This winter, The Foodscapes Collective has put together a list of the top 5 university programs in Europe that are offering opportunities to pursue degrees in food and agricultural studies.
In a world facing the impacts of climate change every day, issues such as the impact of agricultural practices and food consumption are becoming hot-topics and interest in studying these topics is steadily growing around the world. This listicle highlights our top-5 opportunities to help our readers to start, or continue, their academic journey.
Click the link to view our directory of food and agriculture programs across Europe. Link opens a Google Sheets document.
- University of Hohenheim, Germany
Consistently ranked among Germany’s top universities and globally recognized for excellence in Agricultural Research and Food Science, the University of Hohenheim provides numerous opportunities in agricultural research and food systems. With 14 study programs in Agriculture and one doctoral program, it offers the most comprehensive and specialized curriculum in the field. The Faculty is dedicated to advancing sustainable agricultural production methods, preserving rural landscapes, and promoting consumer and environmental protection, as well as animal welfare. One standout program is the master’s in Environmental Protection & Agricultural Food Production, one of our favorites from our comprehensive list.
- University of Tour, France
The University of Tour’s Centre for Higher Studies of the Renaissance (CESR) offers a two-year Master’s in Food Cultures and Heritage degree. This program is supported by three key institutions: the European Institute for the History and Cultures of Food, which helped UNESCO recognize the ‘Gastronomic Meal of the French’; the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie, a cultural center for gastronomy; and the and the University of Tours’s own centre for food studies, the Pôle Alimentation. These initiatives create rich opportunities for engagement in food-related projects. The CESR is working to advance university research and teaching in connection with “food cultures and heritages” in the humanities and social sciences.
The University of Gastronomic Sciences, founded in 2004 by the well-known food movement Slow Food, aims to serve as a global hub for research and education. The university is working to renew farming methods, protect biodiversity, and build a relationship between gastronomy and agricultural sciences. The university offers an BSc in Food Sciences and Cultures as well as multiple MA and MSc in topics ranging from Food Industry Management to Agroecology and Food Sovereignty.
- City London University, The United Kingdom
The City University of London’s Center for Food Policy offers a one year Masters program in Food Policy. Their unique Master’s program has been running for twenty years and is dedicated to exploring the food system in practice. The research in this institute focuses on three key themes:
→ Systems to approach decision-making in food policy
→ Policies to reshape the food system
→ Generating insights for more equitable, effective food policy
- Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
Wageningen University doesn’t just talk about sustainability—it actively demonstrates it. For the eighth year in a row, it has been recognized as the world’s most sustainable university by the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Committed to its mission to “explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”, Wageningen offers a diverse range of Bachelor’s and Master’s programs focused on food and agriculture, spanning both technical and political fields. As the top-ranked university in the Netherlands and #67 globally, Wageningen University and Research is definitely worth considering.
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