Join a CAT student teaching week and examine global and local food systems, the interplay of economics and politics on the production and consumption of food, as you explore how we can create more sustainable food systems.

Through a series of lectures, discussions, and practical activities you will learn alongside our postgraduate students on our MSc courses including our Masters in Sustainable Food and Natural Resources, Sustainability and Adaptation, and Sustainability and Ecology.  

You will experience what it might be like to study on one of our postgraduate courses at CAT and gain invaluable knowledge and skills around how we can transform our food systems to create a fairer, healthier, more sustainable future. 

Key Information 

• Duration: five days 
• Upcoming dates: Monday 9 December – Friday 13 December 
• Start and finish times: starts at 9am and ends at 3pm on the last day 
• Fees: £700 
• Includes: tuition, all materials, lunch
• Please note that accommodation is NOT available at CAT for this course.
• What to bring: good boots and waterproof clothing is advised 
• Terms and Conditions: 
  • You must be 18 years or over to attend our courses. 
  • For full list of terms and conditions click here 

Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for joining the course at the end of the week. If attendees wish to enrol on a postgraduate course at CAT and take the module within their future course, they will be able to receive a discount on tuition costs. 

Who is this course aimed at?  

This week is aimed at people who wish to have a taster of studying at postgraduate level at CAT and want to gain knowledge of how we can grow food more ethically and sustainably.

What you will learn 

To rise to the climate and biodiversity emergency, and to adapt to environmental changes, we need to radically transform our food systems. These systems are shaped by the interplay of economics, legislation, labour issues, poverty, technology and consumer behaviour on the production and consumption of food. On this short course, participants will explore this interplay and what we can do to bring about change.

Topics covered include: 

• Food production trends
• Global and local markets
• Vertical integration of agriculture
• Transportation
• Economics
• Labour
• Environmental externalities
• Poverty, food and health, diets
• Sustainability
• Food sovereignty

How will I learn 

Through pre-reading and some pre-recorded introductory lectures, live in person lectures, discussions, group activities and practical activities at CAT.

This short course is part of the teaching week for the MSc module Food Systems and Sustainability. You will not be able to do the final assessment and this will not count toward any accreditation. Please be aware there may be some activities and content during the week only available to students, where an activity isn’t appropriate for the short course attendee, we will endeavour to arrange a replacement activity.

Meet your tutor 

Dr Rebecca Kent – Senior Lecturer and SNFR Programme Leader

Rebecca Kent is Programme Leader of the MSc Sustainable Food and Natural Resources course. Rebecca has research experience in agriculture, natural resource management and international development and teaches on modules relating to our food and ecology courses.

Dr Emily Westwell – Lecturer

Emily is a Senior Lecturer in the Graduate School and joined us in 2023 to teach across a range of our MSc modules. She recently completed a PhD from Keele University which explored environmental activism, agroecology, and food sovereignty.

Other tutors and lecturers

Alongside the module leader and expert Graduate School staff, teaching sessions are led by a range of guest speakers and lecturers currently working in the sector and academia who join students on-site or through live streams.