Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Technology. Direction of Agricultural Economy. Department of Agricultural Technology. Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Food Technology and Nutrition. Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki.

Description

KNOWLEDGE: Upon the successful completion of the Programme of Studies, the graduate of the direction of Agricultural Economy shall be knowledgeable about the following:
- The theories and mechanisms of the operation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as well as the Policy measures concerning the operation of markets and the marketing of agricultural inflows and products.
- All modern developments in CAP measures for Agricultural Development.
- The issues and the procedures for supplying agricultural exploitations / businesses with the inflows of propagation material, fertilisers, animal feed, agricultural medicines, agricultural machines, and structures.
- The methods for the operation of the control systems and for the certification of the agricultural products.
- The methods for the financial assessment and evaluation of the strategic and operational decisions taken by farmers.
- The mechanisms for the best possible use of natural and financial resources.
- The theories and operations of the agricultural development at a business, area, regional, and country level.
- The principles of the financial operation and administration of agricultural exploitations / businesses and cooperatives (of animal, plant and fish production).
- All modern developments and changes in the financing of agricultural investments and aids.
- All the principles for the calculation and interpretation of financial results for the agricultural exploitations and businesses.
- The practices for the accounting monitoring of autonomous branches of agricultural production.
- The theories for calculating the agricultural financial results.
- The theories for estimating, analysing, and interpreting the excellent financial result on the subjects of agricultural production and marketing.
- The principles and practices applied on the assessment of the financial value of agricultural products, supplies, equipment and assets of agricultural exploitations / businesses and cooperatives.
- The analysis theories of the relations between the agricultural exploitation / business and its financial and natural environment.
- The practices for exercising the financial supervision and controls with regard to the agricultural exploitation / business.
- The principles and practices for preparing agricultural financial studies.
- The subjects of the Management of agricultural exploitations, businesses, and of agricultural entrepreneurship.
- The theories for the analysis of the opportunities, development, and evaluation of supplementary activities for the agricultural exploitation/business.
- The basic principles of phytoprotection.

SKILLS: Upon the successful completion of the Programme of Studies, the student will have to have acquired the following skills:
- Keeping, analysis, and interpretation of agricultural accounts and calculation of financial result of agricultural exploitations / businesses. Drawing of suggestions for the improvement of the cost effectiveness and sustainability of agricultural exploitations / businesses.
- Preparation and evaluation of investment business decisions and plans.
- Handling of issues regarding the marketing of agricultural products at a business, regional, and country level (standardization, packaging, labelling, pricing, processing, storing, the transport of agricultural products, provision of information and market research, and advertising). The use and application of suitable measures of Agricultural Policy, with the purpose of improving the marketability of agricultural products.
- Analysis and application of the measures of the agricultural policy with regard to the production and marketing of agricultural products. Use as tools of the CAP measures with the purpose of improving the competitiveness of agricultural products.
- Handling of issues of agricultural financial development at agricultural business level and at regional level. Selection of suitable strategies for agricultural regional development.
- Excellent use of the available production factors, with the purpose of improving the agricultural income.
- Use of suitable principles and methods of phytoprotection, with the purpose increasing the quality of agricultural production.
- Application of all financial theories and skills acquired at consulting level with the purpose of increasing the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.

COMPETENCES: Upon the successful completion of the Programme of Studies, the student must be able to demonstrate the following competences:
Specialised:
- Apply and integrate the principles of the Applied Agricultural science and technology, in practice and in actual issues of the agricultural sector.
- Have the analytical competence in order to identify and resolve problems regarding the organization and management of agricultural exploitations and businesses.
- Able to assume responsibilities and take initiatives in critical sectors of the agricultural production, focusing on the excellent utilization of production factors.
- Have moral and professional integrity.
General:
- Able to work seamlessly both at individual and at team level, collaborating with other persons of relevant fields in agricultural and foods, but of different scientific background.
- Able to refer to the scientific and technical literature with the purpose of looking for information and solutions.

Further Information

The Programme of Studies serves the purpose and the scientific orientation of the Department of Agricultural Technologists. The mission of the Department is the provision of core education on every field of applied Agricultural science and technology, and specifically in the fields of Plant and Animal Production and of Agricultural Economy.
The students of the Department are trained through a modern and competitive four-year long Programme of Studies, which provides them with all scientific assets to successfully meet their roles as Agricultural Technologists.
The Department of Agricultural Technology, through its Programme of Studies, aims to the development and dissemination of knowledge on technological the technological and scientific fields of agricultural study and application, through teaching and applied research. It seeks to provide students with the necessary assets related to their suitable scientific, technological training in the relevant subjects.
It incorporates the Programmes of the three Departments that have been merged (Agricultural Development and Management of Agricultural Businesses, of Animal Production, and of Plant Production), in order to establish the new Department.

Relation To Employment

The degree of Agricultural Technologists is necessary to exercise the profession of Agricultural Technology (the professional rights have been established in Presidential Decree no. 109/02/1989). It is noted that the professional rights of the Department's graduates are directly linked to its respective directions (Agricultural Economy, Animal Production, Plant Production).
In addition, the professional rights derive from a series of laws. For instance:

Law 4036/2012 (Government Gazette Α΄8), which has been recently modified by law 4235/2014 (Government Gazette Α΄32).
Government Gazette 616/2014 on the marketing of propagation material.
Government Gazette 1380/2013 on businesses marketing fruits and vegetables.

Transitions

Access to this type of qualification have those who have completed at least the secondary education (level 4).
Holders of such qualifications gain access to study programmes at the same level or at level 7 or 8.

Ways To Aquire

Qualifications of this type are acquired via formal education.