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Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

 

Course start dates

  • 19 March 2025

Who should attend?

Individuals working at every stage of global or local food
systems, from the supplier to the consumer.

Language

English

Format

Online, tutor-assisted

Length 

8 weeks online, 7–10 hours per week

Price

View course price

CISL's courses are delivered in collaboration with digital education provider GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc. This link will take you to the GetSmarter Website.

 

About the course


The Sustainable Food: Production and Processing online short course from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) equips you to shape resilient food systems to equitably feed the growing global population in a challenging environment. Over eight weeks online, you’ll explore the different aspects of a sustainable future food system, and the micro-, meso-, and macro-level changes required to transform the way food is produced, processed, and consumed. With guidance from expert CISL faculty, you’ll discover new business models, technologies, and processes for embedding sustainability into food supply chains, and build practical strategies for leading this transformation in your own organisation or sector. By the end of the course, you’ll have consolidated your learnings through a number of peer-centred live sessions and forum discussions, and will have developed your own Personal Action Plan for leading sustainability initiatives in your context.

This course will benefit individuals working at every stage of global or local food systems, from the supplier to the consumer. Agricultural professionals, including commercial and small-scale farmers, ranch managers, agricultural engineers or technicians, and agronomists will gain practical tools for delivering nutritious, affordable, and sustainable food to all. Those in the manufacturing, retail, wholesale, or service sectors, such as supply chain and procurement professionals, food and beverage managers, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs aspiring to start a sustainable business will discover scalable models for achieving resilient food systems. And analysts, policymakers, consultants, and lobbyists working in finance, marketing, and public relations will learn how to clearly articulate the case for sustainable food production, processing, and consumption.

 

Gain valuable and relevant skills, and walk away with:


  • A sound understanding of the past, present, and future of the evolving food system and of the most urgent challenges of modern food security.
  • Enhanced knowledge of how innovative technologies, new business models, and refined processes can help build more resilient food systems.
  • Practical leadership skills to drive organisational change, take advantage of opportunities in the market, and embed sustainability into the food supply chain.
  • An ambitious Personal Action Plan for leading strategic action, fine-tuned and strengthened through meaningful collaboration with your peers.
  • Unlimited access to 2U’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.

 

CPD certified


CPD logoThis course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 60 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. CISL and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

 

Learn to lead in a changing world


Join over 24,000 students globally who have already benefited from the opportunity to:

  • Gain verifiable and relevant competencies and earn invaluable recognition from a top-tier university, entirely online and in your own time.  
  • Enjoy a personalised, people-mediated online learning experience that consistently achieves over 90 per cent course certification rate.
  • Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones.

 

CISL Newsletter


Do you want to receive information about CISL's research, news and events? Click here to request the CISL monthly newsletter.

 

Delivered in Collaboration with GetSmarter


The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is collaborating with digital education provider GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc., to provide an interactive and supported online learning experience.

Enter your information below to learn more about the Cambridge Sustainable Food: Production and Processing online short course, including receiving the course prospectus from GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc.

 

Get more information

Register

CISL’s online courses are delivered in collaboration with digital education provider GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc. These links will take you to the Get Smarter website.

Testimonials

"The course gives you an excellent understanding of what the current food system looks like, particularly its challenges, to then help you understand what a sustainable one would look like, and how you can play your part in achieving it. This course makes a wealth of knowledge available, but it depends on how much effort and time you put into determining how much of it you will come away with. I recommend full effort, it's worth it". 

Merel Wallis, Sustainability Consultant

"This course has been an incredibly valuable experience and was consistent in quality across the board. The outside speakers were relevant and timely for the topics we were studying, and the material itself was an engaging mixture of different mediums including text, video, and podcast. Sustainability is such a broad, [...] intimidating subject to broach, but I've left this course with [the] tools to take these ideas and learnings into my wider network and start implementing change."

Rosie Bradswah, Consultant