There will be a considerable boost to Denmark’s position as one of the world’s leading producers of food when the University of Aarhus welcomes students to five spanking new degree programmes this August.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has approved the new and modern programmes that are the first of their kind at the university level in Denmark. There will be one Bachelor degree programme and four Master’s, all starting in August.

There are also many attractive job opportunities in the commercial sector as well as the public sector requiring the knowledge and skills that the students will learn.

University among the elite

The programmes are founded in the University of Aarhus’ vision of belonging to the elite universities, thus contributing to the development of national and global welfare.

- At the University of Aarhus we are pleased that it has been possible to establish these many new programmes, says rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen. The graduates will be able to contribute knowledge and skills in the agriculture and food sectors and, not least, to a naturally and socially sustainable development in Denmark and internationally, Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen emphasizes.

All the new degree programmes are under the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, which was established when the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences merged with the University of Aarhus.

The faculty’s programmes can therefore maintain a highly-skilled input based on research on a high, international level as well as teaching in collaboration with other faculties, schools and institutes at the University of Aarhus. These include the National Institute of Environmental Research (NERI) which has also recently merged with the University of Aarhus.

Needs of society

- In our preparation of the programmes we have stressed that they should be an important supplement to the degree programmes that already exist in other areas, Just Jensen, who is dean at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, points out.

- We are not just duplicating other programmes that are already found, such as those at the former Veterinary and Agricultural University. We have achieved this by carrying out market analyses in order to find the sectors in our area of expertise that need graduates. This means that our new programmes are aimed at an even broader professional sector than the specific agricultural and food sectors, says dean Just Jensen.

Wide range

All told, the programmes cover all aspects right from primary production and agriculture’s impacts to handling and processing and until the food products end up on the consumer’s plate.

The degree programmes are taught in Aarhus with the possibility of doing one’s thesis or project at the specialised research centres in Jutland or on the islands of Funen or Zealand – or even in other countries in some cases. In any case, all the degree programmes have a close link between theory and practical work.

The five degree programmes are as follows:

BSc in Agriculture, Food and Environment (in Danish)

MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology

MSc in Biosystems Engineering

MSc in Agrobiology

MSc in Agro-Environmental Management

For more information please either go to the website at http://www.agrsci.org/ny_navigation/uddannelse or contact the following:

Chief consultant Gert E. Jørgensen, Faculty secretariat, telephone: +45 8999 1683, e-mail: gerte.jorgensen@agrsci.dk

Information about the specific programmes:

BSc in Agriculture, Food and Environment:

Senior scientist Jakob Sehested, Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, telephone: +45 8999 1384, e-mail: jakob.sehested@agrsci.dk

MSc in Agro-Environmental Management

Forskningsleder Jørgen Christiansen, Department of Agroecology and Environment, telephone +45 8999 1841, e-mail: jorgen.christiansen@agrsci.dk

MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology

Research director Jacob Holm Nielsen, Department of Food Science, telephone: +45 8999 1163, e-mail: jacobh.nielsen@agrsci.dk

MSc in Agrobiology

Senior scientist Sabine Ravnskov, Department of Integrated Pest Management, telephone: +45 8999 3669 e-mail: sabine.ravnskov@agrsci.dk

MSc in Biosystems Engineering

Head of Department Morten Dam Rasmussen, Department of Agricultrual Engineering, telephone: +45 8999 1509, e-mail: mortend.rasmussen@agrsci.dk