DISTAM, Universita degli studi di Milano (IT)

Three Italian institutions are involved in the FIDEL Network: the University of Milan, the Department of Food Science and Technology and Microbiology (DISTAM) and the Centre of Learning Technologies (CTU).

The University of Milan is a state University, founded in 1924. It has approximately 90,000 students distributed in the Law, Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, Political Science, Economics, Arts, Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Faculties.

The Faculty of Agriculture organizes undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses in Food Science and Technology.

There are two undergraduate courses called ‘Diploma Universitario’ in Food Technology and in Viticulture and Oenology. The courses are organized in six semesters. About 50 students are awarded undergraduate degrees yearly. There is a graduate course in Food Science and Technology, which lasts 5 years, awarding 150 degrees yearly. Postgraduate training and education consist of a three-year PhD course in Food Biotechnology, in which three students graduate annualy.

DISTAM is the largest Italian Department of Food Science and Technology, founded in 1985 within the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Milan. It includes 31 professors, 17 researchers, 30 technicians and 15 administrative personnel. Research subjects are Food Technology, Modelling and Optimization of Food processes, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Properties, Quality assessment and control, Nutrition, Microbiology.

CTU, founded in 1975, puts at the disposal of the teaching staff of the University of Milan instruments, techniques and skills for the use of educational technologies. It produces and distributes within the University support programmes for university courses and postgraduate and specialized courses, with various types of technologies (videotape, multimedia CD-ROM, hypertexts).