Making 21st century European horticultural education fit-for-purpose

Europe's horticulture has developed over two and a half millennia and during most of that time has been a substantial agent for the generation of knowledge and its transmission between and within generations. This article describes the current educational context within which horticultural provision is now set. Horticultural education must fit into the overall picture for provision. Topics considered include widening participation, modularisation, internationalism, vocational skills and education, practice-based learning, consolidation and rationalisation, user pays principle, distance learning and electronic delivery. Provisions in Europe for further and higher education and private charity organisations are examined. The implications of the image problem of horticulture is analysed and the overall lack of fitness-for-purpose of horticultural education considered.