About EIT Food

EIT Food is a Knowledge and Innovation Community supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an EU body created to find solutions to pressing global challenges. It is an integral part of the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation under H2020 programme and that will transition to the Horizon Europe in 2021.

EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, working to create a world where everybody can access and enjoy sustainable, safe and healthy food, with trust and fairness from farm to fork. Its mission is to transform how food is produced and valued by European society, solving the biggest innovation challenges through trusted industry, education and research partners working with informed and engaged citizens.

This is achieved through our 6 strategic objectives:

• Overcome low consumer trust
• Create consumer-valued food for healthier nutrition
• Build a consumer-centric connected food system -
• Enhance sustainability through resource stewardship -
• Educate to engage, innovate and advance
• Catalyse food entrepreneurship and innovation

To accelerate the transition to a healthier, more sustainable food system EIT Food is a membership-based organisation to create an ecosystem of industrial, academic and SME partners, including startups, working across the entire food system, to provide funding in support of the development and operation of dedicated programmes. These programmes are organised in support of the Knowledge Triangle, implemented at EIT Food across its Education, Innovation, Business Creation and Public Engagement Functional Areas.

EIT Food Education Manifesto

Food is essential. It gives us life. It gives us health, energy, vitality; it helps us to survive, to grow and to adapt. Food is everything. And so, its future is precious. Because the thing that unites seven billion of us can just as easily divide us. Food inequality is at an all-time high, the population continues to grow as resources continue to deplete, and all in the age of fake news and misinformation. These problems need innovative solutions and creative minds to come up with them. That is where you come in.

EIT Food are equipping trainers and learners all over Europe and beyond with the skills and knowledge they need to make a lasting impact on a rapidly evolving sector. They will not just learn how to keep pace with it. EIT Food makes it possible to have access to the latest research on the food you eat.

Through the flexible online courses, and with the support of a global network of learners, researchers, experts, and entrepreneurs, you will be inspired by some of the brightest minds the sector has to offer. You will get the freedom to immerse yourself in ground-breaking research, constantly feeding your appetite for knowledge, all at the forefront of innovation.

Education aims

EIT Food Education focuses on looking at ways to attract, develop and empower talent to help transform the food system into an innovative sector, one which produces healthy and sustainable food and is trusted by society. Adult educators and trainers play a crucial role in enabling such transformation.

EIT Food free online Courses - Upskilling and reskilling

While the percentage of online learning possibilities is rising, online learning environments can seem quite intimidating for those who have not had a chance to try them yet. On the one hand, it presents new challenges beyond those of a traditional classroom because many learners are unfamiliar with the online learning environment, which may include - as the EPALE community knows very well - unfamiliar technology, isolation from instructors and university staff, time-management, and a lack of face-to-face interaction with other learners. On the other hand, online courses can be attractive to some others because they offer flexibility, particularly for those with demanding professional or personal responsibilities. As an online course publisher, it is essential that EIT Food gives additional attention to strategies that will keep learners engaged, creates a successful learning environment, and provides a rewarding learning experience where learners feel supported, connected, and valued. These courses may be an important ally in every day’s training activities implemented by adult educators.

Better informed consumers and citizens (of all ages) would make better, healthier, and more sustainable choices. This is why EIT Food provides funding to top European universities to develop online courses on thematic related to food.

Its portfolio is currently composed of 25 free online courses, addressing thematic such food & health, circular economy, sustainable for production, food safety, trust, and much more. The courses are publicly available on the FutureLearn in English language, and they are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life.

You can access here the list of all EIT Food online courses that will be running in 2021 all year round.

Some exciting features of the courses available, and those that are upcoming, are that the partners offer the latest research in some lesser-known areas of the industry, sharing the latest innovation and exploring new and upcoming priorities. Not only does this offer opportunities for trainers to explore, but it may also develop and encourage much needed talent to enter this area of the industry.

Learn more about EIT Food

We offer many other opportunities for curious minds across all stages of learning and development.

You can find more information on our website and sign up here to receive opportunities straight to your inbox.

You can also expand your knowledge through exploring our myth busting content over at Food Unfolded, which creates and shares content on the latest food and agricultural innovations to help you rediscover the origins of your food.

If you’re looking for something a bit different, listen to our weekly Food Fight Podcast which explores the challenges and opportunities facing our food system and the entrepreneurs and innovations looking to solve them. From alternative proteins to food waste, we’ve got you covered! Listen here.

Connection with 2021 EPALE Thematic Focuses

One of this year’s priorities on EPALE is fostering Inclusive Social Change for Sustainability and Fairness.

Since adult education plays a key role in sustainable development and promotes social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development by enabling positive conditions for empowering active citizens, EIT Food may support adult educators in this challenge. The courses are a valuable tool for trainings and educational programmes on sustainability, health and citizenship. They range between basic skills and further training, so they can support different levels of education curricula.

Courses can be accessed for free here.

Let’s stay in touch

For EIT Food’s latest updates, connect through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. EIT Food looks forward to seeing you there!

This blog post has been written by Vivien Bodereau, Education Programme Manager at EIT Food, in cooperation with Claudia D'Eramo from the EPALE Central Support Service.