Breeding Lab

Description

Course Description Contents: The course is scheduled as a combination of a ‘group internship’ at a given company and a set of skills training and exercises. Groups of students will do a domain-related assignment. This assignment should comply with the following criteria: it should be a commissioned multidisciplinary assignment, concern a real authentic case, offer a certain level of complexity, reflecting various interests and stakeholders, and it should require an academic level to address the issue. During the course, students (Dutch and international) will work 4 fulltime weeks in period 3 in two culturally mixed groups (4 students each) on this assignment from a breeding company. To be able to fulfil this assignment students need to collaborate in intercultural diverse teams as well as with professionals from the company. The final deliverable is to present a strategy or product to the company as a solution to the proposed problem (assignment). Learning Outcomes: learning outcomes After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to: Contribute at an academic level to the execution of a multidisciplinary project, both in terms of process and content, related to the discipline of Animal breeding, by gathering, selecting and analysing information and integrating this into a proposed solution to the assignment given by the commissioner Report, discuss and defend viewpoints and conclusions in a professional, academically and a collaborative manner before representatives of the commissioner and other stakeholders involved (demonstrate the ability to engage in perspective-taking) Reflect on their personal functioning in and contribution to a professional team Demonstrate academic competences to execute the team assignment, within the complex (inter)national environment of a professional organisation Reflect on the work culture of the organisation and its decision making process Further analyse the competences that are needed to be successful in a professional environment, as encountered during the assignment, and reflect on these in a self-evaluation Activities: The aim of this course is to prepare students for a professional career in the animal breeding industry. This is achieved by letting students work on an assignment, provided by an external commissioner. The emphasis in the assignment lies on working in teams and experiencing, learning and acquiring the professional competences that are needed to successfully operate in an (inter)national, multidisciplinary team. An important part of the course is devoted to understanding, describing and reflecting on the competences that are needed to successfully operate in a professional environment. The following activities are scheduled for this course: Short skills training modules (workshops, including exercises); intercultural communication skills needed to work in a professional context; setting personal learning goals for competencies that need to be developed; giving and receiving peer feedback on competence performance, and; conflict management and reflecting on performance and development within the group. Regular meetings (live or online) with the commissioner– the representative of the company offering the commissioned assignment - to meet and get acquainted with the company, the commissioner and his/her team, their roles, functions and responsibilities in the company. Discuss progress on the project and present the solution to the case before the chief executives of the company. Assumed Knowledge: Participating students must have passed ABG20306 Animal Breeding and Genetics or equivalent course, and at least one of the two courses ABG31306 Genetic Improvement of Livestock or ABG30306 Genomics. English and verbal/writing skills should be at a level that allows self-reflection and feedback, and full independent functioning in a student team. Continuation Courses: MSc thesis Animal Breeding and Genetics Examination: Assessment method(s) Weighting (%) Minimum grade Validity* Group and individual Assignment oral presentation 75 None 1 Grading weighed by the peer assessment and by company representatives of the assignment. Individual Assignment reflection report 25 None 1 *The duration of the validity is expressed as years after the academic year in which a passing grade for this assessment was obtained. Resit Information: The exam consists of two parts: a) 75% is the Assignment Oral Presentation. This is a group mark weighed by a peer assessment. Minimum mark is 5,5. In case of a lower score, a student is assigned an extra task to fulfil the requirements. This extra task has a deadline of August 15 of the same academic year. In case of an insufficient mark or in case of handing in after this deadline, the student might need to follow the course again. b) 25% is the Assignment Reflection Report. This is an individual mark, based on the reflection report and the reflection talk with the examiner. Minimum mark is 5,5. In case of a lower score, the student has the opportunity to improve based on the given feedback. The improved reflection report has to be handed in within 2 weeks after the feedback has been received. In case of an insufficient mark or in case of handing in after this deadline, the student might need to follow the course again. Practical information and Schedule Credits: 6 ECTS Language of Instruction: English Mode of Delivery: Taught on the Campus Campus Location: Wageningen Chair Group: Animal Breeding and Genomics Course Schedule: Link to the most recent course schedule Teaching Methods Below find the contact hours and teaching methods for this course. Teaching methods are expressed in credits study load (one credit equals 28 clock hours and study load includes alle necessary activities like preparation, contact hours and self study). Contact hours are expressed in time slots of 40 minutes. Teaching Methods: Contact hours:: 32 Credits:: 1,2; Contact hours:: 7 Credits:: 2,8; Contact hours:: 5 Credits:: 0,5; Contact hours:: 12 Credits:: 0,5; Contact hours:: 15 Credits:: 1,0 Grading of this course Grading scale: Grades (0-10) Course Periods Offered and Registration Below find in which period(s) the course is offered, how to register for this course and what course registration deadlines apply. For a complete overview, check our Academic Calender. Registration through OSIRIS Student: You can register through OSIRIS Student up to the deadline mentioned. Course Schedule: Link to the most recent course schedule Periods and deadlines for registration: Timeslot(s): Whole Day Registration Period: 1 June 2025 until 23 November 2025 23:59 Deregistration period: until 23 November 2025 23:59; Timeslot(s): Whole Day 2nd-Half of period Registration Period: 1 June 2025 until 5 April 2026 23:59 Deregistration period: until 5 April 2026 23:59 Staff The course coordinator, examiner and lecturers of this course are mentioned below. When a special contact person or contact email address for this course applies, this is listed below the lecturers. When applicable, please use that way to contact the course team. Otherwise, contact the course coordinator to contact the course team. Staff: Email-address: dieuwertje.lont@wur.nl Email-address: henk.bovenhuis@wur.nl; Email-address: dieuwertje.lont@wur.nl Email-address: henk.bovenhuis@wur.nl; Email-address: angela.pachuau@wur.nl Email-address: cassandra.tho@wur.nl Email-address: carla.oonk@wur.nl Email-address: dieuwertje.lont@wur.nl Email-address: henk.bovenhuis@wur.nl