- Email: [email protected]
The Food Industry Students' European Council
COMMENT The Food Industry Students’ European Council P. Valentim development students
and K. Barnes describe the origin and of a European organization for food
The idea of a European student body representing students studying food related disciplines was generated in May 1989 when Ludovic Blonde of the ‘Europe circle’ of ENSIA (a French student association in Mussy near Paris) organized a convention based on food-related topics with a view to 1992. A total of 150 students from EC member states attended. The convention was so successful that the University of Reading agreed to organize the Second European Food Convention in the UK in 1990 and the University of Wageningen, agreed to organize a further one in the Netherlands in 1991.
The food students of Europe wanted a students’ association with the aims of increasing communication between students in Europe studying similar courses, encouraging the exchange of ideas about future professions, forging better links with European food industries and promoting travel between Students universities. European from the Escola Biotechnology (Oporto, Portugal) and ENSIA met in January 1990 and proposed stafor the Food Industry tutes Council European Students’ (FISEC). The organization suffered a tragic setback in April 1990 when Ludovic Blonde was killed in a road traffic accident. Blonde had been responsible for the concept of FISEC and had succeeded in stimulating the food students of Europe into forming the organization. His work was not in vain, and the FISEC statutes were signed in May 1990 at a meeting in Oporto attended by European universities.
If you would like more information on FISEC or would like to get involved please contact: Miss Katie Hancock and Mr Darren Gilbert, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 226, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 2AP P. Valentim and K Barnes are former officers of FISEC and are at the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK
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Food Control - Vol3 No 2 1992
Structure At a European level the structure of FISEC has two tiers: an Executive board and an Administration board. The Administration board is made up of two delegates from each of the Universities that are members of FISEC. The Executive board consists of a chairman, vicechairman, secretary, and treasurer - each member being of a different European Nationality.
First Meeting The first meeting of the Administration board was held at Reading University during the Second European Food Convention in July 1990. During this meeting the Executive board was voted into office and the members of the Administration board were recorded. The membership of FISEC had now increased to nine universities from seven EC countries, giving a membership of approximately 3000 food students. In order to promote the work of FISEC and give the food students of Europe the chance to exchange ideas and attract industrial sponsorship, the Euro Food Students’ Journal was launched at the Reading Convention. The Third European Food Convention was held at the University of Wageningen in 1991. The event
was attended by 15 universities from eight member states, and five universities from Poland and Hungary. This indicated that the conference had the potential to bring together students from inside and outside the EC. The students of Wageningen University also published the second edition of the Euro Food Students’ Journal.
Legalization ‘Legalizing’ FISEC with the correct EC registration board has been a major problem. A student from the University of Munich is at present communicating with the EC Legal Service and the EC Task Force for Human Resources, Education, Training and Youth in order to find out how we can institutionalize FISEC.
The Future As the founder members of FISEC graduate and move into industry, a new young membership are replacing them. This will bring fresh ideas and new enthusiasm to FISEC and should result in expansion of the organization. A third edition of the Euro Food Students’ Journal is in preparation and will be published by the Portuguese. The new membership attended a meeting at the University of Reading in December 1991. The main objectives of this were to decide upon a host for the Fourth European Food Convention in 1992 and a publisher for the fourth issue of the Euro Food Students’ Journal. Unfortunately, a decision could not be made on the 1992 Convention and so a General Assembly will be held in late February in Brussels. ENSBANA (France) are to publish the fourth issue of the journal and the 1993 Convention is to be hosted by the University of Munich. As the single market for Europe approaches it is important that food students throuhgout Eruope begin to understand each other and work together. FISEC can achieve this. The importance of the Euro Food Students’ Journal should not be underestimated as a form of com-
095s71351921020066-02
0
Butterworth-Heinemann
Ltd
munication since it is the major voice of FISEC, not only to European students but also industrialists. FISEC needs the support of industry, other European universi-
Food Control- V0l3 No 2 1992
ties and food professors, now more than ever. Much has been done over the past two years, but there is a long way to go. The students of six universities from four member
states have worked to turn one man’s dream into a reality. Let us ensure that the reality will continue and that FISEC can be the forerunner to a global organization.
67
and K. Barnes describe the origin and of a European organization for food
The idea of a European student body representing students studying food related disciplines was generated in May 1989 when Ludovic Blonde of the ‘Europe circle’ of ENSIA (a French student association in Mussy near Paris) organized a convention based on food-related topics with a view to 1992. A total of 150 students from EC member states attended. The convention was so successful that the University of Reading agreed to organize the Second European Food Convention in the UK in 1990 and the University of Wageningen, agreed to organize a further one in the Netherlands in 1991.
The food students of Europe wanted a students’ association with the aims of increasing communication between students in Europe studying similar courses, encouraging the exchange of ideas about future professions, forging better links with European food industries and promoting travel between Students universities. European from the Escola Biotechnology (Oporto, Portugal) and ENSIA met in January 1990 and proposed stafor the Food Industry tutes Council European Students’ (FISEC). The organization suffered a tragic setback in April 1990 when Ludovic Blonde was killed in a road traffic accident. Blonde had been responsible for the concept of FISEC and had succeeded in stimulating the food students of Europe into forming the organization. His work was not in vain, and the FISEC statutes were signed in May 1990 at a meeting in Oporto attended by European universities.
If you would like more information on FISEC or would like to get involved please contact: Miss Katie Hancock and Mr Darren Gilbert, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 226, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 2AP P. Valentim and K Barnes are former officers of FISEC and are at the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK
66
Food Control - Vol3 No 2 1992
Structure At a European level the structure of FISEC has two tiers: an Executive board and an Administration board. The Administration board is made up of two delegates from each of the Universities that are members of FISEC. The Executive board consists of a chairman, vicechairman, secretary, and treasurer - each member being of a different European Nationality.
First Meeting The first meeting of the Administration board was held at Reading University during the Second European Food Convention in July 1990. During this meeting the Executive board was voted into office and the members of the Administration board were recorded. The membership of FISEC had now increased to nine universities from seven EC countries, giving a membership of approximately 3000 food students. In order to promote the work of FISEC and give the food students of Europe the chance to exchange ideas and attract industrial sponsorship, the Euro Food Students’ Journal was launched at the Reading Convention. The Third European Food Convention was held at the University of Wageningen in 1991. The event
was attended by 15 universities from eight member states, and five universities from Poland and Hungary. This indicated that the conference had the potential to bring together students from inside and outside the EC. The students of Wageningen University also published the second edition of the Euro Food Students’ Journal.
Legalization ‘Legalizing’ FISEC with the correct EC registration board has been a major problem. A student from the University of Munich is at present communicating with the EC Legal Service and the EC Task Force for Human Resources, Education, Training and Youth in order to find out how we can institutionalize FISEC.
The Future As the founder members of FISEC graduate and move into industry, a new young membership are replacing them. This will bring fresh ideas and new enthusiasm to FISEC and should result in expansion of the organization. A third edition of the Euro Food Students’ Journal is in preparation and will be published by the Portuguese. The new membership attended a meeting at the University of Reading in December 1991. The main objectives of this were to decide upon a host for the Fourth European Food Convention in 1992 and a publisher for the fourth issue of the Euro Food Students’ Journal. Unfortunately, a decision could not be made on the 1992 Convention and so a General Assembly will be held in late February in Brussels. ENSBANA (France) are to publish the fourth issue of the journal and the 1993 Convention is to be hosted by the University of Munich. As the single market for Europe approaches it is important that food students throuhgout Eruope begin to understand each other and work together. FISEC can achieve this. The importance of the Euro Food Students’ Journal should not be underestimated as a form of com-
095s71351921020066-02
0
Butterworth-Heinemann
Ltd
munication since it is the major voice of FISEC, not only to European students but also industrialists. FISEC needs the support of industry, other European universi-
Food Control- V0l3 No 2 1992
ties and food professors, now more than ever. Much has been done over the past two years, but there is a long way to go. The students of six universities from four member
states have worked to turn one man’s dream into a reality. Let us ensure that the reality will continue and that FISEC can be the forerunner to a global organization.
67