AGROPATH INTENSIVE TRAINING COURSE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARIBOR: INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY AND ADVANCED PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES
From 24 to 28 August 2026, the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, hosted the international “AGROPATH Intensive Training Course – Innovative Pedagogy in Precision Agriculture”, organised within the framework of the international project AGROPATH – Advanced Geomatics and Remote Observation for Precision Agriculture in Higher Education, implemented under the Erasmus+ programme.
The five-day training course brought together academic staff, researchers, and representatives of partner universities from Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Slovenia, Greece, and Hungary. The main objective of the event was to strengthen the professional competencies of academic staff, facilitate the exchange of European experience, and promote modern teaching approaches in geomatics, Earth observation, digital technologies, and precision agriculture.
The training was based on the “learning by doing” principle. The programme combined expert lectures, practical and laboratory sessions, demonstrations of modern agricultural machinery and robotics, work with digital data, professional visits, and field-based training at experimental and agricultural sites.
This format enabled participants not only to learn about advanced technological solutions but also to observe how these technologies operate in real-world conditions and consider how the acquired experience could be integrated into the educational process at partner universities.
FROM INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY TO PRACTICAL PRECISION AGRICULTURE
One of the main objectives of the course was to demonstrate how modern precision and smart farming technologies can be integrated not only into agricultural production but also into university education.
The programme covered a wide range of topics, including agricultural robotics, sensor systems, spatial data processing, remote crop monitoring, modern agricultural machinery, automation of production processes, smart farming, and sustainable land management.
At the same time, the pedagogical dimension was an important component of the training. Participants discussed modern problem-based and project-based learning approaches, which make it possible to shift the focus from traditional acquisition of theoretical knowledge towards solving practical problems, working with real-world data, and using modern equipment.
This is particularly important for AGROPATH, as one of the project’s objectives is not only to modernise the content of educational components but also to improve the methods through which they are taught.
AGRICULTURAL ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGIES
An important thematic block of the course focused on agricultural robotics and the use of autonomous platforms for field operations.
Participants were introduced to current trends in the development of robotic systems that can be used to automate various technological operations in agriculture.
Particular attention was paid to the transition from conventional precision agriculture towards the concept of Smart Farming, which combines automation, sensor systems, digital data, and decision-support algorithms.
Such systems provide opportunities for more precise control of production processes, automation of individual operations, and more efficient use of agricultural resources.
From an educational perspective, familiarity with agricultural robotics is particularly important because future specialists need not only to understand how such systems operate but also to develop the ability to work with the digital data used to configure, monitor, and manage them.
SENSOR SYSTEMS AND DATA PROCESSING
A separate part of the training programme focused on sensor systems and data processing.
Modern precision agriculture relies on the ability to systematically collect information about soil conditions, crops, agricultural land, and production processes. Sensors are among the key sources of such data.
Course participants explored the principles of sensor systems, the potential applications of different types of sensors, and approaches to processing the information they generate.
Particular attention was paid to how data can be used to support informed decision-making in agriculture and how the corresponding competencies can be incorporated into educational programmes.
The training therefore focused not merely on demonstrating individual technologies but also on developing a comprehensive understanding of the digital workflow — from data acquisition to analysis and practical application.
REMOTE MONITORING AND PRECISION VITICULTURE
Another important topic of the programme was the application of precision agriculture technologies in viticulture.
Using specific research examples, participants explored the possibilities of RGB remote sensing, digital reconstruction of vineyards, and assessment of the physiological condition of plants through image analysis.
This approach demonstrates how remote observation methods can be used to obtain detailed information about agricultural crops without requiring continuous direct inspection of every area.
The combination of imagery, spatial information, and digital analysis methods provides opportunities for monitoring plant conditions, identifying spatial variability, and supporting more informed planning of agricultural operations.
For AGROPATH participants, such examples are particularly valuable because they demonstrate the practical connection between Earth observation, geoinformatics, and agricultural production.
SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT
Another significant thematic area was sustainable land management and geospatial decision support.
Participants examined the role of spatial information in modern agricultural land management and the possibilities offered by digital technologies for more efficient production planning.
The spatial dimension is fundamental to precision agriculture. Data on land parcels, soil characteristics, crop conditions, and other parameters can be integrated into geographic information systems and used to support management decisions.
For this reason, developing competencies in geomatics and geoinformation analysis is one of the key areas addressed by AGROPATH.
ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE
The training also addressed the economic benefits associated with the application of precision agriculture technologies.
In particular, precise navigation technologies can help reduce overlaps and gaps during field operations. This, in turn, can contribute to more efficient use of seeds, fertilisers, plant protection products, and fuel, while also improving the productivity of agricultural machinery.
Digitalisation of agriculture was therefore considered not only as a technological upgrade but also as an instrument for increasing production efficiency and promoting more rational use of resources.
This perspective is important for educational programmes because future professionals need to understand not only the technical principles behind modern systems but also the economic rationale for their implementation.
PRACTICAL TRAINING IN HOČE, LENART, AND PTUJ
Theoretical sessions were held at the Rectorate of the University of Maribor, while the practical component of the programme took place at several educational, research, demonstration, and agricultural sites.
Participants took part in activities organised by the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, visited the Botanical Garden of the University of Maribor in Hoče, and attended demonstration and agricultural sites in Lenart and Ptuj.
The field sessions provided an opportunity to observe how technologies discussed during the lectures are applied in real-world conditions.
Combining the university learning environment with research facilities and operational agricultural sites was an important element of the course’s practice-oriented approach.
DEMO DAY: TECHNOLOGIES IN REAL FIELD CONDITIONS
One of the central events of the training week was Demo Day, dedicated to practical demonstrations of technologies directly under field conditions.
Demo Day was organised in cooperation with Žipo Lenart and the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia.
During the practical demonstrations, participants had an opportunity to observe agricultural robotics, intelligent systems, and modern precision agriculture technologies operating in conditions close to actual agricultural production.
This format is particularly valuable for academic staff because it enables them to understand not only the technical characteristics of equipment but also the logic of its practical application.
The experience gained can subsequently be transformed into practical classes, laboratory exercises, case studies, and learning assignments for students.
PARTICIPATION OF THE LVIV POLYTECHNIC TEAM
Lviv Polytechnic National University, the coordinator of the international AGROPATH project, was represented at the intensive training course by Borys Chetverikov, Head of the Department of Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics and AGROPATH Project Coordinator, and Liubov Babii, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics.
The participation of representatives of the project coordinating institution is particularly important for the subsequent implementation of the knowledge and experience gained during the training.
The practical experience and teaching approaches acquired in Maribor can be used to modernise educational components related to geomatics, Earth observation, and precision agriculture, as well as to organise practical student training involving modern equipment and digital data.
FROM TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION TO INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY
A distinctive feature of the course was that modern technologies were considered both from the perspective of their practical application and their potential integration into university teaching.
Participants exchanged experience on how to make the teaching of precision agriculture technologies more practice-oriented, how to use demonstrations and field-based learning effectively, and how to develop assignments based on real technological and production scenarios.
Within the course, the concept of Innovative Pedagogy was therefore directly linked to a transition from predominantly theoretical teaching towards learning based on practical experience, problem-solving, project implementation, and interaction with modern technologies.
This approach is fully aligned with the broader objectives of AGROPATH concerning the modernisation of educational programmes and the preparation of specialists whose competencies meet the needs of the ongoing digital transformation of the agricultural sector.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP: COORDINATING THE NEXT STAGES OF AGROPATH
The training week in Maribor was not only an educational event but also an important stage in coordinating the activities of the international consortium.
On 27–28 August 2026, meetings of the AGROPATH Project Management Group were held alongside the training programme.
During these working meetings, representatives of the partner universities reviewed the current state of AGROPATH implementation, progress within individual work packages, and achievements of the partner institutions.
Particular attention was paid to modernising the content of existing courses related to precision agriculture and developing new educational components. The partners emphasised the need to strengthen the practical dimension of education and to integrate modern digital and precision agriculture technologies more extensively into university curricula.
The consortium also agreed on a roadmap for the next stage of project implementation and discussed further strategic steps.
The meetings addressed the topics and organisation of the next international intensive training courses, with further activities planned at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Alba Regia Faculty of Óbuda University.
Among the upcoming joint activities, the consortium also identified the online webinar “Modern Obligatory Skills and Knowledge in Geomatics and Precision Agriculture”, scheduled for October 2026.
INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AS A TOOL FOR MODERNISING EDUCATION
The training week at the University of Maribor demonstrated the importance of direct international knowledge exchange for achieving the objectives of AGROPATH.
For academic staff, participation in such activities provides an opportunity not only to learn about emerging technologies but also to observe how they are applied in university education, research, and real agricultural production.
The exchange of practices among universities from Ukraine, Moldova, and European Union countries contributes to developing a shared understanding of what modern educational programmes in geomatics and precision agriculture should include.
At the same time, international cooperation creates a foundation for further academic mobility, joint educational initiatives, development of teaching materials, and implementation of innovative teaching methodologies.
FROM EXPERIENCE GAINED TO CURRICULUM MODERNISATION
The practical knowledge and pedagogical approaches acquired during the intensive training course in Maribor will be used by AGROPATH partners in their further work on educational programmes and learning components.
This involves not only introducing new topics related to robotics, sensor technologies, remote monitoring, and smart farming into course content. An equally important aspect is the transformation of teaching methods themselves — strengthening laboratory and field-based learning and increasing the use of real-world data, modern equipment, and practical case studies.
Such an approach makes it possible to establish a closer connection between university education and actual technological processes in the agricultural sector.
AGROPATH: CONNECTING EDUCATION, GEOMATICS, AND MODERN AGRICULTURE
The intensive training course at the University of Maribor represented an important stage in the implementation of AGROPATH and demonstrated the practical nature of international cooperation within the project.
AGROPATH is implemented during 2026–2028 and aims to advance modern educational approaches in geomatics and digital technologies for precision agriculture, modernise curricula, develop human capacity, and strengthen the institutional capacity of universities in Ukraine and Moldova.
The training in Maribor demonstrated that preparing modern professionals requires the integration of several key areas — geospatial technologies, Earth observation, sensor systems, robotics, advanced agricultural machinery, data analysis, and innovative pedagogy.
The experience gained by the participants will provide a basis for further modernisation of educational content, implementation of practice-oriented teaching methods, and integration of advanced technological solutions into student education and training.
By combining international expertise, innovative pedagogy, modern equipment, and real-world precision agriculture practices, AGROPATH is helping to create the conditions for educating a new generation of professionals capable of working effectively in the context of the digital transformation of agriculture.
