1.5 million euros in EU funding for Franco-German Master's degree program
The first dual German-French Master's degree program in Viticulture & Enology (Franco-Allemand Viticulture et Œnologie, FAVO for short) will start in autumn at the Wine Campus Neustadt an der Weinstraße and the Université de Haute-Alsace in Colmar. On 11 August 2020, Viticulture Minister Dr. Volker Wissing and Science Minister Prof. Dr. Konrad Wolf presented the letter of approval to Dr. Günter Hoos, Head of the "Rheinpfalz" Rural Service Centre in Neustadt an der Weinstraße. The project was approved in the Interreg V A program "Upper Rhine" and will receive funding of around 1.5 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
"For us, training young people on a European level is Europe in action," emphasized Dr. Volker Wissing, Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister of Viticulture and Economic Affairs. "With this unique cross-border cooperation for training in viticulture, we are offering young winegrowers exciting prospects. The dual German-French Master's in Viticulture & Enology serves as an important door opener to the international professional world, not only for winegrowers, but also for scientists specializing in biology, chemistry or food technology who want to establish themselves in the international wine industry."
The career entry of graduates is facilitated by the transfer from science to practice. "The graduates' future employers will benefit from their international approach, their cross-border contacts and their professional training at the highest level," continued Wissing.
"We are proud of the modern bilingual and dual concept of the Master's degree course, which includes language teaching and intercultural aspects. Students receive two Master's degrees. Linguistic, professional and formal barriers to the recognition of achievements are thus broken down in the long term. This course is an enrichment for the Rhineland-Palatinate university landscape and shows how forward-looking our universities are," emphasized Rhineland-Palatinate Science Minister Prof. Dr. Konrad Wolf.
Combining wine expertise and intercultural competence
Students from France, Germany and other EU countries will study together for four semesters and at the same time test their knowledge in practical phases in the neighboring country. Cooperating companies from the wine industry throughout the Upper Rhine region, including Switzerland, are participating in this cross-border EU project and form an important network for this dual Master's degree program.
In addition to in-depth specialist knowledge and the latest research findings, the dual study program provides practical experience and language skills in French, Swiss and German wineries. The important future topics of climate change, European cooperation and changing consumer behavior in international markets are explored in depth and put into practice across borders. Graduates obtain both the German and the French Master's degree.
Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rheinish Palatinate is the project sponsor
The project sponsor is the Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rhenish Palatinate as part of the Wine Campus Neustadt. The Wine Campus Neustadt is a scientific institution of the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society, the Bingen and Kaiserslautern Universities of Applied Sciences, the Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rheinpfalz and has over 500 cooperating companies in Germany and abroad. On the French side, the course is run by the Université de Haute-Alsace (University of Upper Alsace, UHA) in Colmar.
"I am delighted that this European project is receiving broad support from the chambers and winegrowers' associations. Cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine region is being continuously deepened and opens up new job opportunities for young people in international markets," says Dr. Günter Hoos, Director of the Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rheinpfalz.
Structure of the bilingual degree program
The German-French Master of Viticulture & Enology is offered as a full-time two-year course and leads to a double-degree Master of Science. Language courses are offered at the start of the course to prepare students for their studies at the partner university and to enable those with little knowledge of French or German to join the program. The course comprises three practical phases, which are completed in wineries in the Upper Rhine region (including Switzerland). Two phases are mandatory and take place in a company and a region of the language being studied. Through their studies and practical projects in two or three countries, students acquire solid language and intercultural skills as well as key competencies such as communication and teamwork skills, flexibility and mobility.
Key future topics for viticulture and Enology, such as the consequences of climate change, biodiversity, sustainability, digital change and changing consumer habits, are the focus of cross-border teaching and practice. The degree program is open to Bachelor's graduates from the field of viticulture & Enology as well as interested parties from related sectors (wine industry, food technology, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, agronomy). There are no tuition fees. Applications are still possible until 20.08.2020. Contact: Cécile Esch, Program Manager, Tel: +49 6321 671 575, E-Mail: cecile.esch☞ Please insert an @ at this point ☜hwg-lu☞ Please insert a period at this point ☜de). More information at www.weincampus-neustadt.de.
Background Interreg A
Interreg A is a funding program of the European Union that supports cross-border cooperation. The projects that are co-financed cover a wide range of topics and contribute to the implementation of a strategy developed specifically for the Upper Rhine region. The Upper Rhine funding area includes the entire Southern Palatinate region as well as the municipalities of Dahn and Hauenstein, Baden, Alsace and north-western Switzerland. Institutions from neighboring areas can also participate.
Rhineland-Palatinate applicants and potential project partners can first contact the contact point for the Interreg V A program "Upper Rhine" at
SGD Süd, Ms. Katharina Klein (Tel. 06321/99-2416; e-mail: koordinationsstelle☞ Please insert an @ at this point ☜sgdsued.rlp☞ Please insert a period at this point ☜de) with their ideas and questions.
Europe makes it possible - for 30 years!
The Interreg program in the Upper Rhine region is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. With the online campaign "30 stories from 30 years", you can find out every week about a project, structure or topic area funded in the Upper Rhine over the past 30 years. Information on the program and on 30 years of Interreg in the Upper Rhine region can be found at www.interreg-oberrhein.eu.
