International Diploma in Botanic Garden Management

Today's botanic gardens fulfill a variety of roles from conservation and research to education and amenity. The International Diploma in Botanic Garden Management covers the diverse skills that botanic garden managers require to enable their gardens to operate effectively within the framework of international conservation conventions.

Botanic Garden Management students visit Kew's Conservation Collections (Image: Colin Clubbe, RBG Kew)

Course details

This intensive eight-week course in botanic garden management explores the diverse roles of botanic gardens in conservation, display and amenity, education and research, within the context of international biodiversity legislation and strategies. As well as management of living collections, the course covers strategic planning and team management, education and visitor services, plant diversity and communication skills. It enables participants to gain the confidence and expertise to develop the resources within their own botanic gardens as integral components of national and local environmental strategies. The course is run by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in association with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).

Dates of next course: The 2013 course is now full. Please email courses@kew.org to register interest in future courses.

Length of course: 8 weeks

Course venue: the course is based in the Herbarium, Library, Art and Archives building at Kew

Course fee: £2,900
The fee covers the cost of tuition, all course notes and organised field trips. It does not include accommodation, subsistence or transport to RBG Kew from participants’ home countries.

Who is the course designed for?

People who are actively involved in the management of a botanic garden or arboretum, with some operational and strategic responsibilities as well as supervising horticultural activities. Candidates should hold a horticultural degree or diploma or equivalent. All candidates must have good conversational and written English and a knowledge of the appropriate technical terms.

Whilst aimed primarily at colleagues from tropical developing countries, participants from other regions of the world are encouraged to apply.

The course is not intended for administrative staff or horticultural staff with no management responsibilities.

Course objectives

To evaluate the different roles of contemporary botanic gardens, explore the key issues they face and prioritise these in relation to each participant’s own institutional strategy.
To enhance each participant’s skills and understanding to become a more effective manager of living plant collections.
To facilitate individual, more specialised studies related to each participant’s own institutional context.
To develop a network of contacts with other professionals working in botanic garden management.

Sharing interpretation ideas in the Queen's Garden at Kew (Image: Pat Griggs, RBG Kew)

Course content

The management of living collections

history, role and development of botanic gardens
curation policy
international legislation (CBD, GSPC, CITES, Agenda 21)
accessions, plant records and mapping
role of horticulture
nursery management (including integrated pest management)

Management skills

strategic planning
fundraising
management techniques – this module has been designed and is run in association with Cedar Associates

Trying out a schools' activity (Image: Pat Griggs, RBG Kew)

Education and visitor services

education
Friends’ organisations
interpretation
marketing

Plant diversity

biodiversity and conservation
role of living collections
role of seed banks
role of the herbarium

Communication tools

computer training
presentation techniques
networking

Research project

an individually tailored and tutored project relevant to your home institution.

Botanic Garden Management students on field trip to the Eden Project, Cornwall

Visits to other botanic gardens form an integral component of the course - here students enjoy the Eden Project. (Image: Colin Clubbe, RBG Kew)

Course teaching

Through a combination of lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials, practical activities and field-visits, this course enables participants to develop and extend their skills in the diverse field of botanic garden management.

Staff from RBG Kew and BGCI provide the major input to the course programme, together with visiting practitioners from botanic gardens, universities and consultancies.

Field visits to a wide range of botanic gardens and related institutions enable participants to gain a wider overview of good practice.

All the sessions are taught in English.

Course assessment:

On completion of the course, participants will be assessed by:

written assignments
an oral presentation
an interview with an external examiner.

All assessments are moderated by an external examiner.

Successful candidates will be awarded the International Diploma in Botanic Garden Management at the end of the course. Candidates who complete the course, but do not achieve a pass standard, will receive a certificate of attendance.

How to apply

Please complete an application form using the application guidance notes

Please contact the Course Co-ordinator for further details.

Course Co-ordinator
International Diploma in Botanic Garden Management
Conservation Team
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Richmond
Surrey, TW9 3AB
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5625/5634
Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5278
Email: courses@kew.org

Print out a course leaflet

All places on the 2013 Botanic Garden Management course have now been allocated. To register interest in future courses, please email

courses@kew.org