The course aims to train professionals with advanced expertise in the agri-food and nutrition sectors, addressing its socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and nutritional sustainability aspects through a One Health framework. The course will focus on the Mediterranean Diet, particularly its Italian variations (“Med-in-Italy”), integrating knowledge across humanities (history, geography, and eating habits) and technical fields (food chemistry, agronomy, food technologies, human nutrition, economics, and regulations).

Objectives

The Advanced International Course (AIC) on “Food, nutrition, sustainability, and wellbeing. The Med-in-Italy experience”, has the general aim of forming professionals with advanced competencies for working in the field of agri-food and nutrition system considering all its specific aspects (socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and nutritional sustainability) following a One Health logic.

The Mediterranean Diet will represent, due to its specific characteristics, the polar star towards which the course will move, with a focus on its Italian way-of-eating declinations (the “Med-in-Italy”).

The Course will integrate knowledge and skills relating to humanistic aspects (history and geography of territories and eating habits) with more technical ones (food chemistry, agronomy and food technologies, food science, human nutrition, economic and marketing sciences), and regulations (legislative and normative aspects). 

Target Group

The Master’s program is intended for:

• Professionals working in the healthcare area who aim to acquire knowledge and skills in the field of food sciences, dietetics and human nutrition.
• Managers, officials and employees working in public social and welfare facilities, kindergartens, public schools, universities.
• Consultants and experts in management, marketing and management of food service enterprises of schools, caterers, hotels, health care facilities, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, senior centers.
• Consultants of agribusiness, pharmaceutical, and commercial enterprises in the field of food, nutrition and dietetics.
• Teachers working in the training of corporate, health, hotel and school catering personnel; social service workers, sports and wellness centers.
• Medical and scientific informants and sales technicians of the industry’s product and service lines.
• Medical doctors, biologists, chemists, pharmacists, dietitians, psychologists, nurses, support teachers, business managers, experts working in the subject areas of the course.

Admissions Criteria

To be eligible to apply to the AIC programme, you must have completed a first-cycle (bachelor’s or equivalent*) degree.

The proposed training methodology along with a clear and ample curricular program, is designed for those whose professional activity relates to health, industry or companies that want to specialize in the area of nutrition.

The AIC is especially designed for those with a degree in :

• agricultural sciences
• biological science
• food systems
• human medicine
• dietetics
• pharmacy
• pharmaceutical chemistry and technology
• chemistry
• movement science
• biotechnologies

The AIC is also suitable for those with a degree who wish to specialize in Nutrition and Diet due to their professional practice, who wish to update or broaden their knowledge in Nutrition and Diet, or who have a vested interest in the topic, as for:

• agriculture professionals
• rural industries professionals
• food industry professionals
• government officials
• international organisation employees
• researchers in food safety
• third sector employees

*Holders of a foreign qualification will be assessed on the basis of the Declaration of Value issued by the competent Authorities. 

Excellent and proven knowledge of English language is requested.

Teaching Methodology

In support of the main activity represented by online lectures (asynchronous E-learning activities), web seminars will be held, an activity realised in synchronous mode, involving various types:

• thematic webinars, in which in-depth studies dedicated to certain topics of particular interest and topicality will be proposed, in order to make teaching more dynamic, promoting interactive discussion spaces between teachers and students;
• discussion webinars, will focus on theoretical topics drawn from the programme, on which course participants will be invited, to put forward their own views based on their experiences in their respective organisations, to promote proactive learning dynamics that can reveal the main implications and application potential of the theories studied.

Teaching takes into account the need to develop not only knowledge, but also the use of professional tools and behaviour, specifically for Modules IV, V, VI, XI and XII, with the following characteristics:

• field projects;
• activities aimed at testing the ability to apply methodologies and techniques in real-life situations; testimonies and case studies.

All Modules are graded through individual exams and assignments.

Faculty

The Course is developed in collaboration with:

• Sapienza University of Rome;
• UnitelmaSapienza; 
• Italian Ministry of Agriculture – Central Inspectorate of Quality Protection and Fraud Repression (ICQRF);
• Arma dei Carabinieri Command for Agro-food Protection;
• CREA – Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics.

AIC Board:
Luisa Mannina, Maurizio Muscaritoli, Lorenzo M. Donini – Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Faculty is consultable in the study plan.

Capstone Project

Each participant is expected to develop a professionalising capstone project at the end of the AIC. 

The duration of the capstone project corresponds to 250 hours (for 8 CFU/ECTS) of activity on the part of the student, of overall commitment, i.e. research activity, study, interaction with the lecturer and tutor, drafting of the final thesis and final discussion. 

The final dissertation will be submitted for evaluation and discussed in front of the Course Commission, for the award of the Course Diploma. 

The grade shall be expressed in 110/110. The capstone project is graded based on structure, theoretical framework, argumentation, and value added.

As a positive assessment of the final dissertation by the Degree Committee, the University will issue the Advanced International Diploma in “Food Nutrition Sustainability and Wellbeing. The “Med-in-Italy” Experience”.

Assessment and grading Criteria

All Modules are graded through individual assignments (Multiple Choice Quiz). Grades range from 5 (fail: < 60% correct answers), 6-7 (fairly good: 60-75% correct answers), 8-9 (76-90% correct answers) to 10 (excellent: >90% correct answers).

Enrolment Fee and Application

The course/master enrolment fee is € 2.500*.

For affiliated subjects, the course fee is € 2.200.

The amount is divisible into 3 instalments, upon enrolment € 600,00 with  subsequent instalments at 30 and 60 days from the date of enrolment.

*Please note that by current Inland Revenue regulations, it is required a stamp duty for enrolment and the two stamps for obtaining the qualification.