C O N T E N T S - Physical Land Resources - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

2. PHYLARESMaster in Physical Land Resources* Objectives and contents of the programmeThe general objective of the Master of Science programme in "Physical Land Resources"is to train experts who, in their future careers are expected to be able to answerquestions as:• what is (a) soil, and which factors and properties determine the soil suitability to beused for both agricultural and non-agricultural purposes and how is thisestablished;• how can the soil be improved to suit specific applications;• how to address problems of degradation and desertification;• how to manage the land and how to protect it;• what is the impact of the soil factor in the dynamics of natural eco systems and howcan this knowledge be applied in the area of nature conservation;• what does the soil teach us about current environmental issues;• how can the soil and water management be improved in the frame of sustainableagriculture;• how can we manage our scarce water supplies.There are two majors:• Physical Land Resources – Major Soil Science (UGent)• Physical Land Resources – Major Land Resources Engineering (VUB)The objective of the major "Soil Science" is to train researchers, policymakers andacademic staff who are specialists in compiling an inventory and putting forward adetailed character profile of the land potential, with a emphasis on soils, and in thestudy of the evolution of soils under natural and/or human-impacted conditions.Amongst other things, this fundamental knowledge is required to enable a morallyresponsible modification of existing technologies or the development of newtechnologies, geared to the singularity of specific development areas. In addition, thistraining programme is intended to cater to the necessary background expertise which isto enable graduates to contribute to the sustainable use and integrated management ofland and water and the optimisation of various forms of land use (and of their physical,ecological and social properties) with a view to long-term perspectives. In a concretesense, this explains the need for university-trained, poly-technical executives with duepeople management skills who are capable of plotting the land, using field survey, mapand laboratory data, including satellite and remote sensing information, and/or to make- 9 -