Closing on 31 December, the Masterclass in Horticultural Business scholarships include fifteen for vegetable businesses, three for the nursery industry, and four for general horticulture.

Hort Innovation Chief Executive, John Lloyd, said the Masterclass in Horticultural Business should arm participants with world-best-practice skills that can immediately be put into practice. “This scholarship opportunity is ideal for upcoming leaders looking to learn how to apply practices that have proven effective not just in horticulture locally but also overseas.”

Delivered with world-leading agriculture university, Wageningen Academy in the Netherlands, renowned university, Lincoln in New Zealand, and key provider, the University of Tasmania, the Masterclass is the first of its kind in Australia.

Offered online with three face-to-face sessions, the Masterclass will run from February 2017 to December 2017, with around eight to ten hours per week of engagement required.

Key areas of study include:

• Horticultural Management;
• People and Culture;
• Supply Chain Management and Logistics;
• Financial Management and Law;
• Horticultural Marketing and Communication;
• Global Trends and International Business;
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship;
• Business Development and Strategy.

Lloyd said scholarships will be awarded by a selection committee based on the perceived contribution applicants will make to the future of their industry, with a particular focus on innovation.

“Australian horticulture sectors are hugely innovative with a strong appetite for delivering a consistent, quality product for consumers while increasing production efficiencies and ultimately boosting farm-gate returns,” he said. “We look forward to seeing some great outcomes from the scholarship participants in this course, and encourage anyone with a drive to take their sector to new heights to apply.”

For more information, including an application pack, go to the University of Tasmania’s website.