Inspire – Circular AgriFood – EIT Food Learning Services

Course information

The CircularAgriFood Autumn School aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of circularity principles and cutting-edge technologies in agrifood systems. It explores challenges and opportunities for circularity, fostering creativity and ideation. The school encourages the development of innovative solutions for real-world challenges and equips participants with practical skills and knowledge applicable to their careers. Participants will learn strategies and technologies to reduce waste, emissions, and promote resource efficiency in the agrifood sector. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills will be developed to address real life circularity challenges in agrifood systems. The school also emphasises collaboration and networking with professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Intermediate Level: This level is suitable for students who have some basic understanding of the subject matter and want to deepen their knowledge.
Course duration: 2 weeks online + 1 week in-person
Start date: 25/09/2023
End date: 19/10/2023
Online and on-site (Arruda-dos-Vinhos, Portugal)
Language: English
Certificate of completion

The CircularAgriFood Autumn School has several unique selling points and advantages to the participants:

Challenge-Based Approach: participants are presented with real-world challenges from industry and academic partners. This approach goes beyond theoretical learning and provides participants with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to solve practical problems. By working on these challenges, participants gain valuable hands-on experience and develop innovative solutions that can have a real impact in the agrifood sector.
Immersive Experience: The program offers an immersive week in Portugal, where participants have the opportunity to collaborate directly with mentors and industry partners. This hands-on experience allows participants to deepen their understanding of circularity, build relationships with professionals in the field, and further develop their ideas and solutions. The immersive experience enhances the practical application of knowledge and provides a unique networking opportunity for participants.
Focus on Cutting-Edge Technologies: The school places a strong emphasis on the most up-to-date deeptech innovations available for implementing circular practices in the agrifood sector. Participants gain knowledge about the latest advancements in precision agriculture, digital solutions for supply chain optimization, waste valorization technologies, and sustainable packaging innovations.
Recognition and Final Prize: The school offers participants the chance to pitch their ideas and solutions to a panel of experts, which can lead to future ventures and/or collaborations and partnerships. The top-performing team is awarded a prize of €5,000 in mentoring services.

The CircularAgriFood Autumn School is designed for professionals, students, and researchers who are interested in advancing their knowledge and skills in circularity in agrifood. Participants will have the opportunity to network with experts and peers from diverse backgrounds, and to gain practical insights on how to apply circular principles in their own work. By the end of the program, participants will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to contribute to the development of sustainable and regenerative food systems.

What you learn?

You will learn the following competencies:

Entrepreneurship:
- Design effective actions to scale societal impact.
Problem Solving:
- Mobilise effective co-creation methodologies to generate original and sustainable solutions that include relevant voices
Critical Thinking:
- Collect, analyse, interpret and report information to develop sustainable solutions to current and future challenges.
Food Systems:
- Design innovative responses to address sustainability challenges in the food system.
Technology Management
- Mobilise appropriate technologies in innovation processes

Structure & Modules

Agrifood circularity is crucial for sustainable and resilient food systems, prioritising renewable resources, waste reduction, emissions reduction, by-product valorization, and regenerative practices. It mitigates environmental degradation, preserves resources, enhances food security, and offers economic benefits. Transitioning to circularity is vital for our planet’s well-being amid a growing population and limited resources.

The CircularAgriFood Autumn School is a 14-day program providing a comprehensive understanding of circularity in agriculture and food systems, in parallel with sessions aimed at triggering the entrepreneurial mindset of our participants. Through a challenge-based approach, participants gain practical skills and knowledge to design and implement solutions in circular food systems, using cutting-edge technologies. Top-performing groups will advance to week 3, an immersive week in Portugal, in which they will further improve their solutions by collaborating in-person with expert mentors in te beautiful landscape of Arruda-dos-Vinhos. The final pitch competition awards the winning team a €5,000.00 prize to be used in mentoring services provided by the organisers.

Participation Fees

There are free places for people on parental leave; people unemployed or employed, but on a low income and people living in rural areas. Get in touch with mariana.fazenda@eitfood.eu to get your free code. No questions will be asked and no explanation is required.

For group bookings get in touch with at inspire@eitfood.eu to discuss our discounted offer for group bookings with over 10 participants (including charities, students, and organisation interested in bulk places).

Career Opportunities

During the intensive three-week program, participants of this school will gain the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue diverse career opportunities within the food system. This program will empower participants to apply innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities to create impactful solutions within the food industry. Whether it’s developing sustainable farming practices, creating new food products, analyzing food systems, or driving policy changes, graduates of this program will be well-prepared to embark on entrepreneurial paths in the dynamic field of food innovation.

In collaboration with

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Programme Leaders

Cláudia Godinho

Head of StartUp Academy at BGI
claudia.godinho@bgi.pt

Cláudia Costa

Coordinator of Food4Sustainability Academy
claudia.costa@food4sustainability.org