Transition of food systems in the global south – An interdisciplinary approach to protein dense food
PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE at University of Copenhagen
This is a specialised course where 50% of the seats are reserved to PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of SCIENCE at UCPH and 50% og the seats are reserved to other applicants.
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School). All other participants must pay the course fee (except if you are a master’s student from a Danish University).
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Aim and content
Sustainable food systems are essential for reducing environmental footprint and ensuring food security globally, but they are limited by availability of protein whose production, processing and consumption involve multiple sustainability dimensions.
In this course, we cover the core issues related to proteins in the food system. We cover production, processing and consumption for achieving sustainable and climate-friendly food systems in the Global South using knowledge and cutting-edge research findings from several academic disciplines.
Animal protein production and consumption are at the core of sustainable development providing valuable nutrients, income and jobs. Particularly for children, animal source proteins are essential for improving nutrient composition of the diets and preventing long-term consequences of early childhood malnutrition. Animal protein production involves converting materials that are inedible for humans into human food, hence contributing to food security but given the staggering demand, it has a much larger environmental and climate footprint than plant-based foods. Large-scale industrial animal protein production is a major driver of biodiversity loss, climate change, and freshwater depletion. It is also associated with severe animal welfare issues. Excessive consumption of animal protein can be associated with negative health effects for humans.
Many countries are therefore actively changing their food system in terms of how they source, process, and use protein. While richer economies strive to reduce the share of animal-based protein in human diets, poorer countries need to assure a higher intake to prevent malnutrition. Meat alternatives are increasingly understood as potential solutions to decreasing environmental and climate footprint burden of animal protein production. However, nutritious plant-based protein alternatives are not available or affordable year-round in poorer countries.
The course aims to provide students from various disciplines with knowledge about biological and social aspects of protein production, processing and consumption, as well as responses to multiple dimensions of the challenges for achieving sustainable and climate-friendly food systems in the Global South.
The course is structured in four modules:
1. Systems, in which we use food systems lenses to explain protein cycles and the conditions, requirements and trade-offs between animal- and plant-based protein sources.
2. Proteins, in which we elaborate on biological limitations of protein production given the local resource endowments, available technologies, and cultural norms.
3. Consumers, in which we explore nutrition and health needs as the key drivers of protein consumption, review key trends in protein consumption, and reveal consumer preferences for animal, plant and alternative proteins.
4. Societies, in which we examine cultural, economic and broader societal aspects of protein production, processing and consumption in relation to resource constraints, climate and institutional contexts.
Learning objectives
Knowledge
• Multi-faceted understanding of the biological and environmental aspects of protein production, trade and consumption, including the trade-offs between animal- and plant-based protein in the context of Global South food systems
• Understanding of the cultural, economic, and societal factors and linkages influencing protein production and production
• Insight into the critical role of proteins in preventing malnutrition and supporting economic development.
• Insight into past, present and possible future avenues to improve sustainability in protein production
Skills
• Critically analyze biological, cultural, economic, and societal challenges associated with protein production, trade and consumption
• Develop advanced skills in applying interdisciplinary research integrating knowledge from biological, social, and environmental sciences to understand the complexities of sustainable food systems
• Formulate a research question and investigate a chosen aspect of sustainable protein production, trade and consumption
• Present research findings in written and oral form
Competences
• Apply systems thinking in the understanding of the critical role of protein in food systems as a whole
• Competence in evaluating the sustainability of protein sources, considering resources and socio-economic factors and implications
• Identify and critically analyse current state of interdisciplinary research on the role of protein in food systems from biological, social, and environmental sciences
• Conduct an empirical analysis to answer a research question on a chosen aspect of sustainable protein sourcing
Participants
PhD students from all disciplines at Danish and international universities working with scientific questions relevant to health-related issues in relation to green transition.
Language
English
Form
The course will apply lectures, instructed theoretical exercises and group work assignments.
Course director
Nanna Roos, Associate Professor, Nutrition, Exercise, and Sports
Dates
11-14 November 2025
Course location
11, 12 and 14 November – Room A2-70.01
13 November – Room A2-83.01
Registration
Please register before 9 September 2025
Cancellation policy
• Cancellations made up to two weeks before the course starts are free of charge.
• Cancellations made less than two weeks before the course starts will be charged a fee of DKK 3.000
• Participants with less than 80% attendance cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000
• No-show will result in a fee of DKK 5.000
• Participants who fail to hand in any mandatory exams or assignments cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000
Course fee and participant fee
PhD courses offered at the Faculty of SCIENCE have course fees corresponding to different participant types.
In addition to the course fee, there might also be a participant fee.
If the course has a participant fee, this will apply to all participants regardless of participant type - and in addition to the course fee.