building
The kick-off marked the formal launch of a coordinated effort to co-design a new Joint MSc in Precision Agriculture — a flagship academic programme to be implemented across universities in Ukraine and Georgia. Closely aligned with Bologna Process principles and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), this programme aims to equip students and professionals with the interdisciplinary skills needed for the agriculture of tomorrow: smart, green and inclusive.
The ReGrow project, funded under Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education, will run for 36 months. Throughout this period, the consortium will focus on curriculum reform, institutional capacity-building, digital upskilling and stakeholder engagement to drive systemic change.
Highlights from the Kick-off Agenda
Day 1 was dedicated to laying a strategic foundation. Partners reviewed the project’s objectives, governance model and monitoring framework. Discussions also covered curriculum benchmarking methodology — a key process for aligning academic offerings with EU and sectoral standards, especially in relation to green skills and digital competencies.
Day 2 shifted the spotlight to implementation. Working sessions focused on the technical and academic elements of the project, including:
- Planning the design of modular MSc content
- Outlining lab infrastructure needs and the setup of dedicated ReGrow Labs
- Clarifying the roadmap for programme accreditation and recognition
- Coordinating the approach to training materials, digital resources and teacher preparation
- Defining the first wave of stakeholder engagement and dissemination activities
A Collaborative Start with Strong Momentum
Beyond its administrative and technical goals, the meeting fostered a spirit of collaboration and mutual trust. The in-person setting offered partners the opportunity to connect across disciplines, share national perspectives and jointly reflect on the potential impact of the project—not only on universities, but on regional development and long-term agrifood sustainability.
ReGrow begins at a critical time, supporting post-conflict recovery and transition processes in Ukraine and Georgia through education and cooperation. With a robust structure now in place, the project is moving into its first implementation phase—developing curriculum content, equipping institutions and preparing for stakeholder outreach.
Stay tuned for updates on all of the excited project activities and opportunities to get involved as we move forward — and explore how agricultural education can drive change for students, institutions, and communities.
