{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T01:09:10Z","timestamp":1776301750404,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,1]],"date-time":"2023-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1685577600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"project beeB\u2014Foster for beekeeping bridges through innovative and participative training","award":["ERASMUS+ 2019-1-PT01-KA202-060782"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ERASMUS+ 2019-1-PT01-KA202-060782"]}]},{"name":"project beeB\u2014Foster for beekeeping bridges through innovative and participative training","award":["UIDB\/00681\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00681\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\u2014Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["ERASMUS+ 2019-1-PT01-KA202-060782"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ERASMUS+ 2019-1-PT01-KA202-060782"]}]},{"name":"FCT\u2014Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB\/00681\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00681\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sustainability"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Habitat loss, climate change, and other environmental degradations pose severe challenges to beekeepers. Therefore, this sector needs to rely on updated information so that the intervening actors can deal with the problems. In this context, and assuming that professional training can greatly help those acting in the beekeeping sector, this work intended to investigate the gaps in the updated knowledge of beekeepers and how these can be filled through lifelong learning. The research was conducted in seven European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain). The data were collected through a questionnaire survey translated into the native languages of all participating countries. The results revealed that the topics of highest interest are apiary health and pest control and the management of the colonies throughout the year. The beekeepers update their knowledge through family, complemented by professional training, with participants preferring in-person courses as well as, in the workplace or in internships. The learning methodologies they consider most useful are project-based learning and learning through gamification. The videos and paper books or manuals are particularly valued as learning materials, and practical exercises are considered the most helpful assessment format. Finally, considering the effect of sociodemographic variables on the learning experiences and preferences of beekeeping actors, it was observed that the country was the most influential of the variables under study. In conclusion, this work revealed valuable information that should be used to design professional training actions to help the professionals in the beekeeping sector enhance their competencies and be better prepared to manage their activities successfully.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/su15118953","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,2]],"date-time":"2023-06-02T02:41:35Z","timestamp":1685673695000},"page":"8953","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Professional Training in Beekeeping: A Cross-Country Survey to Identify Learning Opportunities"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0595-6805","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raquel P. F.","family":"Guin\u00e9","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9391-5191","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jorge","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5272-7303","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Catarina","family":"Coelho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"},{"name":"CECAV, Animal and Veterinary Research Center, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, Apartado 1013, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Daniela Teixeira","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2023-4475","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paula","family":"Correia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1274-5141","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Helena Esteves","family":"Correia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Bj\u00f8rn","family":"Dahle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Beekeepers Association, 2040 Kl\u00f8fta, Norway"}]},{"given":"Melissa","family":"Oddie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Beekeepers Association, 2040 Kl\u00f8fta, Norway"}]},{"given":"Risto","family":"Raimets","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014 Tartu, Estonia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6921-0167","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Reet","family":"Karise","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014 Tartu, Estonia"}]},{"given":"Luis","family":"Tourino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Eosa Estrategia y Organizaci\u00f3n SA, 36202 Vigo, Spain"}]},{"given":"Salvatore","family":"Basile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bio-Distretto Cilento, 84052 Salerno, Italy"}]},{"given":"Emilio","family":"Buonomo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bio-Distretto Cilento, 84052 Salerno, Italy"}]},{"given":"Ivan","family":"Stefanic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tera Tehnopolis, 31000 Osijek, Croatia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8625-2206","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina A.","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121871","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2020.121871","article-title":"Socio-Economic and Environmental Implications of Replacing Conventional Poultry Feed with Insect-Based Feed in Kenya","volume":"265","author":"Abro","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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