First MOOC on Tropical Soil Science launched

From May 13, the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Tropical Soil Science will be accessible online. The course, ‘An introduction to soils ecosystems and livelihoods in the tropics’, is a production of KU Leuven in collaboration with ISRIC - World Soil Information. The course, supported by JRC and FAO, teaches about how soil properties vary across tropical ecosystems and landscapes and their impact on biodiversity and livelihoods. The MOOC introduces subscribers to basic concepts of soil and soils in the tropics. It explains how soils develop, what their most important features are, and how those insights can make land use more sustainable. The major soils of five biomes are highlighted through virtual excursions: forests, mountains, grasslands, deserts, and wetlands.

The instructors of the MOOC are: prof. Karen Vancampenhout, em. Prof. Seppe Deckers (both KU Leuven), and Stephan Mantel (Head of World Soil Museum, ISRIC). Uniquely, scientists from different countries all over the tropics will introduce subscribers to the MOOC to their work and show them real-life examples of how they apply soil knowledge through engaging videos and case studies.