Nutrition-Food Systems collaborative platform
Do you demonstrate a commitment to sustainability?
Would you like to become part of an international research network and develop your scientific leadership on the subject? Université Laval is pleased to join the international collaborative platform initiative Nutrition-Food Systems (formerly known as Feed, Protect, Care).
Discover the platform from the inside!
Listen to how the platform has made a difference in the life of Ana Maria Quiroga-Arcila, a PhD student in plant biology and participant in the first cohort.
Origin
Arising from a North-South collaboration between the University of Montpellier, the University of Pretoria, and a consortium of partner universities, including Université Laval, this collaborative platform aims to connect and support the next generation of scientists interested in the development of sustainable food systems.
Objective
The Nutrition-Food Systems collaborative platform is an innovative international program that:
- Promotes interdisciplinarity, interculturality and exchange
- Offers specialized training in food systems
- Enables international networking
- Develops skills in sustainable development research
- Creates a virtual infrastructure for sharing and collaboration
- Promotes the international visibility of doctoral research.
Governance
The Platform is managed by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of one representative from each member institution. This committee is responsible for defining and overseeing the strategic orientations and overall activities of the Platform, meeting at least once a year virtually and at least once every 18 months in person.
Further information
Learn more about the collaborative platform
Follow the platform on LinkedIn
Cohort 2025 - Selected doctoral student
Following a call for applications launched in winter 2025, three doctoral students from Université Laval will participate in the platform's second cohort.
How food systems can play a crucial role in improving public health outcomes, particularly for the most at-risk populations, and in preventing the rise of chronic diseases globally?
- Inaugural meeting: September 12, 2025 at the University of Pretoria (South Africa) - online participation is possible
- First mandatory training session: October 29 to November 6, 2025 at Université Laval (in person)
- Second mandatory training session: in person - upcoming information
Inaugural meeting attended by the two cohorts
September 12 marked an important date for both cohorts of the platform. They met at the University of Pretoria in Cape Town. The first cohort, composed of twenty-two PhD students that represent a diverse body of 16 nationalities coming from 13 different universities around the world, participated in the platform's third training program from September 8 to 17. The program focused on impact strategies in research and food systems in Africa and South Africa.
On September 12, the 29 students from the second cohort joined them for a symposium. The first cohort presented three final papers produced collectively, while the participants from the second cohort presented their research projects.
This opportunity to meet and exchange ideas was greatly appreciated by the doctoral students.
Photo: Three doctoral students from Laval University participating in the platform in Cape Town: Ana Maria Quiroga-Arcila (first cohort), Virginie Drolet-Labelle (second cohort), and Ariane Barrette (first cohort).
Field School at Université Laval
From October 29 to November 6, 2025, the field school will offer an intensive program led by multidisciplinary experts and supported by advanced research infrastructure. The 29 members of the second cohort will attend lectures and co-creation workshops aimed at developing deliverables to be presented at the BÉNÉFIQ conference, thereby promoting their integration into a global network of research, innovation, and collaboration with industry and key players in sustainable food.
By hosting this field doctoral school, Laval University is strengthening its international influence in training a new generation of researchers capable of working in interdisciplinary, intercultural, and intersectoral contexts, providing innovative responses to contemporary challenges.
The field school is organized by Laval University's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FESP), the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FSAA), the Institute of Nutrition and Food (INAF), and their partners: : the Chair in International Development, the Nutrition, Health and Society Center (NUTRISS), and the Center for Research in Milk Science and Technology (STELA).
Cohort 2024 - The platform's first cohort
Developing sustainable food systems
The first two Université Laval students invited to take part in the collaborative platform are:
- Ariane Barrette, inter-university doctoral student in oceanography
"Taking part in the Platform's Field School gave me a great insight into the benefits of multidisciplinary science and how to make the most of it in the future. One of the highlights was the creation of a close-knit community, which gave us the opportunity to forge lasting bonds that are still present today, and to continue working together even after the school ended."
- Ana Maria Quiroga-Arcila, étudiante au doctorat en biologie végétale
"Taking part in this international Platform's Field School was a very enriching and encouraging experience. This platform paves the way for the creation of a new scientific community, where cultural and disciplinary richness is crucial. The Platform's Field School invited us to get out of the classroom and beyond our comfort zone as young scientists."
The Platform's Field School offers an annual program of international activities, training and events, including the first international PhD Field School in Montpellier, France, in March 2024.
During the first week, theoretical lectures on sustainable food systems and practical field visits immersed participants in the day-to-day challenges of local farmers, city policymakers and Montpellier food stores. This immersive experience enabled them to connect theory with real-world applications, and to come into contact with various (local) stakeholders.
During the second week, doctoral students actively participated in the Journées mondiales de Montpellier, an international event aimed at bridging the gap between science and policy-making. How can research have an impact on the policy-making process, and vice versa? Researchers, (youth) organizations and policy-makers from all over the world attended the conference to discuss how to link science and policy in the future.
The second PhD Field School took place in December 2024 at the School of Agriculture of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In the event of a discrepancy between the French and English texts, the French version prevails.