European Master brings together students of 23 nationalities in the Faculty of Biotechnology

The Faculty of Biotechnology (ESB) of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa received students from different parts of the globe for another edition of the European Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems Engineering, Technology and Business (BiFTec-FOOD4S). In this semester, 48 students from 23 countries are attending this European Master's programme.

BiFTec-FOOD4S takes place within the framework of an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJMD), and is organized by four European partner institutions: Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), KU Leuven (Belgium), Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Germany) (HSA) and University College Dublin (UCD) (Ireland). The master aims to promote innovation, technology and sustainability in the food area.

Rui Morais, coordinator of BiFTec-FOOD4S at ESB, stresses the importance of the master's degree resulting from this partnership, "in a sector of major importance in the Portuguese and world economy", with "high connection to the industrial business ecosystem", taking advantage of "research units of high scientific competence and with relevant activity in the sector".

Nicolle Sibrián (Guatemala), Paula Daguer, Beatriz Araújo (Brasil), Xiao ou Fu (China), Anissa Catalina Davel (África do Sul), Laura Ratner (Argentina) and Monika Pradhan (Butão) - (esquerda para a direita)

Beatriz Araújo, Master's student, was born in Brazil and has a degree in Chemical Engineering. She chose BiFTec-FOOD4S because "I wanted to specialise in Food since I work in that area. This is an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself and meet different cultures. Porto is an amazing city!"

Monika Pradhan, who is from Bhutan and previously studied Biotechnology, says "the experience so far has been amazing and very different from Bhutan. I intended to experience the education system and get practical experience with the technology used in this area."

Lioni Carol Singarimbun (Indonesia), Shreya Hore e Geethika Menon (India) - (left to right side)

Iris Joy Abrigo, Isabela Daras e Tristan Zamora – students from the Philippines (esquerda para a direita)

South Africa, Albania, Argentina. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, Philippines, Guatemala, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Portugal, Kenya, Singapore and Turkey are the countries of origin of the students attending BiFTec-FOOD4S.

Some of the students already had, in the current semester, the opportunity to make a study visit to the company 100Mistérios, in the scope of the Oils and Fats module of the master's degree, having been accompanied by teachers Ana Gomes and Rui Morais. BiFTec-FOOD4S students also have the opportunity to carry out their internship and dissertation in a business environment, facilitating their integration in the labour market, amplified by the network of professional contacts established in different countries.