The Crop Protetion Graduate Program (PPGFS) started in 1991 as a concentration area of the Postgraduate Program in Agronomy (PPGA), the latter being the first postgraduate course at UFPel founded in 1973, both still in operation today. In 1999, with the inclusion of the doctoral level, it was dismembered from the PPGA and was renamed the Postgraduate Program in Plant Pathology, with areas of knowledge in Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, the latter starting in 2001.
After operating for 18 years with a single area of concentration (Plant Pathology), in 2017 the program became three areas of knowledge in areas of concentration (Entomology, Phytopathology and Herbology). Even more recently (2019) we created new lines of research. In 2021, a new area of concentration “Crop Protection” will be created, which aims to meet a demand from international students, with classes taught in English (Fig 1).
Figure 1. Current and planned structure of PPG in Plant Health. Crop Protection will be created in 2021
The Program’s Strategic Plan (PEP) is an essential tool in organizing the program, where its purpose/goal and the limits of action are defined, supported by the context (situation – where it is located), expectations (results – where want to get there) and actions (resources – how to get there).
. Mission, vision and values
Mission
The Crop Protection Graduate Program (PPGFs) has the mission of training highly qualified professionals to develop teaching, research and extension activities to meet the important demand for training human resources in Brazil and in the MERCOSUL countries. Furthermore, its mission is to train human resources to generate scientific and technological knowledge through the development of processes, products and/or services aimed at professional ethics, improving the quality of life and food safety.
Vision
The Crop Protection Graduate Program (PPGFs) intends in the near future to reach the status of an international program and to be recognized as a reference in the teaching of Plant Pathology and in scientific and technological development with a focus on the growing demands of agriculture.
Values
The values are respect for ethics in the exercise of the profession and for the diversity of ideas, transparency, scientific quality, commitment to social function, innovative, collaborative and sustainable character.
For the radiographic analysis of PPG Plant Health, we used the SWOT matrix (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats).
Traditionally, this analysis aims to raise opportunities and threats considering the external environment of Crop Protection Graduate Program. Also, the strengths and weaknesses of the program were evaluated using the internal conditions. Many points were raised in both conductions but only the most relevant points were considered for the SWOT matrix that was the basis for the elaboration of our strategic plan.
Figura 2. Matriz SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities e Threats) of Crop Protetion Graduate Program.
Figura 3. Center lines of the proposed strategic plan for the Crop Protection Graduate Program.
