Articles
150 years of higher education in horticulture in France: drivers for evolution
Article number
1438_13
Pages
117 – 124
Language
English
Abstract
The history of higher education in horticulture in France began after the 1870 war, at the start of the Third Republic, when the government was concerned to provide the country with the professional agricultural education needed for rural production.
It was thanks in particular to pressure from professional nurserymen that the “Ecole Nationale d’Horticulture” (ENH) opened its doors in December 1874 in the “Potager du Roi” adjoining the Château de Versailles, a place of innovations in horticulture since the 17th century and its creator J.B. La Quintinye.
The aim of this paper is to analyze, in parallel, the political changes that have led to a reconfiguration of horticultural higher education establishments over time, and the redefinition of teaching approaches in line with professional and societal needs, which have seen practical teaching give way to more theoretical and conceptual teaching coupled with research activities.
These continuous and sustained developments likely explain why France is one of the few countries with a dedicated horticultural higher education establishment, offering very high employment rates to its graduates across various sectors, including production, plant breeding, experimentation and consultancy, trade and distribution, professional organisations, training, and research.
It was thanks in particular to pressure from professional nurserymen that the “Ecole Nationale d’Horticulture” (ENH) opened its doors in December 1874 in the “Potager du Roi” adjoining the Château de Versailles, a place of innovations in horticulture since the 17th century and its creator J.B. La Quintinye.
The aim of this paper is to analyze, in parallel, the political changes that have led to a reconfiguration of horticultural higher education establishments over time, and the redefinition of teaching approaches in line with professional and societal needs, which have seen practical teaching give way to more theoretical and conceptual teaching coupled with research activities.
These continuous and sustained developments likely explain why France is one of the few countries with a dedicated horticultural higher education establishment, offering very high employment rates to its graduates across various sectors, including production, plant breeding, experimentation and consultancy, trade and distribution, professional organisations, training, and research.
Authors
E. Geoffriau, V. Le Clerc, M. Delaire, V. Soufflet-Freslon, O. Leprince, S. Sakr, D. Vollet, F. Le Tohic, L. Vidal-Beaudet, A. El Ghaziri, V. Malécot, R. Gardet, B. Gohard, N. Dorion
Keywords
horticulture education, training, horticulture history
Groups involved
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Division Horticulture for Development
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
Online Articles (60)