ECTS credits: 3 ECTS

 

Course parameters:

Language: English

Level of course: PhD course

Time of year: 11-13 November 2025

No. of contact hours/hours in total incl. preparation, assignment(s) or the like: 21/80 hours

Capacity limits: 24

Course fee: PhD students at Danish universities or from partners of the NKJ network DKK 1000, other PhD students and post docs DKK 1500, professionals and non-academics DKK 2500

 

Objectives of the course:

The course is intended as a combined PhD course and Masterclass. Dairy products deliver essential nutrients and are an important part of the diet in many countries. The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations from 2023 integrate both environmental aspects and nutrients. This recommends a lower intake of animal-based foods and a higher intake of pulses, whole grains and vegetables.

This has resulted in an immense innovation of plant-based dairy analogues, hybrids between plant and dairy and new technologies like precision fermentation. At the same time, traditional dairy production is also getting more sustainable from farm to fork.

Within this masterclass, you will learn about inherent differences among plant and dairy proteins, how it affects functionality and the nutritional value of e.g. plant-based dairy alternatives and how these can be improved.

You will gain insight into the different analytical methodologies that exist to characterize proteins, their molecular features and how these affect functionality and final product quality.

Finally, you will gain insight into other trajectories for future dairy e.g. through precision fermentation. Research communication aspects in the context of your project is also part of the course.

Learning outcomes and competences:

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

- Use original scientific literature in the design and planning of experiments related to sustainable dairy for the future

- Critically assess differences between dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives at the molecular level and how these features affect the nutritional and bioactive properties

- Account for relations between structural features of raw materials and their functional properties, which relate to final product quality and sensory properties

- Being able to assess different methodologies for assessment of protein biochemistry and functional properties

- Understand current industrial challenges within the area through industry case studies

- Communicate own research

 

Compulsory program:

• Prepare for the course by reading the literature handed out prior to the course
• Prepare a one-slide presentation of yourself and send it prior to the course
• Prepare a poster of your project or work to present at the course
• Present your poster at the course and discuss your project or work in the context of the course content
• Participate in the 3 days program (own presentations +lectures + group work)
• Prepare and participate in the final presentation of the case study work after the course

 

Course contents:

Presentation of yourself, presentation and discussion of your PhD project/own work. Lectures. Presentations and discussions on theoretical assignments, group work on industry case studies, interpretation of analytical data and outputs, discussions of original research papers relating to methodologies.

 

Prerequisites:

PhD student (or ask course responsible if questions) or professional (with at least MSc) in industry (Masterclass) working within the area.

The course is aimed at research professionals (PhD level), who already have basic knowledge about protein (bio)chemistry and want to increase their specific knowledge about different trajectories for sustainable dairy for the future including physico-chemical, analytical, and nutritional perspective. Participants should have a background in food/nutritional science, biology, chemistry or other life sciences.

 

Name of lecturers/organisers:

• Nina Aagaard Poulsen/Lotte Bach Larsen (Department of Food Science, Aarhus University)
• Norbert Raak (Department of Food Science, Copenhagen University)
• Maria Glantz (Lund University, Sweden)
• María Guðjónsdóttir (University of Iceland)
• Justyna Borawska-Dziadkiewicz (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland)

 

Type of course/teaching methods:

Own presentations, lectures, group work

 

Literature:

Original scientific literature, reviews and book chapters will be handed out to the students in advance of the course.

 

Course homepage:

None, a Brightspace course page will be established for the course participants

 

Course assessment:

Participation in the program, group work and post-course presentation. A course certificate will be provided based on participation.

 

Provider:

Department of Food Science, AU

 

Special comments on this course:

The PhD course/Masterclass is a joint course between AU and partners in NKJ network “Sustainable dairy for the future - product quality and new technologies”

 

Time: 11-13 November 2025

 

Place: Aarhus, Denmark

 

Course fee:

PhD students at Danish universities or from partners of the NKJ network DKK 1000, other PhD students and post docs DKK 1500, professionals and non-academics DKK 2500.

 

Registration:

Please register as early as possible and no later than 1 October 2025 via events.au.dk/phdcourse-masterclass-sustainabledairy-2025 

If you have any questions, please contact Nina Aagaard Poulsen, nina.poulsen@food.au.dk, or Rikke Karlsen, rka@food.au.dk for practical questions.