The UK Food Systems Centre for Doctoral Training (UKFS-CDT) provides a unique opportunity for transformative and interdisciplinary food systems research. Led by the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Greenwich, the UKFS-CDT aims to develop the next generation of food system change makers for a healthy and sustainable food future.
The UK Food Systems Doctoral Programme
From 2021 through to 2027, the UKFS-CDT will train over 60 interdisciplinary doctoral researchers capable of leading the UK towards a resilient, healthy and inclusive food future, with the third cohort starting in autumn of 2023. Learn more here!
The UK Food Systems Academy (UKFS Academy)
The UKFS Academy provides a platform for collaboration, bringing together our doctoral researchers, academic supervisors, and over 50 partners from across government, business and civil society. The UKFS Academy has an open membership and welcomes new partners. Find out more and join here!
The Partnership for a Sustainable Food Future (PSFF)
The UKFS-CDT is managed by the Partnership for Sustainable Food Future (PSFF), a consortium of nine UK universities and research institutes. The PSFF combines the world-leading interdisciplinary research skills and experience of the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Greenwich, University College London, Royal Veterinary College, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University, Centre for Food Policy at City University, University of Sussex, and Brunel University London, NIAB and Rothamsted Research, plus over 50 partners from business, government and civil society.
Funding
The UKFS-CDT and the PSFF are supported through the £5 million Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) 'Transforming the UK Food System for Healthy People and a Healthy Environment Programme' (Transforming UK Food Systems SPF), delivered by UKRI, in partnership with the Global Food Security Programme, BBSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, Defra, DHSC, PHE, Innovate UK and FSA. The programme aims to fundamentally transform the UK food system by placing healthy people and a healthy natural environment at the centre, addressing questions around what we should eat, produce and manufacture and what we should import, taking into account the complex interactions between health, environment and socioeconomic factors. By co-designing research and training across disciplines and stakeholders, and joining up healthy and accessible consumption with sustainable food production and supply, this Programme will deliver coherent evidence to enable concerted action from policy, business and civil society.