Advanced Master of Science in Sustainable Food Packaging

A world without packaging is unthinkable. It offers numerous advantages in terms of hygiene, food safety, transport, reduction of food waste, etc., but the current impact of certain materials and uses on the environment is too big and unsustainable.

Ghent University, therefore, wants to stimulate a switch towards 100% reusable, recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging, and prepare students to become experts in sustainable food packaging systems.

The MSc in Sustainable Food Packaging brings the three domains (Sustainability, Food, and packaging) together and prepares students to design and/or optimize a food packaging system with a conscious and critical choice of resources and production methods, while at the same time considering the corporate or organizational culture, its mission and vision, and the broad socio-economic context:

“How we can keep food safe and preserve it for the required shelf-life using food packaging systems that are sustainable and balance the ecological footprint with ensuring access to high-quality food and maintaining profitable food supply chains?”

Target audience

The programme aims at three types of students:

• recent graduates
• international students
• professionals

In general, any highly motivated candidate with a master’s degree, a keen interest in Sustainability, Food and Packaging, and sufficient background in chemistry and mathematics can be admitted.

If you hold a master’s degree in an entirely different field of study, your application will still be considered if you can demonstrate the necessary academic requirements.

Learning outcomes

The MSc in Sustainable Food Packaging delivers experts in sustainable food packaging systems and prepares students to design and/or optimise a food packaging system with a conscious and critical choice of resources and production methods, while at the same time considering the corporate or organisational culture, its mission and vision, and the broad socio-economic context.

Graduates receive an MSc degree in Sustainable Food Packaging and will be part of a unique international network of specialists in state-of-the-art sustainable food packaging technologies.

Structure

The MSc in Sustainable Food Packaging is a one year programme but has a modular structure.

It is divided into five modules, allowing you to spread the programme over several years and study part-time. It does not follow the traditional semester system. Together with online teaching activities and evening classes, it offers you maximum flexibility to combine the programme with a career, family, hobbies, etc.

You have two or three courses per block which allow you to process the content in a more focused and in-depth manner.

All blocks build upon each other in a logical sequence, but modules 2 and 3 are interchangeable. This allows you to complete the programme in two or even three years.

The exams for these respective courses take place after each modular block.