The new two-year European Master of Science in Food Science, Technology and Business (BiFTec) is jointly organised by three European partner institutions: KU Leuven, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (HSA) and Catholic University of Portugal (UCP). It fosters innovation and technology to help you cope with future needs and sustainability. BiFTec adopts a horizontal, multidisciplinary approach to a broad range of topics related to food production, processing and agribusiness. The programme also offers specialisation with state-of-the-art courses on food processing, development, and business. Upon graduation, you will receive a joint degree from the three consortium partners.
BiFTec attracts students from all over the world, which adds a valuable intercultural element to your experience. In addition to positions offered directly by the consortium partners, you will get the opportunity to conduct your professional competence module and/or your master’s thesis research at an associated partner institution or organisation in New Zealand, the USA, Russia, Italy, Poland, or Germany.
The objectives of the programme are to:
Overall learning outcomes:
The BiFTec-programme prepares competent employees for sectors including food production, processing and agribusiness as well as for industry and academia.
The Interuniversity Programme in Food Technology (IUPFOOD) focuses on two technological dimensions of prime and crucial importance in food processing and preservation:
These two concerns are directly translated in the focus points of the IUPFOOD programme.
The InterUniversity Programme in Food Technology (IUPFOOD) is jointly organised by KU Leuven and Ghent University (UGent). The programme builds on KU Leuven’s and UGent’s combined expertise in research and education in the field of food technology.
The Master of Science in Food Technology (120 ECTS) consists of four major segments:
In the first year of the Master's programme, students will spend the first semester in Ghent and the second semester in Leuven. The second stage courses of the majors 'Postharvest and Food Preservation Engineering' and 'Food Science and Technology' are taught respectively at KU Leuven and UGent; at both universities, optional courses and thesis research topics are offered.
1. Has profound and detailed scientific knowledge and understanding of the (bio)chemical processes in biological raw materials during postharvest storage and their transformation into food products.
2. Has profound and detailed scientific knowledge and understanding of engineering principles of unit operations and their use in the transformation of raw materials into food products as a basis for qualitative and quantitative design, evaluation and optimization of food process and preservation unit operations.
3. Has profound and detailed scientific knowledge and understanding of ecology, physiology, detection, use and combat microorganisms in food systems.
4. Has profound and detailed scientific knowledge and understanding of (bio)-chemical, physical and microbiological methods for analysis of raw materials and foods including the skills to identify and use such methods in the context of research, process and product design and optimization and food control.
5. Has profound and detailed scientific knowledge in different fields of product technology such as vegetable products, dairy products, meat products, fish products, cereal derived products and fermented products including aspects of product development in relation to consumer behavior.
6. Can critically evaluate the functionality and safety of foods in the context of human health including the relation with raw materials and their processing into foods based on analytical data and scientific literature data.
7. Masters the skills and has acquired the problem solving capacity to analyze problems of food quality and safety along the food chain and to elaborate interdisciplinary and integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches and solutions (including implementation) appreciating the complexity of food systems and the processes used while taking into account technical limitations and socio-economic aspects such as feasibility, risks, and sustainability.
8. Has acquired a broad perspective to problems of food security, related to postharvest and food processing, in low income developing countries.
9. Can investigate and understand interaction with other relevant science domains and integrate them within the context of more advanced ideas and practical applications and problem solving.
10. Can demonstrate critical consideration of and reflection on known and new theories, models or interpretation within the broad field of food technology.
11. Can identify and apply appropriate research methods and techniques to design, plan and execute targeted experiments or simulations independently and critically evaluate and interpret the collected data.
12. Can develop and execute independently original scientific research and/or apply innovative ideas within research environments to create new and/or improved insights and/or solutions for complex (multi)disciplinary research questions respecting the results of other researchers.
13. Can convincingly and professionally communicate personal research, thoughts, ideas, and opinions of proposals, both written and oral, to different actors and stakeholders from peers to a general public.
14. Has acquired project management skills to act independently and in a multidisciplinary team as team member or team leader in international and intercultural settings.
IUPFOOD's objective is to offer a programme that takes the specific needs and approaches of developing countries into account. The IUPFOOD programme prepares graduates for various tasks, including teaching and research. IUPFOOD alumni are mainly active in the following sectors:
