In the contemporary globalized economy European companies purchase or build subsidiaries in emerging countries as part of their international development strategy. For companies in the agricultural sector the assurance of the security of their raw material supply areas is a key factor of a company’s international success. It is very difficult for European agronomy graduates to transpose their know-how in emerging countries given the often enormous climatic, technical and cultural disparities which they face there. In addition, there are many obstacles to recruiting local people for this function. European regulations and standards are often seen as complex in emerging countries and local producers collaborate more easily with Europeans whom they perceive as legitimate in their demands to change long-held practices because they can guarantee stable contracts. With this in mind this project has two primary objectives: 1. To develop a 10 ECTS teaching module to train cohorts of young European graduates in the knowledge and competencies necessary to assure the security of raw material supply areas in emerging countries 2. Using the livestock and dairy sector as a pilot this project aims to develop a methodology to assure the security of raw material supply areas in emerging counties which can be transposed to all agricultural sectors. The project involves the participation of 3 European HEIs specialists in agronomy, animal science and livestock management ( Groupe ESA , Angers, France, Stichting Aeres Groep, The Netherlands, Universitatea de Stinte Agronomice si Medicina Veterinara, Bucuresti, Romania) and a major European dairy company ( Lactalis Group, France). The project will begin by the creation and running of a European-wide survey of dairy companies operating internationally to make explicit the knowledge and competencies required by those companies in order to assure the security of their raw material supply areas in emerging countries. Using the results of this survey the participating HEIs and company will construct a 10 ECTS teaching module in order to train a cohort of 15 students annually to take up positions of management in the milk collect business for European companies operating in emerging countries. The target student group includes vocational BSc and MSc level students, back-to- work unemployed people and professionals seeking career re-orientation. The teaching module will begin with a one-week distance learning teaching unit in order to check and assure the necessary technical prerequisites. The 4-week in-house teaching will include the exploitation of a case-study to be developed in the preparatory phase in an emerging country. The module will be followed by a mandatory internship in one of the partner company’s subsidiaries in order to apply the knowledge gained during the module. The anticipated results of this project are: • 15 - 20 European professionals in a niche that is essential to the international development of European agricultural businesses • The development of a methodology to assure the security of raw material supply areas that is applicable to all agricultural sectors • Closer understanding and cooperation between European HEIs and companies in terms of developing the skills necessary for the future job market • Closer interaction and network development between 3 European HEIs The conceivable long-term benefit of this project is to help strengthen the global activity of European agricultural companies. It is this global activity which creates the profit margins that assist the mother company to further develop at home – a guarantor of maintaining employment in Europe. Thus European HEIs active in this project will play an important role in helping partner companies to secure their market position and to therefore not only accompany companies in their international development but ultimately to help to maintain employment in Europe.