The prospects of a new food science degree, which better meets the needs of Britain’s food manufacturers, could flounder because of the reluctance of academia to back research into the idea.
Although the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFC) for England has agreed to pay half of the £100,000 required to look into setting up a new two-year food science degree, which would be far more practically oriented and workplace-based than traditional degrees. Question marks remain about raising the rest. And without it, the research will not go ahead.
The idea for the new food science degree was first mooted by flavour scientist professor Andy Taylor of the University of Nottingham at a forum of food industry human resources managers organised by Food Manufacture last year. Taylor has applied to the University of Nottingham to fund the remaining £50,000, but he is not sure whether it will agree to stump up the cash. He also hoped industry would provide practical assistance should the research go ahead.
The numbers of undergraduates entering traditional three-year food science courses across the country have fallen in recent years, putting a number of university departments at risk. At the same time, manufacturers have reported increasing difficulties in recruiting people with the necessary skills they require. The idea is for a new degree, which meets industry’s needs while ensuring the continued existence of academic institutions able to provide these skills.
Taylor recognised that companies wanted to save time in training people, while having access to a pool of skilled individuals that could make positive contributions very soon after joining them. And he added: “Now that people are paying university fees, they want to spend less time in education and more time earning money.”
The intensive degree course envisaged would meet both these needs, he said.