Blended
Food Systems for Healthier and Sustainable Diets
By 2050 it is estimated that the world population to have grown to around 9.7 billion people. The global challenge is not only how to feed the growing population, but also how to provide a nutritious diet for healthy living that can be sustained for generations. Food systems have a key role in delivering high quality diets but presently do not ensure nutritious diets, reflected in the high levels of malnutrition in the world. Food systems need to be transformed to sustainably address the societal and health challenges such as COVID-19 and move from just supplying sufficient food to providing sufficient high quality diets for all.
*Full-time course will be taught online and in the Netherlands, course date is subject to change
What will you learn?
Upon completion of the course you will be able to:
- explain the components, activities and stakeholders of food systems, and their interconnections with sustainable healthy diets.
- apply the concept of food environment, understanding the drivers of consumer food choices and the challenges and trade-offs to identify food environment innovations for transforming to sustainable healthy diets.
- evaluate food environment innovations for healthy and sustainable diets.
- engage in debates on food environment transformation using a (food) system thinking.
- to implement reflective learning at personal and group level.
For whom is this course?
Applicants should have preferable a MSc degree or its equivalent in the field of food and nutrition, food science, home economics, agriculture, medicine or a related field of study. Participants should have at least three years of professional experience in governmental (research, university, policy & planning and/or management) or local non-governmental organisation related to the course theme. Proficiency in reading and speaking English is required.
Course programme in more detail
The global challenge at the moment is not only how to feed the growing population, but also how to provide a nutritious diet for active and healthy living in the context of urbanization, climate change, increased pressure on natural resources and concerns about the violation of the rights and needs of the more vulnerable groups resulting in marginalization. Nutritious diets should not only respond to the current and future health challenges but should also be sustained for generations. Achieving this goal requires a radical transformation of the global food system. This course explores transforming of the food environment from a dietary perspective and discuss which drivers and challenges are related to the dietary gaps for different populations groups at national, regional and global level. It discusses possible actions to be taken to transform the food environment and consumer food choices to sustainably address the societal and health challenges and move from just supplying sufficient food to providing sufficient high quality diets for all.
Course formats
Our courses are offered in two format: online or blended. A course taught in blended format is taught partially online and partially in person. Check the course details for more information about whether it is taught in online or blended format.
Application for this course
On top of this page you can apply for the course Food Systems for Healthier and Sustainable Diets. Depending on your nationality, your organisation and the type of course you wish to join, your eligibility and the application procedures may differ. Find out more about the requirements and the application process.