Advisory and Innovation Services in Agri-Food Systems

This English-taught Master’s programme prepares you to support and drive sustainable change across agricultural and food systems. You will learn how to advise companies, organisations and networks on implementing innovative, resource-efficient practices across the value chain — from production and farm management to policy and market-oriented services. The course blends practical, technical training with consulting and innovation facilitation skills so you can guide real-world change processes in agri-food systems.

The curriculum combines agricultural production, economics and engineering fundamentals with social-science methods for knowledge transfer and innovation promotion. You will build a broad understanding of farm management while selecting a technical specialisation, gain methodological competencies for diagnosing problems and designing solutions, and develop an economic perspective on decision-making in farms and value chains. The programme also covers conceptual and analytical approaches to agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS), plus tools for planning, implementing and evaluating policies and governance instruments that coordinate innovation networks.

Graduates are prepared for roles in knowledge transfer, advisory services and innovation promotion across the agri-food sector. Typical employers include consulting and service companies, governmental and administrative bodies in agriculture, organisations focused on organisational development within agri-food systems, and international cooperation or development agencies. With an above-average final grade, graduates may be eligible to proceed to doctoral research.

Key learning outcomes and progression

• Broad understanding of agricultural production and farm management, with a self-selected technical specialisation
• Technical and methodological skills for consulting, facilitating innovation processes, and supporting both individual and collective problem-solving
• Economic insight into factors shaping decisions on farms and along agri-food value chains
• Ability to diagnose and assess agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS) and to design, implement and evaluate policies and governance instruments for innovation networks
• Career pathways: consulting/service firms, agricultural administration, organisational development in the agri-food sector, international cooperation and development organisations
• Progression: an above-average final grade can open the option to continue into a doctoral programme

The curriculum is structured in three clear phases that guide you from core professional skills to a personalised specialisation and finally to advanced scientific work. In the first phase you build foundational professional and methodological competencies through compulsory and semi-elective modules. Four required modules — covering agricultural advisory systems, control mechanisms, innovation promotion, and business administration — together account for 24 ECTS and provide the programme’s conceptual backbone. These modules equip you to understand advisory frameworks, governance and monitoring tools, drivers of innovation in agri-food systems, and the managerial skills needed for practice.

In the second phase you develop a personal profile by selecting five compulsory-elective modules (30 ECTS) from across agricultural science disciplines and by choosing further electives (36 ECTS) from the Faculty’s broad Master’s course portfolio. This elective block is highly flexible: up to 30 ECTS of the 36 ECTS electives can be obtained through a pre‑professional internship, and the third semester can alternatively be used as a semester abroad. This phase is designed to give hands-on experience, research exposure or organisational practice tailored to your career goals.

The final phase focuses on deepening scientific and professional expertise through the Master’s thesis, where you apply research methods and subject-matter knowledge to a substantive problem in agri‑food advisory or innovation. Throughout the programme you can have taken modules recognised with relative ease, allowing mobility and credit transfer if you study abroad or draw on prior coursework.

Key learning outcomes

• Master core concepts in agricultural advisory systems, monitoring/control mechanisms, innovation promotion and business administration
• Apply methodological and research skills in practical and organisational settings
• Build a personalised competence profile through elective courses and internships or international study
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct independent, scientifically rigorous work in the Master’s thesis

Programme requirements (credit overview)

• Four compulsory modules (agricultural advisory systems; control mechanisms; innovation promotion; business administration) — total 24 ECTS
• Five compulsory-elective modules from agricultural sciences — total 30 ECTS
• Elective modules from the Faculty’s Master’s offerings — total 36 ECTS (up to 30 ECTS may be earned via a pre-professional internship)
• Option to use the third semester for a semester abroad
• Completion of a Master’s thesis to develop scientific and in-depth professional skills

Graduates are prepared for advisory, knowledge-transfer and innovation-promotion roles across the agri-food value chain. Typical employers include consulting and service companies, agricultural administration bodies, organisations focused on organisational development within the agri-food sector, and international cooperation and development organisations. The programme equips students to support farm-level decision making, design and manage innovation networks, and contribute to policy and governance instruments for sustainable agri-food systems.

With strong grades, graduates may also pursue doctoral studies. The combination of technical specialisation and social-science consulting skills makes alumni suitable for roles in both public and private sectors, NGOs, research institutes, and international agencies working on agricultural development, extension services, and value-chain innovation projects.