Institute of Living Environment and Health
Master’s studies

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

1.INTRODUCTION

Environmentalmanagementisoneofthe leadingstrategiesforcontinuousdevelopmentofeverysingle community,includingtheRepublicofMacedonia.Therefore,there isaneedforeducationofhighlyeducatedindividuals,whowill beabletosuccessfullyjoinintheactivitiesrelatedtoprotection, advancement and management of the environment.
According to the data from the report Self-evaluation of the national capacities of global environmental management in the Republic of Macedonia (UNDP, 2005), the condition of the scientific expertise in the country is evaluated as considerably unsatisfactory. In order to develop the capacity in this field, there is only one goal set, and that is the advancement of the scientific expertise and the research. Among the many obstacles to the accomplishment of this task are: lack of experts and the low level of contemporary knowledge in the specified areas, lack of cooperation and communication among the involved sides and the scientific community, as well as the insufficient orienting of the scientific staff to research in accordance with the national priorities.
The insistence, so far, of certain higher education institutions in the field of education of staff have proven to be inadequate to the needs. The causes of this condition can be located at several sources:
1. Apart from the strive for interdisciplinary approach to the problems, there was smaller or greater openness in the frames of certain scientific disciplines.
2. The study programmes did not contribute significantly in the field of redirecting the gap between the educational theory and practice.
3. The cooperation and exchange of experiences among the involved sides were marginalized.
4. The development of competencies of the institutions, groups and individuals is neglected.
The abovementioned notes were used in the creation of the study programme for postgraduate studies at the Institute of Environment. At the same time, the generally accepted international standards, strategies, recommendations, tendencies and considerations for the environment were taken into consideration, in accordance with the concept for continuous development.

II THE EXPECTED RESULTS FROM THE GRADUATES OF THIS PROGRAMME ARE:
• Advancement of the ability for environmental management in terms of continuous development, elaboration of ecological studies, utilizing and managing the natural resources, etc..
• Scientific research in the field of environmental science, which requires a high level of expert interdisciplinary knowledge of the given area
• Grasp of the mutual influence on the economy, welfare and maintenance of the environment
• Skills of collection, preparation, analysis and data review on the environment, necessary for its managament
• Skills of using other data and information sources
• Independent practical working skills
• Ability for information search and their evaluation
• Knowledge of concepts, strategies and possibility of their application in the solving of particular problems in the area of environmental management
• Understanding of the mutual relation between the society and the environment.

III STUDY RESULTS

The skills acquired through these programmes can be divided into operating skills (intellectual and transferable) and technical skills (practical and based on knowledge). According to the chosen programme the results from the studying that the student will acquire can be grouped in the following way:

Skills:

- compiling adequate questions directed at significant studies and research;
- defining such fundamental concepts as environment, community, development and technology, as well as definition application on local, national and global experience;
- using a range of resources and technologies related to concrete issues;
- evaluation of the bias and the different points of view;
- hypotheses development based on balanced information, crucial analyses and cautious syntheses, and their testing against the new information, personal experience and beliefs;
- effective information report and points of view;
- operating towards negotiating consensus and cooperative solution of the conflicts;
- development of cooperative strategies for suitable action for change of the current relations between the ecological preservation and the economic development.

Knowledge of:

- natural processes preserved in the environment
- the influence of the humans’ activities on the environment
- the different environments, in the past and in the present;
- ecological issues, such as the greenhouse effect, acid rains, air pollution;
- local, national and international control of the legislative for environmental protection and management
- ecological interdependence of the individuals, groups, communities and nations
- dependency of life and earnings with the environment
- conflicts that may derive from the ecological problems
- the effect of the past decisions and actions on the environment
- the importance of planning, design and esthetic observation;
- the importance of effective action for environment protection and management

Competencies:

- scientific research, professional communication, public speaking, decision making, problem solving, common ethics, critical thinking
- ability for critical evaluation and communication information, useful for solving practical problems, knowledge and understanding of numerous ecological, economic, geographical, educational and political processes, as well as understanding of the effects/influences of the people on the natural systems:
-population dynamics
-interactions
-interdependence
-considerations in terms of time frames and scope/scale

IV PROGRAMME AND CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION

The second-cycle programme will consist of 90 credits equivalent to 60 ECTS-credits and the lectures will be given regularly in a three-semester period (30 credits for each semester).
The programme will contain 4 mandatory subjects from the Institute, elective subjects in the field of ecology, as well as master’s thesis based on research.

CURRICULUM FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT STUDIES

THE PROGRAMME CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES:

Mandatory courses for semester 1

Semester 1

- Methodology of ecological research(6 credits)
- Natural resources(6 credits)
- Technological development and the environment(6 credits)
- Environmental law(6 credits)
- Elective subject (6 credits)

The elective courses from the first semester include:

- Human resources management for the environment
- Social ecology
- Health and environment
- Organic products and organic agriculture

Mandatory courses for semester 2

Semester 2

- Information systems for environmental management(6 credits)
- Energy and the environment(6 credits)
- Institutional position and cooperation in the environmental field(6 credits)
- Economy and environmental management(6 credits)
- Elective subject (6 credits)

 

The elective courses from the second semester include:

-Ecopsychology
-Ecotoxicology
-Knowledge of contemporary legislation for the environment
-Policies and strategies for environmental management

Mandatory subjects for semester 3

Semester 3

- Education and public conscience for the environment (5 credits)
- Research (5 credits)
-Capstone (20 credits)

V CONDITIONS OF ENROLLMENT

Apart from the general requirements for acceptance in the second-cycle studies, the future student has to fulfill the following conditions:

1) Completed higher education (VII2 degree) or (180-240 credits)
2) Satisfactory knowledge of Albanian, Macedonian and English language
3) Minimum GPA of 8.0 or two long articles published in internationally acknowledged professional magazines.
4) Approval from the Enrollment Commission (as a part of the programme students having a degree in other disciplines might be required to meet other additional undergraduate preconditions)
5) Interview

VI Teaching staff engaged in the postgraduate studies:

Prof. Dr. Murtezan Ismaili
Prof. Dr. Alajdin Abazi
Prof. Dr. Jordan Pop – Jordanov
Prof. Dr. Zamir Dika
Prof. Dr. Natasha Markovska
Prof. Dr. Mile Srbinovski
Prof. Dr. Izet Zeqiri
Prof. Dr. Etem Haziri
Prof. Dr. Zejnulla Gruda
Prof. Dr. Zoran Shapuriq
Prof. Dr. Jonuz Abdullai
Prof. Dr. Havzi Memeti
Prof. Dr. Ismaili Zejneli
Prof. Dr. Ylber Sela

Persons responsible for the practical part of the instruction:

Mr. Xhevair Memedi
Mr. Teodora O.Grnçarovska
Mr. Adelina Marku
Mr. Vesel Memeti
Mr. Valbona Zenku Reka
Mr. Bujar Durmishi
Ass. Vullnet Zenku
Ass. Besa Arifi
Ass. Artan Luma