Erasmus+ Partnerships

The purpose of the FitNESS 2.0 project (Food packaging open courseware for higher education and staff of companies 2.0) is to reach a broader audience and increase the impact of online classes through the first FitNESS project (2017-2020). The FitNESS open source platform is the largest online learning platform devoted to food packaging in the world (the equivalent of 3 months of conferences is online). FitNESS 2.0 intends to touch a more inclusive audience through specialized learning content that is adapted to the needs of learners. 

• Coordinator: Réseau français des instituts techniques de l’agroalimentaire (ACTIA, French network of technical agri-food institutes)) 
• Partners: AgroParisTech, Spanish Committee for Scientific Research (CSIC), Agro Dijon Institute, Technical University of Munich (TUM - Germany), Catholic University of Portugal, Zagreb University (Croatia) 
• Dates: 3 years (11/01/2021 to 10/31/2024) 
• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Olivier Vitrac, Sandra Domenek, Murielle Hayert
• Useful links: FitNESS platform  

The purpose of the EFFECT (Erasmus for food education to children and trainers) project is to share best practices in the area of nutritional education throughout Europe, raising awareness and providing training to teachers about these issues. It also aims to increase available resources and learning tools through customized online content. 

• Coordinator: Association Nationale des Industries Agro-Alimentaires (ANIA, French association of agri-food industries) 

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Spanish Federation of agri-food and beverage industries (FIAB - Spain), Greek Agri-Food Federation (Greece), Harokopio University of Athens (HUA - Greece), Museum of school life and education (EKEDISY- Greece), Fleurbaix Laventie Ville Santé Association (France), CómoComo School (Nur Al Ali Al Malla, founder - Spain) 

• Dates: 3 years (11/01/2021 to 10/31/2024) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Marine Masson, Patricia Gurviez

The FitNESS (Food packaging open courseware for higher education and staff of companies) project aimed to make food packaging training more relevant and more aligned with industry needs. It led to implementing the first free and open-source platform for learning everything there is to know about food packaging and offer teachings on responsible engineering practices for packaging. Conjointly developed learning content (core and advanced courses) are equally for students from farming and agri-food sectors, professionals in these industries, and other users of packaging (cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries).  

FitNESS was awarded the “Best practices” label by Erasmus+. 

• Coordinator: Réseau français des instituts techniques de l’agroalimentaire (ACTIA, French network of technical agri-food institutes)) 

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Spanish Committee for Scientific Research (CSIC), AgroSup Dijon, Technical University of Munich (TUM - Germany), Catholic University of Portugal, Zagreb University (Croatia)  

• Dates: 40 months (09/01/2017 to 12/31/2020) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Olivier Vitrac, Sandra Domenek, Murielle Hayert

• Useful links: FitNESS platform 

The FEEDtheMIND (Food-related European education in the digital era to motivate innovative new-product development) project intends to develop students’ cross-sectional skills in the agri-food sector through a project-based, plurisdisciplinary, innovative approach to facilitate their integration in the professional world. To do so, FEEDtheMIND aims to fulfill the following objectives: 

• adapting, testing, and implementing a digital learning platform around developing an innovative food product; 

• facilitating the sharing of learning methods amongst partners; 

• contributing to discussions about the existing learning programs of partners to promote online classes; 

• encouraging entrepreneurship amongst students engaged in agri-food programs. 

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• Coordinator: GEIE Ecotrophelia Europe 

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Institut Agro Montpellier, Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU - Austria), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), Athens University of Agriculture (Greece), Valencia Polytechnic University (UPV - Spain) 

• Dates: 3 years (09/01/2019 to 08/31/2022) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Agnès Marsset-Baglieri 

• Useful links: FEEDtheMIND website  

The IDEAL (European soft skills for PhD: enhancing transversal skills through innovative doctoral courses) project is part of the ATHENS network, the aim of which is to encourage mobility between Europe’s main science and technology universities. IDEAL is a pilot project that aims to propose high-level doctoral programs to young European researchers by pooling training offers involving cross-sectional skills and creating new content (MOOC, for example), so they can be better prepared to facing the growing complexities of the research profession and increase the economic and societal impact of their research.  

• Coordinator: Mines ParisTech  

• Partners: 5 major French engineering schools (AgroParisTech, Arts et Métiers, Chimie ParisTech, ENSTA, and Télécom Paris) and 4 European Science and Technology University (Madrid Polytechnic University [UPM – Spain], Milan Polytechnic School [POLIMI – Italy], Lisbon University / Higher Technical Institute [IST – Portugal) and the Technical University of Istanbul [ITU – Turkey] 

• Dates: 3 years (09/01/2019 to 08/31/2022) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Christine Duvaux-Ponter, Pierre Larraufie

• Useful links: IDEAL website 

Aims to create a new bioeconomy training program which would be both integrated and complementary to first-time Master’s students from the EBU alliance (European Bioeconomy University).  Through the acquisition of cross-sectional skills, it aims to encourage transdisciplinary expertise and to develop knowledge in the areas of sustainability, entrepreneurial and management skills, as well as creativity and critical thinking in bioeconomy students. A methodological guide of good educational practices applied to bioeconomy is also being developed. 

Several predefined activities can lead to students approving the label, including the hybrid Journey program, which was specifically developed as part of the project. The project will allow students who have followed courses and earned credits to receive an EBU certificate.  

• Coordinator: Hohenheim University (UHOH – Germany)  

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Wageningen University (WUR - Netherlands), Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU - Austra), University of East Finland (UEF - Finland), University of Bologna (UNIBO - Italy) 

• Dates: 3 years (09/01/2020 to 08/31/2023) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Emerica Chenal, Florent Allais

• Useful links: EBU Label page on the EBU website 

The DigiFoodEdu (Digital transformation of project-based learning guidance in agri-food higher education institutions) project aims to develop digital skills in agri-food students, based on virtual practices implemented during the pandemic, through a sharing of best practices amongst European partners. Pooling this knowledge will help produce a guide, as will training for professors aimed at modernizing learning methods for supervising and mentoring students throughout their program, through project-based research or other activities. 

• Coordinator: GEIE Ecotrophelia Europe 

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Ljubljana University (Slovenia), National Technical University of Athens (Greece) 

• Dates: 2 years (04/01/2021 to 03/31/2023) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Valérie Camel, Benjamin Baatard 

• Useful links: DigiFoodEdu website 

The GO-DIJIP (Integrating digital collaborative environments into joint programs) project aims to contribute to developing an innovative digitalized higher education institution focused on quality, by providing instruments that sustainably incorporate new methods for virtual teaching and learning into programs. The project focuses specifically on joint programs, seen as a perfect laboratory for experimenting between a range of innovative teaching approaches, tools, and resources.  

As such, GO-DIJIP explores and shares existing practices relating to developing digital skills and innovative teaching and learning methods and offers training and practical tools to better integrate digital collaborative environments into joint projects.  

• Coordinator: University of Padua (Italy) 

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Bergen University (Norway), Unicollaboration Association (Spain), Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association (EMA - Belgium) 

• Dates: 2 years (04/15/2021 to 04/14/2023) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Samantha Pagliaro

• Useful links: AMPLIFIER platform

The aim of the VirtualForests project (Virtualization of forest studies) is to improve teaching in the forestry sector by developing innovative and digital teaching methods and tools, and to encourage citizen participation in decision-making by offering skills to citizens in the field of forest ecosystems. The project brings together experts from the forestry, geoinformatics, and information technology to develop, test, and provide free educational resources (an “internet of trees,” virtual tours within forest ecosystems, study guides, etc.) to be integrated into official and informal educational programs. Learning activities will also be planned.  

• Coordinator: University of Valladolid (Spain) 

• Partners: AgroParisTech, Institut européen de la forêt cultivée (France), University for Sustainable Development in Eberswalde (Germany), Hanoi University of Sciences (Vietnam), Cesefor (Spain). 

• Dates: 2 years (from 03/01/2021 to 02/28/2023) 

• Contact information for AgroParisTech: Myriam Legay, Eric Lacombe, Julien Sainte-Marie 

• Useful links: VirtualForests website