EIT Food

Master in Food Systems

How is the course structured?

The duration of this programme is 2 years.

All students will follow the online module “Introduction to the Food System” as the first module of the first semester. You will then go through a semester-long study block at your first university. 

The second semester is spent at a first or second university of the consortium. You will also take part in a Summer School on entrepreneurship with all other students enrolled on the programme.

You start at your second or third university during the third semester, where you take part in a semester-long Market Feasibility Study along with further food systems modules.

For the final semester, you can stay where you are (dual degree programmes) or return to your home institution to complete your Master’s thesis. The thesis will be mentored by a team of EIT Food Partners (including players from industry, academia and research institutes).​

Each university offers a specific block of courses based on their expertise, and by combining three of these study tracks you will gain integrated knowledge of the food system (e.g. primary production + food processing + consumer sciences, or food production + logistics + digitisation).

In addition, pan-European activities at industrial partner sites will ensure you bond with the rest of the students enrolled on the programme.

The Path Advisory Tool provides you with detailed information about each path offered, which you can find on the webpage.

Study Paths and Profiles

The Master in Food Systems (MFS) is designed to create skills and knowledge crucial for tackling the most urgent challenges facing the food sector today. In the MFS partnership, we have identified a number of profiles that specifically address each of these challenges. All study paths in the MFS combine expertise from two or three different partner universities. Select the profile that best matches your area of interest, to find the study paths which offer the deepest focus on this area.

Circular food systems

A shift from our current linear model (make, use, dispose) to a circular food system is required. This implies reuse of resources, reduction and (re)-utilisation of side- and waste-streams to prevent food loss and waste and to allow nutrient recycling and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as water and land use. This includes circular business models for sustainable Food Systems, and system thinking as a guide for the assessment of strengths and challenges of circularity processes.

Consumer practices and public engagement

The way consumers buy and consume food is of the uppermost importance for driving the transformation towards a sustainable Food System. Consumer behaviour area together with the public engagement of consumers for a co-creational and awareness process, should be present.

Targeted nutrition and health management

Healthy nutrition is a key factor in reducing non-communicable diseases (NCD), child and adult obesity. Providing the necessary nutrients depending on the citizen group and/or community is an important area of the Food Systems. Targeted and healthy nutrition should embrace sustainable production and circularity of food systems, to deliver an impact in the sector. It synergizes with a consumer-centric view of the food systems.

Sustainable production

We need to ensure sustainable food production across the entire food chain via the use of new "green-methods", in order to make the best use of nature-based, technological, digital, and space-based solutions, to deliver better climate and environmental results, increase climate resilience and reduce and optimise the use of inputs (e.g. pesticides, fertilisers). In this respect agriculture, 4.0 and rationalisation of resources contribute to sustainable food production.

Food safety, transparency, traceability

Food safety is a cornerstone of quality, healthiness and excellence of the food. However, consumers have reduced trust in the food sector. This is complicated by a highly fragmented food sector, suffering from a lack of transparency. State-of-the-art analytical and biological methods, as well as systems for early detection of harmful substances in food, are essential for food safety. Digitalisation, analytics and biological data coupled with a data management processes will be instrumental for guaranteeing the safety of citizens and rekindling trust in the Food System.

Management of food system innovations

Innovation management is key for those who want to invent and develop sustainable, innovative solutions for the food sector, and simultaneously have an impact on the commercialization process. The goal is to develop and enhance an entrepreneurial and responsible mindset, as well as the skill to identify market needs and opportunities and provide new and significant value for customers. The profile addresses the theory and practice of management for all levels of previous expertise and specifically aims at translating managerial skills into food system innovations.

Innovative food processing

A critical part of the sustainable transformation of our food system is the processing of agricultural raw materials into foods. Innovative novel technology and holistic process designs are the basis of producing foods that are more environmental-friendly with fewer sidestreams. Innovative food processing elevates food processing beyond the state-of-the-art operations to create an overall higher food quality for an enhanced and more sustainable consumer experience.

Protein Diversification

Protein is an important part of a healthy human diet, but the overproduction of animal-based protein is damaging to the environment. If we’re going to feed our fast-growing global population, then we need to find sustainable ways of producing new, high-quality, safe, and healthy proteins, such as plant-based proteins, cultivated meat, and insect protein.

Digitalisation and data management

Digital technology is the cornerstone for sustainable agri-food systems. Massive data collection requires skills to master and use digital tools to access, manage, analyse and interpret data. Emerging digital technologies allow performing tasks relevant to the food system from managing a process to probing a market trend - an indispensable set of skills for the future.

You will accomplish this by taking a 'learning and experimental' journey through our network of industrial, academic and entrepreneurial partners. 

By the end of the program, you will be able to: 

• Critically assess the short and long-term consequences of decisions from an integrated scientific, ethical and inter-generational perspective.
• Collaborate in a team environment using a solution-based approach.
• Translate innovations into feasible business solutions for the food sector.
• ‘Think outside the box’, and systematically explore and generate new ideas, responding to current and future challenges within the food system.
• Use knowledge, ideas and technology to create new or significantly improved products, services, processes, new business models or jobs in the food sector.
• Use cutting-edge research techniques for new venture creation and growth, and apply these in cross-disciplinary teams and contexts.
• Create novel solutions to research problems and challenges through practical experiences in different areas of the food sector.
• Develop decision-making and leadership competencies.

Graduates will become part of an international alumni network, and we will connect you with our entire professional network so that you have access to the right support when you want to innovate or create a new venture at any point in your career.