Wageningen Academy is part of Wageningen University & Research and plays a key role in providing continuing professional development for nutrition professionals. How can they apply the latest scientific insights in their practice? Astrid Kühlkamp, Programme Manager for Food, Nutrition, Health & Technology, explains how the Academy meets the needs of professionals in both the healthcare and food industries through a broad and in-depth range of programmes.
Food and nutrition
“There is a distinction between food and nutrition,” explains Kühlkamp. “Food is about the process side – think of product development and technology – whilst nutrition focuses on health and care.” This distinction translates into different target groups: from quality managers and process engineers to GPs and dietitians. “It’s great that we can offer both sides.”
Kühlkamp herself has a background as a commercial nutritionist. “I studied Food and Business and worked in the food industry. As a result, I understand both the health aspect and the industrial challenges, such as sustainable packaging and EU legislation.” She utilises this bridging role in programmes such as sustainable packaging, in collaboration with the FNLI (Federation of the Dutch Food Industry).
Broad and flexible offer
Wageningen Academy offers a varied range of courses, from one-day programmes to intensive summer schools and online master’s modules. More accessible are the free MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), which are popular as introductory courses.
“They are entirely online, featuring knowledge clips, quizzes and assignments. Ideal for anyone wishing to explore the subject or brush up on their knowledge.”
For those seeking more in-depth study, there are campus-based courses and modular Master’s programmes.
“You don’t have to complete a full Master’s degree. You can choose individual modules that suit your professional practice.”
Accreditation and timeliness
For healthcare professionals, accreditation points are essential. “We ensure that our healthcare-focused programmes meet these requirements,” says Kühlkamp.
At the same time, the programme offering is up to date. “In November, we are organising a course on Nutrition and Brain Ageing, in collaboration with, amongst others, the Donders Institute at Radboud University. In this course, we combine MRI research with nutritional interventions to investigate causal links. Other lifestyle factors also play a role, so research on this topic from Maastricht University will also be covered. There is also a wealth of WUR’s own research. Some of this has not yet been finalised, but we will be giving a preview.”
Making science applicable
What sets Wageningen Academy apart is its emphasis on applicability. "Professionals want to know: what can I do differently in my work tomorrow? Can I advise my patient differently? Should I adjust policy?" That translation from science to practice is central. "We cover current studies, such as on omega-3 fatty acids and short-term memory, and discuss what that means for dieticians, neurologists or the supplement industry, for example."
Interactive learning concept
A new feature is the interactive learning concept, which will be launched in November. “At the end of the day, we want to come to a joint conclusion: this is what we’ve learnt, and this is how we can apply it.” The day consists of plenary sessions, parallel sessions, a panel discussion and plenty of interaction with and amongst the participants. “We ask questions that become increasingly specific. In this way, we work together to develop practical recommendations.”
The groups are deliberately kept small – around thirty participants on average – to encourage interaction. “We also use voting rounds to gather input from participants. This fosters a genuine dialogue between science and practice.”
Health and labour participation
Kühlkamp makes an interesting connection between healthy lifestyle and labour participation. "We are living longer, but not necessarily healthier for longer. As a result, care workers, among others, drop out earlier and the number of sick people needing care increases," Kuhlkamp argues. "If you want people to keep working, you have to invest in prevention. And nutrition plays a key role in that." She calls for more attention to lifestyle medicine and a better balance between care budgets and prevention budgets.
Connecting social and exact science
Wageningen has two relevant research groups: Human Nutrition (focusing on diet and health) and Consumption and Healthy Lifestyle (focusing on behaviour and the environment). “The first is the ‘hard’ side of science: what does food do to your body? The second is the ‘soft’ side: how does your environment influence your choices?” In addition, Food & Biobased Research carries out a great deal of applied research, often with partners, into food and nutrition.
Kuhlkamp wants to bring both worlds together in integrated study programmes. “That’s what makes Wageningen unique: we can combine behavioural change with biomedical knowledge.”
Strategies for behavioural change
One example of such a behaviour-focused approach is the ‘if-then’ strategy. “It’s a self-management technique: if I’m hungry, then I’ll have an apple. Or: if I’m bored, then I’ll go for a ten-minute walk.” Such strategies are being researched and have been found to be effective. “Professionals can learn them and pass them on to their clients.”
Social norms also play a role. “In an experiment at a bakery, it emerged that people were more likely to take an Easter egg from a bowl if there were wrappers lying next to it – it then seems socially acceptable. You can also use this in a positive way: show that people are choosing snack vegetables, and others will follow that example.”
Demand from the field
Kühlkamp welcomes enquiries from anyone working in the food sector; if there is significant demand for a particular topic, the training programme can be tailored accordingly.
Please get in touch:
email: astrid.kuhlkamp@wur.nl
tel: 06 4383 5600
