TRANSFOR-M: A unique transatlantic forestry Master program leading to a dual European and Canadian degree

To educate their students in modern sustainable forest and environmental management approaches sensitive to cultural and situational differences, three Canadian (Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick) and four European (Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat, Freiburg, Germany; University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umea, Sweden; and Bangor University, Wales) universities have developed a new transatlantic forestry Master program leading to a dual European and Canadian post-graduate degree (TRANSFOR-M). The two-year English language program has the following key characteristics: 1) the optimal use of expertise at partner institutions to deliver effective, globally oriented programs in forestry and environmental management; 2) one intensive language course in the language of the host country for the Canadian students; 3) e-learning courses accessible among all partner institutions (and once tested through TRANSFOR-M, to a broader audience); 4) a "thesis" or research project report that is co-supervised by both a Canadian and a European professor; 5) access to work internships to provide practical experience in an international context and increase the employability of the graduate students and 6) two mandatory three-week field courses (one across the four European countries and one across the three Canadian provinces), where all program participants meet.