Postgraduate Course: Innovation in Sustainable Food Systems (VESC11188)
Course Outline
| School | Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Producing food sustainably requires innovation systems that meet the needs of a range of actors across food systems. This course explores innovation and sustainability in the context of food production |
| Course description |
Ensuring food supplies in a sustainable and equitable manner in the face of climate change driven events is one of the key challenges facing societies in the 21st Century. While often posed as a production led innovation challenge, at least as important are the societal contexts, including changing patterns of consumption. This course considers sustainable food systems and food security from a wide range of perspectives, examining farming as a social practice, as commercial food production, as a contribution and challenge to environmental policy and as an integral part of sustainable and healthy consumption. Innovation is examined in both its scientific and social aspects.
Introduction: setting the context
Farmers and Scientists: knowledge exchange
Farmers and environmental impact: scales of change
Farm Livestock and people
Challenges of infectious diseases (plant and animal)
Agricultural Innovation Systems
Biotechnology and Agriculture
Sustainable consumption
Sustainable food production systems
Alternative production systems
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: 15 |
| Course Start |
MVM Online Learning Block 3 |
| Course Start Date |
06/04/2026 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Formative -
500 word critique of a scientific publication (publication to be linked to summative assessment) - peer and tutor feedback provided.
Summative -
1. Reflective Case Study: 70%
2. Individual Poster (with audio description): 30% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical awareness of the range of social contexts within which food production operates and the challenges of knowledge exchange within food production systems. (SQF 11.1)
- Demonstrate extensive, detailed and critical knowledge of different dimensions of sustainable food production systems and the implications for innovation. (SQF 11.3)
- Demonstrate ability to identify, conceptualise and offer new and creative insights into innovation in food production systems. (SQF 11.2)
- Demonstrate ability to communicate using appropriate style and language for different audiences within a food production system. (SQF 11.4)
- Demonstrate ability to take responsibility for their own work. (SQF 11.5)
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Fiona Borthwick
Tel: (0131 6)50 7300
Email: fiona.borthwick@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Stephanie Easton
Tel:
Email: stephanie.easton@ed.ac.uk |
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