Why I chose to study Food Chain Systems MSc at Cranfield University

Having always been passionate about food, nature and science, I chose to study agricultural engineering. UniLaSalle Beauvais, a French engineering school specialising in natural sciences, offered me the possibility to discover agricultural and food sciences while travelling around the world. Having international experiences was one of my priorities before and during my studies. Becoming an engineer in France is a five year long process and the engineer diploma is equivalent to a master’s degree. During those five years I had the chance to travel to Australia, Brazil, and the USA, for internships and exchange semesters.

The International Department of UniLaSalle told me about the different partnerships they had with schools all over the world to do a double diploma. Obtaining another diploma along with additional skills and discovering a new way of teaching and studying, while having another international experience? Of course, I was immediately interested! From the different partner schools, Cranfield University quickly caught my attention. The Food Chain System MSc was exactly the course I was looking for. After learning about agriculture and specialising in food industry at UniLaSalle, I wanted to know more about the whole food chain. This course offered the possibility to learn about every step, connecting the farm to the fork.

This broad vision of agriculture, linked to food industry, attracted me as I am still defining my professional orientation. I am interested in many different sectors of the food chain and this Food Chain Systems MSc course enabled me to go over them all. I now have a better idea of the different professional options that are given to me. This more concrete understanding of the professional world was highly due to the industrial partners that Cranfield University was able to present to the students. In fact, many visits and projects with Agrifood industries were organised during this year long course, giving us an opportunity to meet face to face, or even have hands on experience with the partners. Moreover, my four month thesis project, funded by Edward Vinson Ltd., also permitted a close relation with the industry and allowed numerous visits. This project answered to a need from the company and enabled a concrete hands-on experience. Those involvements and interactions are very important to build a good professional network and to launch a young student’s career.

After a year studying at Cranfield, I would highly recommend this University to any student interested in the global vision of food chains, like I am but also to anyone with a specific project in mind. Indeed, this course would also help you understand and carry out food related projects. The proximity with the industries, as well as with the professors and researchers, allows a simple and straightforward communication. All those advantages and more are the reasons this MSc year at Cranfield has been very constructive, personally and professionally.