How Zahra brings research-based nutrition knowledge into her work as a dietician

“In a nursing home, there is a lot of nutrition,” she explains. “People have specific diets, but also wishes. We always try to find a balance between what they really want and what they really need.”

It is meaningful work, but also complex. In practice, questions around nutrition are rarely simple. What does a resident need? What is realistic? What does current research say? And how do you translate that into daily care?

For Zahra, that curiosity had already started during her bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics in Antwerp. During an internship in Groningen, where she worked on research related to healthy ageing, she discovered an interest in data, statistics and the broader role of nutrition in health. “In Flanders, we do not really have master’s programmes in nutrition,” she says. “When I read about this programme, I thought: this is epidemiology, and that is something we hardly touched upon in my bachelor’s.”

Zahra wanted to deepen her knowledge, but she also needed a programme that could fit alongside her work. That made the online, part-time structure of Wageningen University & Research’s Online Master’s in Nutritional Epidemiology and Public Health an important factor in her decision.

“I consciously chose part-time and online,” she says. “I knew from my bachelor’s during corona that studying from home worked well for me.”

At first, she wondered how much guidance there would be in an online programme. Would it feel personal? Would there be enough support? But those doubts quickly disappeared. The structure, short recorded lectures and active discussion forums helped her find a rhythm.

“It is very good to combine with a job. I come home and I can just watch a video. The videos are not long, usually around ten minutes, so that is really manageable.”

Some weeks are busier than others, she adds. The programme is a master’s degree, and it requires time and commitment. But the flexibility helps her continue learning without stepping away from her professional life.

Although the programme is online, Zahra does not experience it as something she does alone. Over time, the online group became a real learning community. Through discussion forums and group assignments, students start to recognise each other’s names, situations and working rhythms.

“You start to know people,” Zahra says. “You know who reacts often on the forum, who has more time, who also works four days a week. After a few courses, you know who you can ask for help.”

Meeting fellow students on campus during the WUR weeks made that connection even stronger. “It is a very warm, nice dynamic. Most of us have a job, so we understand each other’s challenges. We work together and support each other.”

The same goes for the contact with teachers. Even though most lectures are recorded, Zahra feels that the programme is personal and well-supported. “It is not like we are just a group floating somewhere online,” she says. “They are there for us. When we email, we get answers.”

What Zahra appreciates most is that the programme connects academic knowledge with real-world relevance. Many lectures and assignments are linked to current research by WUR professors, including topics such as non-communicable diseases, cancer, diet and public health.

That makes the knowledge directly useful in her work as a dietician. “I take a lot of what I learn into my job,” she says. “What is the current research? What do we know now? The programme is very up-to-date.”

Not every subject comes easily. Statistics and data processing, for example, can be challenging. But Zahra also sees how important those skills are for understanding nutrition research and applying it critically.

“Those are difficult subjects,” she says. “But they are interesting when you have enough time to really work on them.”

For Zahra, the master’s is not only about gaining knowledge. It is also about developing a broader, more research-based way of looking at nutrition and health. The programme helps her better understand the evidence behind nutritional advice and gives her tools to bring that knowledge back into practice.

“In three or four weeks, you learn so much,” she says. “In a short time, you feel: I really have so much extra knowledge, and I can really take that into real life and into my work.”

Would she recommend the programme to others? Absolutely, although she is clear that it is not something to take lightly.

“I would not say it is easy. It is a master’s degree. It is hard and it has its challenges. But you learn so much in a short time.”

For Zahra, choosing Wageningen was also about studying at a university with a strong reputation and clear ambitions. “I wanted to study somewhere where I could later say: I studied at a university that also works on itself,” she says. “I am proud to say that I study at Wageningen.”