Teaching technology in a Food Science and Technology curriculum

Technology has not been the most popular part in Food Science and Technology in Denmark. Many students are attracted to the fields of nutrition, microbiology and biotechnology as opposed to engineering. To remedy this, the subjects of technology and engineering are being changed, as are the ways of teaching. The strategy at the Technical University of Denmark is to change the education from teaching to learning. A major change in the organisation and structure of the university should lead to greater interest in the engineering aspects of food processing. The engineering subjects are Production and Characterisation of Foods, Unit Operations for the Food Industry, Food Technology and Food Production Systems, totalling 1/6 of the basic study. The subjects are intended to have an increasing level of complexity and abstraction to favour the students' independent learning. The means to make the subjects more attractive include several combinations of traditional lecturing, practical training, laboratory exercises, elements of Cooperative Learning, Problem Based Learning and Case Based Learning, so that students are going to do the work of learning. This part of the curriculum has not yet reached its final state, but the first course seems to be a success.