The Project

Schedule

4/2020 – 7/2020 Preparation of project Agreement
10/2020 – 3/2021 Initiation of the project
ERA Chair holder recruitment: transparent selection procedure for the position of ERA Chair Holder based on their expertise and references will be conducted. Expertise in the fields of food technology, food processing and food science with proven active researcher in the last 10 years will be required.
12/2020 – 9/2021 Recruitment of four ERA Chair Team Members
2026 – End of the project

Main objectives

1. To establish the excellent team of food technologists

The first main aim of the project is to establish a state-of-the-art research centre of advanced technologies for high quality, safe and sustainable regional food production. This centre will connect the fields of primary agricultural food production, and food quality and safety determination via food processing and technology experts, namely the ERA-Chair holder and his/her research team. The establishment of ERA Chair centre of excellence represents a very important opportunity for the development of the advanced agri-food sector and for strengthening the presence of the Czech Republic at European and International level.

2. To enhance scientific and educational excellence and strengthen scientific knowledge in the field of food technology

The second main objective is to enhance scientific excellence in the field of food technology, food processing and nutrition, and more widely on food quality and safety, promoting scientific cooperation and integration.  The activities of ERA Chair team will support new food processing method development as well as basic and frontier research, education and training in the field of agriculture, food technology and nutrition. Research activities will create an impact on all steps along the pathway of the food chain, from primary production up to human health, with particular attention to agri-food production. Being used in practice, the impact of Era Chair-activities will positively influence the quality of life of Europe citizens. The establishment of ERA Chair holder will improve the educational activities of selected programmes focusing mainly on food and agricultural production processing so that students acquire new theoretical and practical knowledge and skills that will increase their employability in the labour market. Improvement of the educational process will be achieved by the application of progressive teaching procedures within the given study programmes using modern operational technologies for processing agricultural products.

3. To enhance high quality, safe and sustainable regional food production

The third main objective of the project is to improve the accessibility of innovative technologies to regional farmers through cooperation with the strategic partner and further international collaborators.  The project will bring the main research outputs in the field of agri-food production, agricultural products quality, and food processing and technology presented one house to the farmers and small producers not only in the Czech Republic, but through all European countries. The project will support a transfer of new interdisciplinary research outputs to the society to improve its knowledge regarding processing and quality of food and its nutritional values with the aim to provide better comprehension of direct impact of quality food on human health.