A cold and crisp spring morning at the Royal Agricultural University is proving to be something of a new experience for the latest group of postgraduate students - as they are from Angola.

A group of six graduates have swapped the tropical climes of south west Africa for Cirencester as part of a partnership between the RAU and leading Angolan telecoms company UNITEL.

Hand-picked from 500 applicants, the first intake started on the RAU's graduate diploma in agriculture in September.

On the course they are hoping to gain expert knowledge in farm management that can be put to use to train their compatriots when they return home.

And the experience has been warmly received by the sextet of students currently in Gloucestershire - even if the weather has been something of a shock.

Adilson Vika, 30, from Angola's capital Luanda, said: "I applied to join the Academy because I wanted new challenges and because of the goals UNITEL has for contributing to the country's economy.

"One of those challenges has been the weather which is so different to the tropical climate, where I come from!

The teaching at the Royal Agricultural University is at another level of knowledge and the lecturers are really amazing at passing on that knowledge to the students.

"The field walks are wonderful, helping me better understand the concept of agriculture. My experience with the students has been superb.

"Many of them are older and they come from different places and from different backgrounds, so it's interesting every day when we are all together in class."

Although largely reliant on subsistence farming, half of Angola's food is imported due to a lack of expertise in farm management, operations and agronomy.

So UNITEL have stepped in and acquired land in the province of Malange, turning 5,000 hectares of land into a commercial farm.

That farm will grow maize and soybean and house a research station for innovation, as well as providing a place for RAU students to go on placements during their studies.

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Tony Dolton, CEO of UNITEL said: "Our partnership with the RAU will help ambitious young Angolans develop the strategic problem-solving skills and technological knowledge we need to help grow a sustainable agri-tech industry.

Professor Joanna Price, Vice-Chancellor of the Royal Agricultural University added: "Global food security is one of the biggest challenges of our age.

The world is facing another agricultural revolution - this collaboration builds on our tradition of welcoming postgraduate and applied research students from around the world as well as partnering with industry to find solutions to the biggest issues."