Rethinking food systems for better health and sustainability
The programme is based on an inter-disciplinary learning journey bearing 6 credits designed and delivered by professors of the Universities of Padua, Sydney and Lausanne, together with local partners from the industry.The latter will introduce a challenge and/or case study that the students will be encouraged to work on/solve.
Programme Summary Food is central to family, cultural and community identity. It is essential to sustain life and food-related activities, provide income and livelihoods for billions of people on earth. With the continuing rise in global food production and manufacturing to meet increasing demand and the additional impact on ecosystems and climate, there is a pressing need to rethink our food systems. In this project, student teams representing unique mixes of disciplines will explore questions such as: How can we transform food systems so it can meet the changing needs of consumers in a more sustainable way? What role can consumers, producers, manufacturers, industry leaders and government play to achieve ambitious targets? How can we rewrite the narrative of food production and supply to reflect a progressive industry that will engage a diverse future workforce and facilitate a more comprehensive approach to solving complex issues within the sector? Through collaborative research into these areas, students will provide solutions on how we can rethink food systems for better health and sustainability.
Partners ICPU is a collaborative programme designed and delivered by three internationally renowned Universities, i.e. the University of Padua (Italy), the University of Sydney (Australia) and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). This year’s edition will be hosted by the University of Sydney. The project class will be made up of a mix of students from the three above mentioned universities (up to 75 students, 25 from each university). External partners (industries, community-organizations, other stakeholders) will also be involved throughout the project, and will assigned business cases to students.
Format The project will combine online activities with field-trips and face-to-face classes held at the University of Sydney, Australia.
Dates detail
Week 1: 30 June - 3 July - remote work (online)
Weeks 2 and 3: 1 - 18 July – travelling and face-to-face in Sydney, Australia
Week 4: 21-27 July: remote work (online)
Learning Outcomes At the end of the programme, students will be able to: LO1. Demonstrate critical awareness of, and apply, disciplinary knowledge, skills, and personal attributes to address complex real-world problems LO2. Assess and integrate diverse stakeholder perspectives to generate innovative insights into complex problems LO3. Purposefully select and apply complex problem-solving approaches and methods LO4. Communicate novel ideas effectively and persuasively in professional settings using relevant media LO5. Demonstrate professionalism (proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity) in collaborative project work
Supervisor: Mara Thiene Co-supervisors: Roberto Antonietti, Martino Cassandro, Caroline Clark, Francesca Gambino, Luigi Marfè, Alex Martucci, Zuleika Murat, Marco Patruno, Enrico Zucchi
Useful information When: 30 June – 27 July 2025 Where: University of Sydney, Australia Number of available places for students of the University of Padua: 25 Cost: participants are granted EUR 1.500 scholarship
Applications close on 12 March, 1pm The programme is part of the Global Intensives call
From June 28 to July 23, the University of Padua inaugurates the new ICPU - Industry and Community Project - international innovative teaching project, developed in collaboration with the University of Sydney.
The course offers students from the University of Padua and the University of Sydney the opportunity to acquire soft skills, relationship skills, teamwork and a "problem-solving" approach. In order to promote their personal and professional growth, the students will be supervised by entrepreneurs and industrialists. They will work in mixed groups of 10, each with deliberately different profiles (psychology, engineering, statistics, medicine, etc.), and from Padua and Sydney.
The project foresees a compact didactic path of 6 CFU, based on the Department of Territory and Agro-forestry systems. The direction of the course is headed by prof. Mara Thiene (University of Padua) and prof. Rosalind Deaker (University of Sydney).
Among the industrial and institutional partners there are: KPMG, Harris Farm, Ferrero, illycaffé, Nonino, Jonix, Brazzale, Brazzale, Ancoral, EU Spokesperson at the WTO and the Regione Veneto.
"Food and Health" in collaboration with the University of Sydney, held at the University of Padova, in partnership with Brazzale Italy
Period: 24th June-9th July 2019
ECTS: 6
Participants: 25 selected students of the University of Padova and 25 selected students of the University of Sydney
Food systems and human health are inextricably linked, and depend on trust and agreement between all actors in the food value chain as well as adequate world food policy frameworks. The rates of non-communicable diseases have increased rapidly in recent years, particularly in developed countries and in urban areas of countries with economies in transition. Virtually all of these disorders are diet-related and, not surprisingly, do not respond well to the pharmaceutical model that characterises today's health care paradigm. Therefore, promoting better nutrition is a major goal in order to reduce non-communicable disease. Brazzale (est. 1784), is the oldest Italian dairy company and you will be exposed to the Italian food production system through visits to a range of farms, food and beverage processors and manufacturers including dairy, pasta and prosecco. In this project, you will look at smart food or food designed for health and wellness as it is the fastest growing food and beverage category resulting from a sharp rise in non-communicable chronic diseases.
