Agri Aware and BiOrbic’s environmentally focused transition year programme Environmental Innovators was launched today, Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at UCDAgTech at the Lyons Farm in Celbridge, Co. Kildare.
The programme which is now in its third year has been hugely successful since piloting in 2022, with over 9,000 students partaking in the programme in 2023.
The programme presents to students the various challenges that our global food system and bioeconomy face and invites students to develop innovative solutions to tackle these challenges.
This year’s programme sees a number of developments based on feedback from teachers and participants. This includes the extension of the programme from 12 weeks to 24 weeks which will give teachers and students more flexibility in terms of engaging in the programme throughout the course of the academic year.
Content from the programme will now also be available in presentation style format on the Agri Aware and BiOrbic websites and will be supported by the existing e-book which thus far has served as the main learning material for the programme since 2022.
Student(s) who register and submit a project are in with a chance of being crowned National Champion and winning a grand prize of €1,000.
Speaking at the launch of the programme for the 2024/2025 academic year, Chairman of Agri Aware Shay Galvin said: “We are delighted to launch once again the Environmental Innovators programme for the new academic year alongside our programme partners BiOrbic.
“The growth of the programme from students partaking, to the brilliant ideas students have delivered to meet the challenges this programme presents in the last two years has been nothing short of exceptional.
“With over 9,000 students registered to the programme in 2023, up on the 7,500 in its pilot year, we are really looking forward to growing it further.
“The changes to the programme in terms of the length of time it will be run over the academic year and altering the format the content is delivered aims to continue the growth of the programme and to bring to life even more amazing innovative solutions to problems that our global food system faces.”
Echoing the comments of the Agri Aware Chairman was BiOrbic’s Executive Director Derek O’Brien who said: “BiOrbic is thrilled to continue our collaboration with Agri Aware on the Environmental Innovators programme.
“The impressive growth in student participation demonstrates the commitment of the next generation to tackling the pressing environmental and food system related challenges. We look forward to seeing the transformative ideas that will emerge from this year’s participants. The future is in their hands, and we’re excited to support their journey towards a greener, more resilient future.”
