A 5-day visit from 4th to 8th of October 2021 to the Agricultural University-Plovdiv was organized to implement Task 1.2. “Staff visits to EU for benchmarking and Good practice studies to define gaps in relation to EU education and PLANT CLINIC standards”. The participants from Egypt (Mansoura University, Ain Shams University, Alexandria University, Suez Canal University, South Valley University, and Sogah University), and from the University of Debrecen (Hungary) and University of Naples (Italy) visited the departments of Entomology, Plant Pathology, Microbiology and ecological biotechnologies, Chemistry and Phytopharmacy, and Agroecology and environmental protection where they were acquainted with the teaching and training practices in courses, relevant for the Diploma in Plant clinic. Besides the lecture halls and laboratories, the training in Plant protection at the Agricultural University is aided by experimental fields, situated around the city on 170 ha, which were demonstrated to the participants. An important part of the activity was visiting and getting acquainted with the organization and activities of the Centre of Integrated Disease Management, the Agroecological Centre, and Experimental fields of the Department of Fruit growing and Viticulture, all of which play substantial role in the training of the students in Plant protection at the Agricultural University – Plovdiv. The private companies, operating in the field of agriculture and plant protection, are partners of the University in the educational process, not only in providing practical stage for the students. This “good practice” was demonstrated by 2 examples – the Demonstration greenhouse for IPM of the private company Opora Zaden, that is actively involved in promoting novelties in Plant protection to the students and offering internships, and the private company Happy Fruit with fruit orchards and greenhouse, that is working closely with scientists from the University in scientific projects. The participants were shown around the Regional Museum of Natural History in Plovdiv where the BSc students in Plant protection have the possibility to deepen their knowledge of Insect Systematics and Zoology of invertebrates.
