<< Background >>The NET-FOOT project responds to strong needs identified in the food industry and among the project partners. The food industry is, in fact, facing several challenges at European level: -lower labour productivity than in the industrial sector in general: food processes require a wide range of skills that involve manual tasks that are difficult to automate. The competitiveness of the sector is threatened by an unskilled and ageing workforce, whereas a highly skilled workforce is essential to drive innovation in terms of new product development, adoption of new technologies and efficient use of increasingly scarce resources. However, the industry suffers from a lack of attractiveness and companies struggle to recruit due to an undervalued image of their professions.-Food security challenges: population and income growth will continue to drive demand for food as a whole, but also for healthier and more sustainable food. Meeting this additional demand will depend on the availability and productivity of resources. The fight against hunger, malnutrition and obesity is essential to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Skilled professionals are needed to meet the challenges of food sustainability and digitalisation.-On the one hand, there is a need to accelerate food innovations by accessing strong and varied expertise in order to meet strong consumer demand for healthier, safer and more responsible products. On the other hand, the association of partners aims to meet the needs identified:- internationalisation through the dynamisation of existing cooperation relations and the creation of a permanent short mobility including the implementation of a reference, summer school design guide.- promotion and reinforcement of new pedagogical practices through the development of modules taught in English, joint transnational pedagogical activities and the implementation of virtual modules (MOOC, virtual activities linked to the summer schools) using innovative pedagogical methods and materials.<< Objectives >>The project will have four main objectives:- Stimulate innovation towards safer, healthier and more sustainable food.Start-ups as well as the traditional food sector are challenging food scientists to decode food products in order to stimulate innovation towards product diversification. Biochemists, microbiologists, biotechnologists, nutritionists and data scientists aim to revolutionise the future of food with a global, not niche, vision. Best practices are found in shared experiences and learning practices at European level.- Promote the geographical origin and traditional know-how of food and drink.Dynamic start-ups as well as more traditional productions of protected designation of origin products can rely on land and sea resources to be able to develop local and regional food productions, including the supply of short food chains. This structuring and visibility dynamic must be accompanied by a capacity for innovation and research, particularly to meet the ecological challenges of sustainable agriculture, preservation and even an increase in biodiversity and healthy and sustainable food on a regional scale.- Coping with the digitalisation of the food and beverage industryThe food and beverage industry must meet the challenge of digitalisation by accelerating its digitalisation process. Integrating digital technologies into a business requires significant investment, although 24% of food and beverage companies that have seen tangible results from adopting digital technologies reported an increase in the number of employees. This change will require new mindsets and human skills as evidenced by the appointment of a Chief Digital Officer in 27% of food companies.- Contribute to the internationalisation and pedagogical transformation of partner institutions through the development of modules taught in English, joint transnational pedagogical activities and the implementation of virtual modules (MOOCs, virtual activities linked to summer schools) mobilising innovative pedagogical methods and materials<< Implementation >>The core of the project is the design and implementation of a summer school network and a MOOC on food technology fundamentals and food innovation.The summer school network will consist of one summer school module per partner institution, each following a common format: one session of intensive language and cultural activities, one session of disciplinary teaching including some common teaching and subjects specific to the local scientific and agro-food specialities of the region of each partner institution. Students from each partner faculty will be encouraged to undertake a short-term study visit to one of the partner summer schools. These will be hybrid mobilities as students will participate in joint virtual learning activities before and after the summer school. The summer school and the MOOC will be designed in parallel from the beginning of the project (November 2021). The first sessions of the summer school and the MOOC are planned for June and November 2023 respectively.In order to train the teachers involved in the project in new agri-food science topics and innovative pedagogical methods, two teacher training workshops will be organised, one in April 2022 by UNIMORE, the other in February 2023 by UPV.Five multiplier events will be organised during the project: the first one will be a joint webinar organised by CZU in January 2024 to promote the summer schools and the MOOC to students. The others will be organised locally by each partner institution in October 2021 to promote the MOOC to agri-food professionals. Five transnational project meetings will be held throughout the project to monitor the progress of the project activities: a kick-off meeting and a closing meeting organised by UNICAEN and 1 project meeting organised by each partner institution.A good practice guide on summer school design will be developed during the project. This report will consist of 7 sections, ranging from needs analysis to activities to their sustainability through integration into existing training courses.<< Results >>The outcomes of the intellectual production, training and learning activities of this project are- a MOOC for healthy, safe and sustainable food- a short mobility summer school programme - a guide to designing a summer school for a wide audience - courses and curricula on the key areas of expertise for the future of food in Europe: 1) agro-industrial chains from field to plate 2) food technologies of the future and 3) food quality and protected designations of origin - a training programme and resources for academics in the design, transfer and sharing of innovative educational experiences (hybridisation of teaching, open-badges, creative design process, multidisciplinary approach, projects linked with research units or industries).- communication and dissemination tools (project website, promotional elements for the MOOC and the summer school)- a common multiplier event to promote the MOOC and the summer school programme and 4 local events to promote the MOOC- a network of summer school alumni via the creation of a European community on food for the future (Alumni community) - the creation of an Openbadge to validate the skills of participants in the summer schools and the MOOCBeyond these direct results, the target audiences of this project will benefit from new skills:- students/participants in the summer schools and the MOOCo development of skills in food innovation, knowledge in other agri-food specialties. o strengthening of digital skills (virtual collaborative project)o Strengthening of intercultural and language skillso awareness of open science and the place of food in civic life via participation in a collaborative innovation space open to all (The Dome) - Teachers: o skills in innovative pedagogy (design and animation of MOOCs, virtual activities)o skills in international project managemento strengthening of intercultural and linguistic skillso awareness of open science issues (Dôme training activity)o skills in new scientific specialtieso participation in a European teaching and research network- administrative staff: o strengthening of intercultural and linguistic skillso strengthening of skills in the management of erasmus projectsThis project will have economic and social benefits for the agri-food industry and its actors through an improvement of the employability and attractiveness of the sector, a strong support to innovation through the provision of knowledge and experience sharing, the creation of a European community of actors of the sector through the participation in summer schools.Finally, this project will strengthen the internationalisation of the partner universities through the creation of short mobilities and the implementation of a summer school design guide, student mobility within the framework of existing Erasmus agreements, their experience in the management of European projects and the digital transformation of institutions.