System Thinking and Lean Approach for Agrifood Professionals
Gain practical systems thinking and lean tools to identify operational inefficiencies, streamline workflows and reduce waste within your organisations.
Course information
- DURATION
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6 weeks (7 learning days) - Approximately 20 hours of live sessions, guided exercises and applied project work brought to you by Rural PM Academy
- LOCATION
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100% online
- ACCREDITED BY
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EIT Food
- FEES
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€1100 per learner
Overview: System Thinking and Lean Approach for Agrifood Professionals
Who, What & When? : Who is this course for?
This course is for agrifood professionals and organisations who are responsible for improving operational performance within SMEs, cooperatives, food production companies and public food institutions.
An EIT Label accredited 6-week programme for agrifood professionals, including managers and sustainability leads who seek structured tools to improve operational performance, Â reduce inefficiencies and strengthen organisational resilience.
Participants learn practical systems thinking and lean management methods to optimise workflows, improve resource efficiency and redesign internal operating models.Â
What will you achieve?
Participants gain practical systems thinking and lean tools to identify operational inefficiencies, streamline workflows and reduce waste within their organisations. They learn how to map internal processes, prioritise improvement actions and redesign operating structures to strengthen resilience and resource efficiency. The programme equips professionals to implement measurable improvements that support circular practices and long term competitiveness.
By the end of the course you will be able to....
- Identify systemic inefficiencies within your organisations
- Reduce operational waste and optimise resource flow
- Improve organisational resilience to volatility and supply disruptions
- Redesign internal operating structures for greater efficiency and long term sustainability
The course is delivered in English and you will be expected to successfully complete a final assessment to verify your achievements.
Alumni join the EIT Food Hive network and may participate in future advanced masterclasses.
When does the course take place?
This course will run twice in 2026
Applications for the Spring Cohort are open now until 31st March 2026, and the course will run from 20th April to 29th May2026
Applications for the Autumn cohort will be available from 1st to 31st August 2026 and the course will run from 14th September to 23rd October 2026.
Applications are submitted via Rural PM Academy website. and applicants will be asked to provide professional background information and a short statement outlining their operational responsibilities.
The course lasts for 6 weeks of blended learnings covering about 20 hours of total study. There are 2 weeks (7 learning days) of live sessions plus online guided exercises and applied project work.Â
Structure and Delivery:
- Â 6 weeks of blended format
- 1.5-2 hours live interactive session per week
- Structured guided exercises
- Applied case analysis and organisational mapping
- Independent reflection and project development
Supported through:
- EIT Food LMS (asynchronous materials and submissions)
- Live interactive sessions via Zoom
- Online collaborative tools for systems mapping
- Lean work templates (Value Stream Mapping, 5S frameworks)
- Applied agrifood case studies
Module Descriptions
The programme consists of 6 structured modules delivered over six weeks
Module 1. Systems Thinking Foundations Introduction to feedback loops, interdependencies and circular vs extractive operating models in agrifood organisations.Â
Module 2. Diagnosing Organisational Challenges Identification of sustainability challenges, inefficiencies and resilience gaps through structured analysis.
Module 3. Lean Tools for Internal Efficiency Application of value stream mapping, 5S and minimum viable process principles to redesign internal workflows.
Module 4. Resource Mobilisation Strategies Assessment of financial and non-financial resource flows and development of structured mobilisation strategies.
Module 5. Designing Enhanced Operating Architectures Integration of systems thinking and lean tools into a coherent organisational redesign model.
Module 6. Integration and Applied Reflection Synthesis of learning into a final enhanced operating architecture project tailored to the participant’s organisation.
Course Developed by :
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