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Postgraduate studies in

Food packaging

3 Tracks: Materials - Food - Sustainability


2023 – 2024

Food packaging is omnipresent in our daily lives, making it possible to better protect food, ensure its desired quality, and reduce food waste. Unfortunately, a lot of packaging is designed as single-use, and certain forms of packaging use a lot of resources to produce. Consumers and governments are therefore increasingly demanding innovative and sustainable packaging, driving companies towards more socially responsible packaging strategies. But at the same time, consumers expect food packaging with high standards to offer high quality and safe foods with an acceptable remaining shelf life. Creating the right packaging strategy requires food packaging expertise.

Food packaging science is a discipline that applies principles from four major scientific fields (material science, food science, information science, and socioeconomics) to understand packaging material properties, food packaging requirements, and the packaging system. While the linked advanced master’s programme on Sustainable Food Packaging combines all elements in a holistic manner (sfp.ugent.be), this postgraduate programme allows students to focus on either the side of Materials, Food, or Sustainability.



Professionals and recent graduates holding at least a bachelor’s degree, with a keen interest in Sustainability, Food and/or Packaging, basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel, and sufficient background in chemistry and mathematics.




After successful completion of the programme, you receive the Postgraduate Certificate: Food Packaging,




Scientific Coordination

  • Prof. dr. ir. Peter Ragaert

Teachers

  • Prof. dr. ir. Peter Ragaert
  • Prof. dr. ir. Frank Devlieghere
  • Prof. dr. ir. Bruno De Meulenaer
  • Prof. dr. ing. Imca Sampers
  • Prof. dr. ir. Jo Dewulf
  • Prof. dr. ir. Steven De Meester
  • Prof. dr. Roos Peters
  • Prof. dr. ir. Liesbeth Jacxsens
  • Prof. dr. ir. An Vermeulen
  • Prof. Cynthia Linclau
  • Dr. ir. Pieter Nachtergaele
  • Dr. Lotta Kuuliala
  • Dr. ir. Sophie Huysveld
  • Ir. Amber Van Reepingen


Programme

 Graduates of the programme will be able to:

  1. Acquire knowledge and insights in food packaging systems (materials, equipment and packaging conditions) and their selected effect on the packaging chain and related aspects
  2. Make evidence-based decisions in food packaging based on relevant and recent scientific evolutions in food and packaging systems.
  3. Support in the selection of a packaging system for a certain food product considering different perspectives.
  4. Develop interpersonal skills to participate and collaborate in multidisciplinary teams to control and develop advanced packaging systems.
  5. Professionally communicate inside and outside an organisation, when designing and/or optimising a food packaging system.
  6. Contextualise the impact of socio-economic tendencies on food packaging systems towards society and to adapt professional goals in a future perspective, this within an international context.
Courses are evaluated as part of an individual integrative assignment in which students have to integrate and apply knowledge and competences from all the different courses making up the specific track of the postgraduate certificate Food Packaging. The student (qualitatively) evaluates a food product-packaging concept. The product-packaging concept will be predetermined before the start of the lectures. The student should demonstrate s/he is able to apply the course in an interdisciplinary way, and explain the concept from a course specific perspective.

The product of the assignment is a report (including a self-reflection) which will be presented to a jury.



Sept – Oct – Nov

Nov – Dec – Jan

Feb - Mar

- Food Packaging Materials, Machines
and Conditions (7 ECTS)

- Quality of Packed Food Products (6 ECTS)

- Food Packaging: Business, Economics
and Society (4 ECTS)

- Packaging Materials:
Food Safety Aspects (3 ECTS)

7 ECTS

10 ECTS

3 ECTS




Sept – Oct – Nov

Nov – Dec – Jan

Feb - Mar

- Food Packaging Materials, Machines
and Conditions (7 ECTS)

- Food Packaging: Business, Economics
and Society (4 ECTS)

- Packaging Materials: Food Safety Aspects (3 ECTS)

- End-of-life Strategies for Packaging (4 ECTS)

- Food Packaging: Quality Management (3 ECTS)

7 ECTS

4 ECTS

10 ECTS




Sept – Oct – Nov

Nov – Dec – Jan

Feb - Mar

- Sustainability in Food Systems: Theory
and Concepts (4 ECTS)

- Food Packaging Materials, Machines
and Conditions (7 ECTS)

- Quality of Packed Food Products (6 ECTS)

- End-of-life Strategies for Packaging (4 ECTS)

11 ECTS

6 ECTS

4 ECTS



Practical information



The fee includes the tuition fee, course notes, soft drinks, coffee and sandwiches.
Payment occurs after reception of the invoice.
All invoices are due in thirty days. All fees are exempt from VAT.

Track Food (20 ECTS)

€ 3.800,-

Track Materials (21 ECTS)


€ 3.990,-

Track Sustainability (21 ECTS)


€ 3.990,-

Training vouchers

Ghent University accepts payments by KMO-portefeuille (www.kmo-portefeuille.be).

Registration number Ghent University: dv.o103193




  • Depending on the chosen track and the respective courses, classes take place on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays from 16:15 – 20:30, and on Fridays from 08:30 – 12:30 and/or 13:30 – 17:30.
  • Classes on Tuesdays/Thursdays take place online.
  • Classes on Fridays require physical presence on campus (Ghent University, Campus Kortrijk. Sint-Martens- Latemlaan 2B, 8500 Kortrijk)
  • Dates may change due to unforeseen reasons.

Download detailed timetables here:

Language

English is used in all presentations, exercises and documentation.

Organisation

Universiteit Gent
UGent Academie voor Ingenieurs
 Dhr. Ewout Ramon
Coördinator Lifelong Learning West Flanders
Ewout.Ramon@UGent.be




You can download the brochure here.