NIFK26001U Sustainable Innovation and Transformation in Agri-Food Systems

Volume 2026/2027
Education

Msc Programme in Integrated Food Studies

Content

This course introduces you to concepts, frameworks and tools from sustainability transitions, innovation management, and innovation systems. You will use these frameworks to understand and analyse complex problems in the agri-food system context. You will learn about the organizational and broader societal contexts in which innovations and transitions take place, and how these contexts influence innovation and diffusion processes.

Specific themes addressed in the course include:

  1. Innovation and Sustainability transitions theory
  2. Innovation systems
  3. The role of different actors (e.g., incumbents, start-ups, NGOs, etc.) in innovation and transitions
  4. Innovation and transition policy
  5. Digital innovation and transition in Agri-Food Systems
  6. Responsible innovation and just transitions in agri-food systems.

Together these themes are important for understanding how to tackle grand challenges, such as the transition towards sustainable agri-food systems, which cut across organizational, sectorial, and geographical boundaries.

Learning Outcome

After participating in the course, you will have acquired the following:

Knowledge

  • Know and understand theories of innovation systems, innovation processes, innovation management, innovation barriers, and sustainability transitions.
  • Know and understand how different, and often competing, configurations of actors, technologies, and institutions influence the rate and direction of innovation and transitions in agri-food systems.

 

Skills

  • Ability to analyse innovation processes, considering the influence of societal context and organizational factors.
  • Ability to communicate, reflect on and discuss innovation challenges and identify solution strategies.

 

Competences

  • Can advise on complex innovation processes to suggest and implement agri-food system-level changes.    
  • Can organize, participate in and lead interdisciplinary teamwork addressing food system challenges.
The course combines lectures, case presentations and group work. Student are divided into groups that will work with various innovation cases related to the agri-food system, which will be used to reflect, apply and discuss the themes and frameworks covered in the course.

The course is designed to be highly interactive. Thus, feedback takes place during class through case presentation and feedback on group work from both teachers and other students.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 25
  • Preparation
  • 110
  • Practical exercises
  • 21
  • Project work
  • 15
  • Exam
  • 35
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes (no preparation time)
Aid
Only certain aids allowed (see description below)

3 pages of notes are allowed. Standard text size (11 or 12) and line spacing (no less than 1,15) or hand-written

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Two internal examiners
Re-exam

Same as ordinary exam

Criteria for exam assesment

In order to obtain the grade 12 the student should convincingly and accurately demonstrate the knowledge, skills and competences described under Learning Outcome.