Education in forest sciences in Argentina. relevant aspects in the training and profile of its graduates

This paper derives from a workshop about education in forest sciences, organized by the Argentinian net in forest science and technology (in Spanish: Red Argentina de Ciencia y Tecnologia Forestal, i.e. REDFOR.ar). The aim of the workshop was to analyze several aspects related to the teaching in forest programs in Argentinian Universities. We analyzed the current demand for enrolment, graduation rates and employability of the graduates of forestry degree programs. We also discussed about the professional background in the forest programs and we identified consensus, debates, and questions. We analyzed current trends at the university-level forestry education worldwide as well as the role and the need of training of the faculty emphasizing some perspectives and pedagogic strategies. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the educational strategies adopted to ensure continuity of education, we included a section about distance learning during the pandemic and we analyzed some weak points and future perspectives. This document is a contribution to both the topics being discussed nowadays and others that will probably be relevant in the medium term in university-level education in forestry.