New: European Master "Food Systems"  [02.05.19]

Do you like to travel? Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Are you interested in innovations for a consumer-oriented and sustainable food sector? Then the new European Master's program "Food Systems", which combines agricultural and food sciences, could be exactly the right choice for you. The novel degree program is a cooperation project among 6 European partner universities with practical contributions from leading companies in the food sector. Thanks to EU funding of € 2.4 million per year, outstanding study conditions are guaranteed. Interested? Then make sure to attend the informational event on Thursday, April 25.

"In the Master’s in ‘Food Systems,’ students gain expert knowledge in all areas of the food system," stated degree program director Prof. Dr. Jochen Weiss. “An entrepreneurial spirit and cooperation with industrial partners help to provide a great deal of practical knowledge and a profile that is extremely sought after in the nutrition sector."

There are a limited number of spots so that the students in the new “Food Systems” Master's program are insured optimal conditions for studying - in three different countries.

 

Change universities three times across Europe

“Students complete the second and third semesters at two different universities,” explained degree program coordinator Andreas Glombitza-Cevey. “During the first and last semester they study at the university where they applied. That is also where they write their Master's thesis."

There are predefined paths for changing the University: "In the second semester, anyone who starts in Hohenheim has the choice between the University of Reading and the University of Belfast. In the third semester they will continue to either Madrid or Warsaw."

Students not only get to know three cities and universities, but also three different areas of study. "Each university formulates a specific track," stated Glombitza-Cevey. "That is, a package of modules on a certain topic." The Hohenheim track is entitled "AgriFood Science and Engineering".

"It is a combination of agricultural and food sciences with a technical focus," said Prof. Dr. Weiss. "As a top university in agriculture and nutrition, we have noticed that students are often interested in both subjects. However, there are only a few degree programs that make targeted use of the commonalities between the two sciences and link them with one another."

Overview of Partner Universities

University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart University of Reading (England) University of Warsaw (Poland) University of Torino (Italy) Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain) Queen’s University Belfast (Northern Ireland)

 

Selection procedure with interview

Those interested should have a Bachelor's degree, good English skills and, above all, a desire to travel and an entrepreneurial spirit, Prof. Dr. Weiss continued. "Since we only allocate 15 places a year, in the selection interviews we make sure that the applicant's personal profile matches the program perfectly."

Thanks to the EU funding, applicants can apply for scholarship to cover the costs of €9000 per year at the same time as they apply for a spot in the program, stated Glombitza-Cevey. All they need to do is make an additional checkmark in the application. "The EU has a sufficient number of scholarships available for the start of the new program.”

Optimal Networks

The change of location, but also the cooperation with project partners, enables students to gather expertise and make important contacts for the future, said Glombitza-Cevey. "In addition, each semester students take part in an module that involves students from all the cohorts, for example a summer school. This means they get to know fellow students who are already further in their studies."

Innovative teaching methods such as eLearning courses also promote discussions among students. “Our students should use the Master’s program to network,” stated Andreas Glombitza-Cevey. "On the one hand, of course, they should network with the private sector and other universities, but also with each other."

 

Background: EIT Food

The project is supported by EIT Food, a knowledge and innovation community of the European Union, which brings together 50 leading companies and research institutions across Europe and is being funded by the EU for 10 years with a total of €400 million.

The objective of the innovation community, which was founded in 2016, is to more quickly implement research findings into marketable technologies, products, and services that are oriented especially on consumer needs and ecological standards.

It looks at the entire value chain of the food sector, from agricultural production to industrial processing to sales and nutrition.

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The EU will provide €2.4 million per year for the EIT degree program “Food Systems.”