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Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

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The majority answered that they would be <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g the number of such vacanciesfor practical placements <strong>in</strong> the immediate future.ConclusionsIn the light of the analysis given above <strong>in</strong> respect of the situation of professionalgeographers <strong>in</strong> Castile and Leon, certa<strong>in</strong> conclusions of <strong>in</strong>terest may be drawn:• The current process of revis<strong>in</strong>g university degrees <strong>in</strong> the context of the EuropeanHigher <strong>Education</strong> Area should be seen as an opportunity for Spanish academic<strong>Geography</strong>, on the one hand to create a 180 ECTS [European university credit]generalist-humanist degree that will qualify graduates to teach and to work <strong>in</strong>consultancy companies, and on the other to design a 120 ECTS multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>arypostgraduate programme of studies that will allow geographers to specialize <strong>in</strong>the fields highlighted by the Guild: geo-<strong>in</strong>formation technologies, the environment,town and country plann<strong>in</strong>g, demographic and social studies, the <strong>in</strong>formationsociety and rural development. Academic staff will have to specialize <strong>in</strong> one ofthese two types of programme.• In the specific case of Castile and Leon, the three public universities could cont<strong>in</strong>uewith their undergraduate degrees, but jo<strong>in</strong>tly offer a postgraduate or Master’squalification <strong>in</strong> Regional Development. Alternatively, they might complementeach other by choos<strong>in</strong>g differentiated specializations.• In the design of both the undergraduate and the postgraduate qualifications theyoffer, it is of vital importance for them to back up the material learned <strong>in</strong> theclassroom with the experience that is provided by work placements <strong>in</strong> companiesand public <strong>in</strong>stitutions.• Lastly, it is very important for the future the profession of geographer <strong>in</strong> Castileand Leon for the Branch of the Guild to be set up and developed. It is also highlydesirable for there to be qualified geographers work<strong>in</strong>g for the AutonomousRegional Government, as this is the most effective strategy to achieve social and<strong>in</strong>stitutional recognition of geographers’ professional skills.References1. ANECA 2004. Título de Grado en Geografía y Ordenación del Territorio. Omán.Madrid.2. A.G.E. 2001. Geografía 21. Compobell. Murcia.3. COLEGIO DE GEÓGRAFOS 2004. Las salidas profesionales de los Geógrafos.Madrid.4. PHILIPPONNEAU M. 2001. Geografía Aplicada. Ariel. Barcelona.5. RODRÍGUEZ GONZÁLEZ R. 2004. Xeografía, entre cultura e profesión territorial. IrIndo. Vigo.222

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