EARTH University
Encyclopedia
EARTH University, located in Guácimo
, Limón
& EARTH University – La Flor, located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
is a private, international, non-profit university which offers an undergraduate program leading to a licenciatura
degree in agricultural sciences and the rational use of natural resources.
EARTH University was created out of a conviction that the environmental
and social challenges confronting the planet can be resolved through education that promotes science, technology and entrepreneurship while focusing on essential human values, leadership and a commitment to social and environmental service.
The cornerstone of the first campus building was laid on April 2, 1989, initiating construction on the University's 8154 acres (33 km²) property. Today's 570280 square feet (52,980.7 m²) campus community includes classrooms, laboratories, academic and administrative offices, recreational areas, services and residences for students, faculty and staff.
On March 26, 1990, government officials, private business owners, farmers,
residents of nearby communities, university directors and the 60 young men and women who would make up the “pioneer” class at EARTH gathered to inaugurate both the campus and the first academic year.
Each incoming class comprises about 100 students, chosen from a pool of some 1,300 applicants. The majority of students receive scholarships to cover all or part of EARTH University's $15,000 tuition.
Guácimo
Guácimo is the capital of Guácimo Canton, Limón Province, Costa Rica.This rural town on the east coast of Costa Rica is home to many fruit plantations, such as banana plantations and pineapple plantations. The area is not frequently visited by tourists, but visitors who seek to obtain a true...
, Limón
Limón Province
Limón is one of seven provinces in Costa Rica. The majority of its territory is situated in the country's Caribbean lowlands, though the southwestern portion houses part of an extensive mountain range known as the Cordillera de Talamanca...
& EARTH University – La Flor, located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
is a private, international, non-profit university which offers an undergraduate program leading to a licenciatura
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
degree in agricultural sciences and the rational use of natural resources.
EARTH University was created out of a conviction that the environmental
and social challenges confronting the planet can be resolved through education that promotes science, technology and entrepreneurship while focusing on essential human values, leadership and a commitment to social and environmental service.
Background
The Costa Rican Commission for Agricultural Affairs presented the proposal for the creation of EARTH University to the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica on April 2, 1986. The legislators deliberated for several months and finally approved the project in October of the same year.The cornerstone of the first campus building was laid on April 2, 1989, initiating construction on the University's 8154 acres (33 km²) property. Today's 570280 square feet (52,980.7 m²) campus community includes classrooms, laboratories, academic and administrative offices, recreational areas, services and residences for students, faculty and staff.
On March 26, 1990, government officials, private business owners, farmers,
residents of nearby communities, university directors and the 60 young men and women who would make up the “pioneer” class at EARTH gathered to inaugurate both the campus and the first academic year.
Admissions and Student Body
As of 2009 the enrollment at EARTH numbered 410 students, a third of whom hail from Costa Rica, with the rest coming from 24 other countries.Each incoming class comprises about 100 students, chosen from a pool of some 1,300 applicants. The majority of students receive scholarships to cover all or part of EARTH University's $15,000 tuition.