Postgraduate Certificate Sustainable Food Packaging Solutions
A world without food packaging is unthinkable. It offers numerous advantages in terms of hygiene, food safety, transport, reduction of food waste, etc. This postgraduate programme applies principles from different scientific fields to understand packaging material properties, food packaging requirements, and the packaging system. It focusses on packaging solutions in terms of Materials, Food, and Sustainability, and offers a hands-on internship.
What
Since food packaging plays a crucial role in reducing our ecological footprint, producers, consumers and governments are increasingly looking for sustainable food packaging solutions. Keeping a food product fresh and safe for as long as possible reduces food waste, but the material needed to ensure the longest possible shelf life is not always the most sustainable. Conversely, the most sustainable material may not have the best effect on the food in terms of food safety or quality. In this way, every food product faces its own puzzling question: which material and technology should we use to maximise shelf life, guarantee quality, be cost-efficient, sustainable, and safe? These issues are at the heart of the postgraduate programme. While the linked advanced master’s programme on Sustainable Food Packaging (www.sfp.ugent.be) adds extra integrative elements and a master’s thesis, this postgraduate programme allows students to gain knowledge in a more flexible way, and hands-on experience through an internship at an external organisation.
For whom
Professionals and recent graduates holding at least a bachelor’s degree, with a keen interest in Sustainable Food Packaging, basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel, and sufficient background in chemistry and mathematics.
Structure
The one year postgraduate programme consists of seven courses (30 ECTS), spread over seven months (September – March), and an internship (15 ECTS) that lasts until June. A programme of 45 ECTS in total.
- Classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 16:15 – 20:30, and on Fridays from 08:30 – 12:30 and/or 13:30 – 17:30.
- Classes on Tuesdays/Thursdays take place online.
- Classes on Fridays require physical presence on campus (Ghent University, Campus Kortrijk. Sint-Martens-Latemlaan 2B, 8500 Kortrijk).
Labour Market
After successful completion of the programme, you receive the Postgraduate Certificate: Food Packaging, awarded by Ghent University. The interdisciplinary character of the programme ensures that you are well prepared to pursue a career in a field related to Sustainability, Food and/or Packaging situated in sectors such as the food industry, packaging industry, packaging machines producing industry, gas supplying industry, retail, the waste and recycling industry, government agencies and NGOs. You will be qualified to fill technical-, research- policy- and management-oriented positions.
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
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