Global student survey

“Educating towards forest-related employment”

The EFI-IFSA-IUFRO project has conducted a survey among students and recent graduates of forest-related programs.
The analysis of results is under way.

Survey has been closed!!!

Background
The survey in part ofGlobal Student Networking and Green Jobs in the Forest sector a project coordinated by the European Forest Institute (EFI) in collaboration with the International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO). The project aims at providing insight into the future labour market including changing professional skills through systematic analysis of the development of employment in the forest sector globally. Global student networking and capacity development of forest students and young scientists are also essential elements of the project.

Target group to be surveyed
Students in forest-related higher/tertiary education (Universities, Technical U., U. of Applied Sciences, Colleges and comparable).

Enrolled in study programs such as:

  • Forest management
  • Forest sciences and
  • Explicitly forest-related programs e.g. Geography, Environmental Science, management, etc.

Widest possible spread with global coverage.

Social Media Package
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Aim
The aim of the survey is to gain a better understanding of the employment-related ambitions, perception of necessary skills/competencies and satisfaction of forest-related students from around the globe. Focus will be placed on the following fields of inquiry:

  • Motivation to enter forest-related programs
  • Students ambition for future careers and employment
  • Students perception and use of practical experience during study.
  • Students perception of subject-specific and general skills for employment.
  • Students perception of their own level of preparedness for the job market.
  • Perception of “Green Jobs” term by students

The results of the survey will inform and be disseminated among educational institutions, lecturers as well as policy makers. In combination with the literature review and selected country reports on forest sector employment already concluded (2019), and the employer interviews to take place at a later stage (2020/21) gaps between student’s preparation and employers demands will be identified.

Presentation as seen in the latest IFSA Regional online meetings

Methodology
Starting from the IFSA network with local committees (LC’s) in 120+ Universities in 50+ countries; lecturers, deans and professors will be contacted by local IFSA students and asked to have as many students as possible from their courses take part in the online survey. In addition, the networks of EFI and IUFRO among office holders and forest faculties will also be contacted. Thus, using chain / snowball sampling.
The survey will be conducted online (SurveyGizmo) between June and October 2020.

The survey is be designed in English in a mostly quantitative fashion. To be able to reach students from as many institutions as possible and all grades, translations of the survey in key languages (i.e. Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese) shall be prepared.

Cooperation
The EFI-IFSA-IUFRO “Global student networking and green jobs in the forest sector” project is coordinating its efforts with the complementary Global Forest Education Project (more formally entitled “Creation of a Global Forest Education Platform and Launch of a Joint Initiative under the Aegis of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests”), which is led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). The FAO-ITTO-IUFRO project is also funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The topics of forest education and forest employment are closely connected. The complementary FAO-ITTO-IUFRO’s global survey on forest education shall deliver in-depth insights into forest education aspects. Your support in also completing that complementary survey is highly appreciated.

More information: http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/

The survey and overall project are supported by:
The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL)