1 General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008 EDIT WP8 Training resources in Europe and the School of Taxonomy Jackie Van Goethem

1General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008EDIT WP8

Training resources in Europe and

the School of Taxonomy

Jackie Van Goethem

Training resources in taxonomy and gap analysis

Loss of taxonomic expertise

Passing-on of taxonomic knowledge compromised?

What is the current offer of taxonomic training?

Rationale for this study

Strengths and Weaknesses

Set up of a European School of Taxonomy

AccessibilityContentTraining material

2EDIT WP8 General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008


Online survey

Data source

3

Interviews

Websites

Public documentation

Sets of information

Europe201

Outside Europe45

Layout of the online survey


4

Geographical distribution of answers collected on training in taxonomy in Europe.

Data source

EDIT WP8 General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008

5

Some results

Accessibility

Percentage of respondents

0 10 20 30 40 50

European + International

European

National + European

National + European + International

National + International

International

National 39%

28%

11%

9%

8%

4%

2%

Targeted geographical audience




6

Some results

AccessibilityLanguage

Language of the country(53%)

Language of the country + English

(24%)

English(22%)

Others(1%)



7

Some results

AccessibilityPeriodicity and length

In the framework of a special occasion

(3%)

On demand(19%)

On a regular basis(77%)

Others(3%)

Up to two months(18%)

Less than two weeks

(41%)

One to several years(17%)

One semester(24%)



8

Some results

ContentNomenclatural rules

YES (51%)

NO (49%)



9

Some results

ContentTaxa

General(44%)

Address one orseveral groups

(56%)



10

Some results

ContentTaxa

Monera(5%)

Protoctista(5%)

Animalia(47%)

Fungi(14%)Plantae

(28%)



11

Some results

ContentTaxa

Others(21%)

Chordata(21%)

Arthropoda(59%)



12

Some results

ContentTaxa

Crustacea(8%)Myriapoda

(13%)

Hexapoda(63%)

Chelicerata(17%)



13

Some results

Training materialForm

Percentage of respondents

0 20 40 60 80

Comprehensive e-learning facility

Other

CD-Rom

PC/computer workstation

Unformatted notes

Documents on a web site

Syllabi, user guides

Books

PowerPoint presentation

Demonstration material (specimens, etc.) 75%

73%

56%

32%

30%

29%

26%

24%

22%

4%



14

Conclusions

Strengths

EDIT WP8

Training offer definitely exists

Many courses open to international audience

Most of trainings do not focus exclusively on taxonomy

No centralised information on trainings

Weaknesses

Nomenclatural rules not enough integrated

Negligence of less popular taxa

Lack of training for technicians and other non-academics

Poor accessibility of course material

General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008


15

Conclusions

Threats

EDIT WP8

Opportunities

Omission of taxonomic costs in research projects

Confrontation between ‘traditional’ and ‘molecular’ approach

Lack of replacement of retiring taxonomists

Growing importance of data-based projects

EDIT School of Taxonomy

General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008


16

Objectives

High level and up-to-date taxonomic education at all levels

Leading to recognised diploma

Establish concerted network of highly skilled training providers

Federate existing training resources and new training

opportunities

Distributed and virtualOpen to European and non-European scholars



17

Needs

Define teaching priorities related to future research, new tools and technologies


Promote collaboration with societies and associations

Stimulate the organisation of more short and intensive courses

Reinforce the study of nomenclatural rules

Improve the accessibility and exchange of training material

Support capacity building in countries in the South

18EDIT WP8 General Meeting - Carvoeiro - 23-25 January 2008

Presentation prepared by Dr Vincent Zintzen and Dr Isabella Van de Velde

Thank you for your attention