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University of California at Davis International Curriculum on Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY University.The University of Thessaly started accepting students in 1988 with the Department of Agriculture Plant and Animal Production being the first functioning Department of the University. The University has 4 campuses around the Prefecture of Thessaly. It consists of 4 schools with 14 departments and 2 independent departments. Most of Schools and Departments are situated in renovated ex-industrial buildings around Volos. The Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Agricultural Environment is situated in a renovated ex-industrial building in the outskirts of Nea Ionia Municipality next to Volos. Various details about the Department, its history, the structure and staff and course description can be found at the web site link above. M.Sc. degree is awarded after 10 semesters of studies, including specialization on 1 out of 4 subjects during the last two semesters. There is a graduate degree offered from the Department on the Modern Agricultural Production Systems in the Mediterranean Basin with Emphasis on Sustainable Agriculture and Use of Innovative Technologies. Another graduate degree has just recently started being offered on Electronics in Irrigation, Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Constructions. Asst. Professor George D. Nanos is actively involved in Postharvest Physiology and Technology studies mainly with fruits. In addition, the faculty members Asst. Professor A.I. Khah is partly working with vegetable quality and preharvest factors affecting it, Assoc. Professor I. Arvanitoyannis is working on quality assurance issues of agricultural products and Professor C. Kittas is working on storage facilities. Finally, faculty members working on stored products pests and diseases, molecular biology and genetics are involved in agricultural product quality maintenance. Cooperation with the Aristotelean Univ. of Thessaloniki on minimally processed horticultural products and with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute at Chania, Crete on molecular postharvest biology and biochemistry has been arranged for interested students participating in ICPT for research purposes. City. Volos is situated in Central Eastern Greece at the seaside and next to mountain Pilion. There are numerous ancient sites around from prehistoric sites to post-Alexander era. The city of 120000 inhabitants is a lively town with its famous beachfront, swimming beaches at the outskirts, easy to walk around with numerous pedestrians' walks and a good bus service to major areas around the city. A bicycle is also common for in-town transportation. The climate is typical Mediterranean with some rain in Fall and Winter, rare snow and most of the year with sunny days. For more information see http://www.volos-city.gr More useful information on life and history in Volos and the other Univ. of Thessaly branch cities, go to Academics and then to European Educational Programs. The public Hospital can accept almost free of charge for any emergency health problems University students and all visitors. Pharmacies are situated all over the city and are open as the rest of stores (see below). There are always some emergency pharmacies open 24 hours a day. Visiting students will be accepted to the University restaurant covering 3 daily meals for 2-3 €. City restaurants are open from 12:00 to after midnight (prices 10-25 € per person). Famous seafood restaurants (tsipouradika) are situated all over Volos (prices 10-20 € per person). Fast food places are also around the city for pies, pizza, souvlaki and gyros or salads and hamburgers (prices 3-6 € per person). Some are open 24 hours a day. Banks are open from 08:00 to 15:00, but money transfers can be completed with card-operated money transfer machines 24 hours a day. Housing will be arranged in person or, possibly, before arrival. Housing cost per person and month in a single furnished apartment is around 200-300 € (including bills). Communication: Mobile phone companies will accommodate most international cellular phones. Card phones are around the city and various types of telephone cards are sold in all tobacco shops (convenience shops, periptera) situated all over the city. Internet access is available through all University computers and at Internet Cafes. Post offices are open 08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday. Shops are situated mainly downtown. There are small enterprises with almost anything available around the world for sale. There are also department stores. Open hours are 09:00-14:00 (Monday to Saturday) and 17:00-21:00 (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday). Most shops are closed on Sunday. Transportation is done by foot, bicycle, bus or taxi around the city. Coach buses (mainly) and trains can take you in all small towns around the Magnesia county or major cities in Greece. Recreation includes night life (extensive number of bars, dancing places with Greek or foreign music, piano bars, etc., most open very late at night), coffee shops (around the city), museums and various cultural events weekly. Short trips around the beaches, mountain Pilion with picturesque villages and the islands (Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos) are worthwhile for swimming (during the summer), hiking, skiing (in the winter) etc. Furthermore, there are private fitness clubs, public swimming pools, various athletic clubs for football, basketball, sailing, rowing (Volos has long history on rowing) and many other sports. Teams from each department are also competing in intra-University basketball and football games. How to reach Volos: You come by plane to Athens. Take the suburban train to the main train station (Stathmos Larissis). There, you can take train to Larissa and a local train to Volos. There are numerous trains, Intercity or slower, going north every day. Or from main train station you take a taxi (cost 3-5 €) to Liossion Bus Station for central Greece (tel. *30-210-8329585). Most people travel by coach buses (clean and safe) around the country. From Liossion Bus Station, there are coach buses leaving Athens every 2 hours for Volos (KTEL). After an almost 4 hour trip you will arrive to the central KTEL station in Volos. From there, city buses or taxi (cost around 3 €) will take you to the School of Agricultural Sciences. Most people can easily communicate in English for anything you need. Postharvest Courses. The University of Thessaly offers a number of Postharvest Courses. (pdf) Related Courses. The University of Thessaly also offers a number of Related Courses.(pdf) Language Classes for Guest Students. Courses of Greek language for foreigners are offered every semester from NELE public education agency in Volos free of charge. Registration will be arranged a month before classes begin. Language Classes for Students to be Sent Abroad. During the University studies, courses of English language with emphasis on agricultural subjects are offered to all students. In addition, most students have some degree of fluency in English after international examinations and a number of years studying English in private schools. Possible Integration of ICPT with Other Studies. It does not seem possible. It will work in parallel with the existing M.Sc. programme of the Department. Contact Person.
http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/icpt/spain.html updated April 13, 2005 | ||||
