Joint Scholarship Program with Agropolis Fondation, France and Universiti Putra Malaysia
SEARCA's partnership with Agropolis Fondation (AF) together with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) started in 2018. The joint scholarship program aims to strengthen and promote scientific cooperation and knowledge sharing between Southeast Asia and France on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. The program combines research and higher education and capacity building activities in the fields of agriculture and food and sustainable development.
Thematic coverage of the program
The program funds PhD Fellowships for Southeast Asian students in any or a combination of the following thematic areas:
- Preparing the crops of tomorrow
- Reinforcing the sustainability of food and agriculture systems, including agro-ecological transition
- Designing and optimizing integrated approaches towards bioeconomy and product quality
- Agriculture and climate change linkage (mitigation and adaptation)
- Developing integrated approaches in agriculture, value chains, management of territories, and public policies
In 2021, AF and SEARCA inked another agreement, which offers a co-funded doctoral fellowship under the call for "Innovative Co-Learning for Agriculture-Based Solutions." The program aims to support innovative, cross-sectoral, and interdisciplinary training or learning projects that promote agro-ecological transition through innovative approaches, tools, teams, and networks.
Thematic coverage of the program
The program covers the three crosscutting axes of the Fondation to address the various themes identified under each of them and which are fully aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 12, 13 and 15.
| Axis 1: | Agriculture and climate change: adaptation and mitigation |
| Axis 2: | Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity |
| Axis 3: | Responsible production and consumption |
These two scholarship programs enable scholars to spend 18 months in France and 18 months in one of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) member institutions:
- Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) in Bogor, Indonesia
- Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Kasetsart University (KU) in Bangkok, Thailand
- Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
Academic supervision will be jointly done by a French scientist from one of the AF members and a Southeast Asian scientist from one of the five founding UC member universities. Successful completion of the program will grant the scholar a dual/double degree under a co-tutelle agreement.
Eight scholars have been awarded under these two programs:
| Name of Scholar / Country of Origin | Field of Specialization / Study Post | Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| AF – SEARCA – UPM Co-funding | ||
| Julia Ng Su Chen (F) Malaysia | BioResource Management Universiti Putra Malaysia and AgroParisTech University, France | The Theory of Change for Landscape Approaches andits Implementation in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo |
| Yao Tze Leong (M) Malaysia | Forest Management and Ecosystem Sciences Universiti Putra Malaysia and University of Montpellier, France | Ensuring the future of perennial crops in Southeast Asia in a context of global change: Case of Garcinia fruit tree species |
| AF – SEARCA Co-funding | ||
| Junaidi (M) Indonesia | Biological Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada and University of Montpellier, France | Study of physiological parameters and antioxidants in response to harvest stress and tapping panel dryness in latex of Hevea brasiliensis |
| Nguyen Van Hieu (M) Vietnam | Plant Breeding University of the Philippines Los Baños and University of Montpellier, France | Understanding the diversity of elite rice germplasm to optimize breeding strategies: A case study of the IRRI breeding program |
| Chaisiri Kitpaosong (M) Thailand | Biotechnology Kasetsart University, Thailand and University of Montpellier, France | Agronomical and Post-Harvest Improvements of a Sustainable Production of Furanic Acid F2 (FuFA-F2) from Hevea brasiliensis Latex |
| Marich Nur Maqsalina (F) Indonesia | Entomology IPB University, Indonesia and University of Montpellier, France | Integrated Pest Management Strategy Against Coffee Berry Borers (CBB) Based on Their Dispersion Capacity Under Equatorial Climate |
| Rosawadee Sukkum (F) Thailand | Agricultural and Resource Economics Kasetsart University, Thailand and L'Institut Agro Montpellier, France | Environmental values and economic development: The conditions for extension of sustainability certification among oil palm smallholders in Thailand |
| Indah Waty Bong (F) Indonesia | Geography, Universitas Gadjah Mada, IndonesiaEnvironment, Territories, and Societies, University of Montpellier, France | Local natural resource management and autonomous conservation practices in Indonesia |
Contact Information
For inquiries, please contact:
Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
College, Los Baños, 4031 Laguna, Philippines
Tel: +63 49 554 9330 to 39; +63 49 536 2290; +63 49 572 3743; +63 2 8657 1300 to 02 local 2200 to 2203
Fax: +63 49 536 7097
Email: