What is ENSEMA?

ENSEMA is a project funded by the European Commission under the LEONARDO DA VINCI Programme. The project is managed by the Ecole d'Agriculture de Poisy in France and is run in conjunction with the University of Basilicata - Italy, the Federation of Greek Maricultures - Greece, and AquaTT - Ireland.

The partners in the project are working together to develop a training course which will allow trainees to reach the level of "Collaborator" on a Fish Farm i.e. to become the Right-Hand-Man to the farm owner, director or manager. Trainees entering this course already possess a qualification in Aquaculture or have worked for a period within the industry.

How is it organised?

The aim of the project is to provide a 14 month training course in Aquaculture Management with a European context. The trainees will spend 6 months studying in the Ecole d'Agriculture de Poisy in France, then 2 months in the University of Basilicata in Italy to be followed by a 6 month practical training period where they will put their new skills into practice.

At the end of the training period the trainees will be proficient in the skills and competencies necessary to work within the European Aquaculture Industry and will have studied, for example:
Production and processing organisation; Quality planning; Marketing strategy; Resource management planning; Business management; Internal and external evaluation and analysis; Legislation; Environment; Communication; Computer skills; Language skills etc.

The study period

During the study time in France and Italy the trainees will undergo an intensive period of training on the crucial aspects of the daily and strategic management of a farm.

This innovative course has been designed to provide training in the latest management technologies and allows the students to practice techniques through a number of case studies. Industry representatives provide insights to actual problems and challenges, while a series of study visits allow students to gain an appreciation of the overall European Aquaculture industry.

At the end of the study period the trainees spend a 6 month practical period on a carefully selected farm within Europe.