NEXTFOOD: transforming education to develop sustainable food systems

Abstract

We describe preliminary outcomes of a research project that aims to develop a new approach in education and training to better prepare current and future professionals to work for positive changes in the agriculture, food and forestry sector. In multiple research activities, educational approaches are being developed based on close collaboration among students, teachers, farmers, food industry representatives and citizens. Results to date emphasize the importance of strengthening and making transparent specific learning outcomes that help students deal with complexity, such as holistic thinking, collaboration skills and integrating scientific knowledge with knowledge based on lived experience. We also show how this can be achieved in a studentcentred, action-oriented educational setting. Consistent with the principles of agroecology, educational programmes are unique to each institution, culture, language, and terroir. While results are highly positive during the initial experiments with new approaches to education, such a transformation comes with challenges both for students, faculty members, teaching institutions, and stakeholders who are often accustomed to topdown planning. We have associated research in progress to identify both benefits and challenges to achieving this transformation, and welcome creative suggestions from education colleagues in ENOAT.

Published in

Title: ENOAT 2020 Workshop -- online from University of Maribor, Slovenia. September 27. 2020 Organized by Martina Bavec, Slovenia September 27, 2020
Publisher: ENOAT

Conference

ENOAT 2020 Workshop, 200927, online from University of Maribor, Slovenia

SLU Authors

• Melin, Martin

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science
Didactics


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109491