On Saturday 28 March the University of Greenwich will be hosting the final event of ‘Aqu@teach’, the first aquaponics curriculum to be developed specifically for university level students.

Combining two technologies - recirculating aquaculture systems and hydroponics - in a closed-loop system, aquaponics offers an opportunity to grow food in an economically and environmentally sustainable way, using low levels of resource input. It could certainly play a key role in the future of food production, but only if there is an appropriately trained workforce.

Aquaponic food production is complex, and requires a broad spectrum of knowledge in order to understand and manage the processes involved, including aquaculture, horticulture, chemistry, biology, food safety, and engineering. Devised in collaboration by an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership in Higher Education, the Moodle-based curriculum covers the basics of aquaponics with a focus on transferable and entrepreneurial skills, and can be taught either using blended learning or as an e-learning course. Given the multidisciplinary nature of aquaponics, the curriculum can be taught as an optional module in a wide variety of different degree courses, including agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, aquaculture, landscape architecture, and ecological engineering.

The e-learning modules will be freely available on the project website on 1 April. The event on March 28 is to learn about how the curriculum was put together and to explore the online modules. There will also be an opportunity to visit the green roofs and aquaponics greenhouse. For further details, and to register for a free ticket, visit the Eventbrite site