Valid for: 2023/24
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering, LTH
Decided by: PLED B/K
Date of Decision: 2023-04-18
Main field: Food Systems.
Compulsory for: MLSA1
Language of instruction: The course will be given in English
The SPOC introduces Master of Food System students to the concept of Food Systems, and the role of systems innovation to solve societal challenges. They learn about the origins and potential use of these concepts to create new value-added products and services to facilitate more sustainable and healthier diets, and foster circularity and resource efficiency. System science principles are introduced to analyse and optimise the workings of complex systems. Finally, specific elements of Food Systems are discussed, and possible cases of new networks considered.
Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must
• Be able to understand and discuss the role of innovation in the food system
• be able to demonstrate the importance of a food system approach and its relevance for system innovation
• through a selected consumer segment demonstrate consumer insight and understanding the driving factors of consumers about their food choices
• be able to discuss key principles of system science, in particular those relevant for food systems
• be able to analyse the principal components of the food system and describe their systemic interactions and dependencies
Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must
• be able to critically evaluate different responses to
current challenges in food systems
• have the ability to independently and in group plan, report and
discuss the findings and conclusions of practical assignments on
the topic of sustainable food processing
• be able to model their own career in the food system by
reflecting on existing competencies and the potential for knowledge
and skill development in the chosen study path of the master’s
programme
Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must
• be able to independently seek and evaluate information in
from different sources
• show ability for teamwork and collaboration in different
groupstioner och beroenden
Introduction to Food Systems is taught as a four week online course via the platform FutureLearn. All students from all participating universities join the course at the beginning of the programme.
WEEK 1 The Case of Food Systems and How it is Related to Food Ethics
Introduction to the Course
Why Food Systems? Global Challenges and Trends
Panel discussion 1: Food systems focus
Innovation Opportunities in Food Systems: Creativity and Transformational Power
Food Systems in a Societal Context: Ethics and Environmental Sustainability
Case study I: The Policy Perspective
Summary Week I
WEEK 2 Why we need Food Ethics & the fundamentals of System Sciences & Food System Nodes I
Food Systems in Societal context: Ethics and Environmental Sustainability
An Introduction to System Science
System Elementals I
System Elementals II
Summary Week II
WEEK 3
Food System Nodes I
Introduction
Production
Processing
Food Distribution and Logistics
Food Choice from a Consumer Perspective
Panel Discussion series
Summary week III
WEEK 4 Food System Nodes II & Discussion series
Side Streams
Food Integrity
Panel Discussions: Microbiome and Career in the food system
Online Seminar Series: Current issues & trends in the food system
Summary week IV
Grading scale: TH - (U,3,4,5) - (Fail, Three, Four, Five)
Assessment: Examination is:
1. implemented continuously through the FutureLearn platform, and structured feedback related to the EIT overarching learning outcomes addressed by the module.
2.an individual reflective portfolio developed by each student.
The examiner, in consultation with Disability Support Services, may deviate from the regular form of examination in order to provide a permanently disabled student with a form of examination equivalent to that of a student without a disability.
The number of participants is limited to: No
Course coordinator: Håkan Jönsson, hakan.jonsson@food.lth.se
Course coordinator: Claudia Lazarte, claudia.lazarte@food.lth.se
Course homepage: http://www.food.lth.se/english
Further information: All the reading materials are provided in the platform FutureLearn