UNITUS International Summer School on
Design of sustainable food systems
Virtual component: 5th July 2022
Physical mobility: Alpine Studies Centre of Pieve Tesino, Italy, 11th-22nd July 2022
EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 9th MAY 2022
The summer school on “Design of sustainable food systems” arises from the growing attention that the issue of sustainability of food systems is gaining at international level. The Farm-to-Fork strategy launched by the European Union in 2020 brings agri-food issues to the heart of the European Green Deal, pushing for a transition of food systems towards a condition of sustainability that can lead environmental, social and economic benefits. This approach aims to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (especially SDG 12: sustainable production and consumption).
The in-depth knowledge of these issues by students enrolled in courses dealing with the agri-food sector will be essential to allow them to work towards this transition in the next future. The objective of the summer school is to provide to participants the theoretical overview and a basic toolbox to design and assess sustainability in agri-food systems, in an international environment.
The summer school is organised by University of Tuscia (Viterbo, Italy), in partnership with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Uppsala, Sweden), the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Wien, Austria) and the University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Germany). The summer school will be held at the UNITUS Alpine Studies Centre, located in the small village of Pieve Tesino, in the mountains of Trentino, Italy, in July 2022.

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Aerial view of Pieve Tesino (left) and classroom of the study center (right).
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The Summer School is based on an interactive programme of lectures, seminars, field visits and workgroups to explore key issues linked to the sustainability of food systems.
Major thematic topics reflect the four-pillar approach of the Farm-to-Fork EU strategy, thus combining sustainability of production, food processing and distribution, sustainable consumption styles and prevention of food waste.
Key information
The summer school is a blended program that includes a virtual component (1 day) and a physical mobility (12 days) at the premises of the Alpine Studies Centre.
The language of the summer school is English.
Provisional program
The provisional program of the activities is shown in the table below.
Lectures will be given by professors from the Universities promoting the summer school, and by selected invited speakers.
VIRTUAL COMPONENT
Day
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Activity
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Hours (CET)
|
Responsible person
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July 5th
Tuesday
|
Welcome and presentation of the summer school
|
9.30-10.00
|
Riccardo Massantini
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Ice-breaking games
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10.00-11.00
|
Anna Carbone
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Short break
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11.00-11.15
|
-
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Alpine Studies Centre: what is it, where is it, rules and practicalities
|
11.15-11.45
|
Riccardo Massantini
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Question & Answers
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11.45-12.00
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Riccardo Massantini
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Homework before the physical mobility
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12.00-12.15
|
Clara Cicatiello
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Closing
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12.15-12.30
|
Anna Carbone
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PHYSICAL MOBILITY
Days
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Activity
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Hours (CET)
|
Responsible person
|
July 11th
Monday
|
Participants arrival
Welcome activities
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15.00-18.00
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Riccardo Massantini
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July 12th
Tuesday
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Lectures:
Supply chains and their potential contribution to sustainability
System- and life cycle- assessment: how to measure sustainability in food systems? (I)
Data analytics on food loss and waste
Visit to the Arboretum of Pieve Tesino
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9.30-11.00
11.15-12.45
14.30-16.00
16.15-18.00
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Anna Carbone
Mattias Eriksson
Luca Secondi
-
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July 13th
Wednesday
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Lectures:
System- and life cycle- assessment: how to measure sustainability in food systems? (II)
Definition and assessment of environmental sustainability in agricultural supply chains (I) (II)
Study time
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9.30-11.00
11.15-12.45
14.30-16.00
16.15-18.00
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Mattias Eriksson
Silvio Franco
Silvio Franco
-
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July 14th
Thursday
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Field visit
Local food companies
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8.00-18.00
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Riccardo Massantini
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July 15th
Friday
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Lecture: Food processing innovations
Launch of group works
Lecture: The European Green Deal and the challenges of sustainable food system
Study time
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9.30-11.00
11.15-12.45
14.30-16.00
16.15-18.00
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Roberto Moscetti
Roberto Moscetti
Ferdinando Albisinni
-
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July 16th
Saturday
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Trekking in the Tesino area
Study time
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8.00-13.00
14.30-18.00
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Riccardo Massantini
-
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July 17th
Sunday
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Organised touristic visit
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8.00-18.00
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Riccardo Massantini
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July 18th
Monday
|
Lectures:
Measuring food waste at different stages of the supply chain
Waste management as a critical issue for food systems
Group work session
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9.30-11.00
11.15-12.45
14.30-18.00
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Clara Cicatiello
Silvia Scherhaufer
Clara Cicatiello
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July 19th
Tuesday
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Lectures:
Food waste drivers and prevention measures along the supply chain
Olive oil tasting
Group work session
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9.30-11.00
11.15-12.45
14.30-18.00
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Silvia Scherhaufer
Marco Nardella
Clara Cicatiello
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July 20th
Wednesday
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Final exam: presentation of group works
Visit to the local museums
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9.30-16.00
16.15-18.00
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Clara Cicatiello
Riccardo Massantini
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July 21st
Thursday
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Field visit
Local food companies
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8.00-18.00
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Riccardo Massantini
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July 22nd
Friday
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Farewell coffee
Departure
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8.00-10.00
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-
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Lecturers:
- Riccardo Massantini, full professor at University of Tuscia, Italy, president of the Alpine Study Centre
- Ferdinando Albisinni, extraordinary professor at Universitas Mercatorum, Rome – Italy
- Anna Carbone, associate professor at University of Tuscia, Italy
- Clara Cicatiello, assistant professor at University of Tuscia, Italy
- Mattias Eriksson, associate professor at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
- Silvio Franco, associate professor at University of Tuscia, Italy
- Roberto Moscetti, associate professor at University of Tuscia, Italy
- Marco Nardella, technical lab staff at University of Tuscia, Italy
- Silvia Scherhaufer, senior scientist at University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Austria
- Luca Secondi, associate professor at university of Tuscia, Italy
Participation fee
Thanks to the funding provided by the Internationalization Program of the University of Tuscia, the registration is free of charge for the students enrolled in degree course at the four promoting Universities (University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Wien, Austria; University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany), and € 500 for other participants.
The fee includes:
- All lectures and seminars;
- Course materials;
- Bus to join the field visits;
- Accommodation in multiple-bed rooms at the Alpine Studies Centre from the 11th of July (arrival) to the 22nd of July (departure) 2022;
- Dinners at the local restaurant during the same period;
- Touristic visit on Sunday 17th July 2022;
Travel expenses to reach Pieve Tesino, small entrance fees to the companies and tourist sights (to be paid locally), and costs of breakfast and lunches are not included in the registration fee.
Selection criteria
The summer school has 25 places for university students. The summer school will take place if a minimum number of 15 participants is reached.
The summer school is targeted to bachelor and master students enrolled in university courses dealing with agricultural and environmental sciences, food technology, food chain management, sustainability and circular economy. Application of students with different backgrounds, PhD students and other participants might be considered upon availability of places.
The following criteria will be considered to evaluate the applications:
- English language proficiency;
- Priority to students enrolled in a bachelor or master course at University of Tuscia (Viterbo, Italy), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Uppsala, Sweden) or University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Wien, Austria), and University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Germany), in the academic year 2021/2022;
- Coherence of the university background of the applicant with the topics of the summer school;
- Academic performance as shown in the transcript of records;
- Gender balance;
- Balance among nationalities.
Application documents and procedures
The deadline to send applications is set on 9th May 2022. Applicants must compile the online application form available at this link and upload in the same form the following documents in pdf format:
- English language certificate or a self-certification (template for self-certification available at this link);
- Transcript of records with exams and grades;
- Motivational letter written in English (min 500 words, max 1,000 words);
- Front-back copy of a valid identity document and (if needed) visa to enter in Italy.
Selected applicants will be notified via email on 16th May 2022. Notification emails will be sent from the account of the summer school foodsummerschool@unitus.it. Selected applicants are required to reply via email to confirm their participation and (if they are required to pay the registration fee) to send proof they have paid the registration fee by 30th May 2022. The registration fee must be paid via bank transfer; the details of the bank transfer are:
Account holder: Università degli Studi della Tuscia
Bank: INTESA SANPAOLO SPA
IBAN: IT60 H030 6914 5001 0000 0300 011
Bank transfer description: TAE.L26 Food Summer School 2022 Name Surname
In case selected applicants do not confirm or do not pay the registration fee within the deadline, other applicants on the reserve list will be contacted.
Selected applicants are supposed to follow all the activities of the summer school, including both the virtual component and the physical mobility. It is not possible to participate to individual modules of the summer school and/or to leave earlier than foreseen by the program.
Link for the virtual component
The virtual component of the summer school will be hosted on Zoom. Selected applicants will be sent the link to join the virtual component via email.
Venue of the physical mobility
The physical mobility of the summer school will be hosted in Pieve Tesino, a small town in Trento Province (North-Eastern Italy) at the Alpine Study Centre (CSALP) of the University of Tuscia.
Address: Via Rovigo, 7, 38050 Pieve Tesino TN
Location: 46°04' 10"N 11°36'28"E
Pieve Tesino is located 52 km from Trento and 107 km from Padua. It can be reached:
via Trento (A22), continuing along the SS 47 in the direction of Padua to Strigno, then continuing along the SP 78 to Pieve Tesino
OR
Via Padova (A4, A13), continuing along the SS 47 in the direction of Trento to Strigno, then continuing along the SP 78 to Pieve Tesino
via Trento (Brenner line), continuing along the Trento-Padova line to the stations of Borgo Valsugana or Strigno, then by bus to Pieve Tesino (bus timetable and routes on the website of Trentino Trasporti)
OR
via Padova (Rome-Venice and Milan-Trieste lines), continuing along the Padova-Trento line to the stations of Strigno and Borgo Valsugana, then by bus to Pieve Tesino (bus timetable and routes on the website of Trentino Trasporti)
from Venice Marco Polo airport, continuing by train via Padova
OR
from Verona's Catullo airport by train via Trento
Covid-19 information
According to the Italian laws currently in force (update 1st March 2022), students must show a valid “Green Pass” (EU Digital Covid Certificate, obtained with vaccination, recovery or negative test) to access university buildings. Instead, a “Super Green Pass” (EU Digital Covid Certificate, obtained with vaccination + booster or recovery) is required to sit at restaurants. Updates on the Covid-19 regulation in force in Italy at the time of the summer school will be communicated to selected participants in due time.
Additional information
For any additional information, please contact us at foodsummerschool@unitus.it .
[1] The involvement of more European Universities in the partnership is under definition. An updated announcement will be published if more Universities will join the partnership.