BIO AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Tuition in Finnish

Bio and Food Technology belongs to a field of high technology where, by combining engineering and biosciences, living material can be processed. 

In biotechnical production the main process phase operates with cells (bacteria, mould, yeast, animal and plant cells) or their parts, i.e. enzymes. There are no competitive alternatives to be expected for many of the biotechnical products (such as amino acids, enzymes and other proteins or index compounds of antibiotics). In food industry biotechnology has been applied for thousands of years in brewing; later applications include for example various functional food products. Along with the development of genetic engineering, pharmaceutical industry utilises more and more biotechnology in research, in producing services and in production. Biotechnology is also used in chemical and wood processing industry as an alternative that supports sustainable development. Several applications in environmental technology are also connected to the biotechnology. In civil engineering biological purification methods are essential.

With food technology agricultural raw material can be processed into such food products that fulfil the various demands set by the customers. The food products’ beneficial effects on health and possibly the capacity to reduce disease risk connect also medicine to the biotechnology and engineering. Food industry needs versatile experts to respond to the consumer’s basic need to find healthful and safe food products every day.

Goals of the Degree Programme

At EVTEK the aim of the engineering education in Bio and Food Technology is to provide the students with good basic knowledge of biotechnology, industrial food production and of the related sciences. With this knowledge the future engineers will be able to manage the duties in practical planning and in processes, and they are able to apply their knowledge and know-how in the working life challenges. The appreciation of the meaning of environmental protection and ethical values in production and research is also one goal of the education. Good professional skills and diversity in the subject areas studied are emphasised so that later, in post-graduate and in continuing professional education, engineers can broaden their knowledge of a chosen field or even specialise in new fields. Bio and food technology applies several sciences and therefore requires extensive education.

In bio and food industry engineers have various supervisory and expert duties. Typical duties are production, production planning, product development, quality control and marketing duties in industry. The first duties after graduation can be for example supervisor; production planner or project, planning, product development or sales engineer. According to the engineers’ personal qualifications and work experience, they can advance for example to process laboratory or production supervisors, sales or quality managers.

Bio and food industry research groups need experts who can master the methods of molecular biology and gene technology, have know-how of bio analytics, and also have good skills in IT and mathematics. In most cases the job title is laboratory or research engineer.
Also entrepreneurship is encouraged in bio and food engineering education. Students are also encouraged to initiative and internationalisation.

Studies

The studies are divided into basic studies (70 credit points) and to professional studies (110 credit points). Basic studies are scheduled to be taken during the first two study years. The basic studies create a solid mathematical and natural scientific base; they provide also basic abilities in IT, and fluent communication skills. The common core professional studies (50 credit points) include, in addition to the general technical subjects, also organic, analytical and physical chemistry; bio and food chemistry and microbiology. The professional studies comprise four 15 credit point modules and the studies also include 15 credit points of optional studies. The specialisation field, which is chosen during the spring term of the first study year, determines which modules are compulsory.

Specialisation Fields

The Degree Programme has two fields of specialisation:

Production Based Specialisation Field

The production oriented alternative suits for those students who wish to work as experts or in supervisory positions in food and biotechnical industry. The learning through work projects prepare the students for project work in working life already during the study time.

Research and Product-development Orientated Bio and Food Technology

Research, product development and quality control are also strong fields in bio and food technology. This work is carried out in specialised laboratories. The research and development oriented alternative offers excellent possibilities for students aiming to work as engineers in these laboratories. Within the research and product development oriented alternative students can specialise in quality control and environmental issues or in the latest biotechnical research applications of the field.

Practical Training and Bachelor’s Thesis

Practical training is an essential part of the studies at EVTEK. The degree requirements contain 20 weeks (30 credit points) practical training, which is in most cases carried out in summer. Production, laboratory and planning duties in bio and food companies and institutions are considered suitable for practical training in this field. Training must be technical, connected to the future profession.

In the production oriented alternative one semester is implemented as learning through work. In practise this means that students complete 30 credit points of theoretical studies in learning through work projects in the companies of the field. These working life based projects include both basic and professional studies. The subject matter and the extent of a project work are agreed between the company, EVTEK and the student. Teachers will guide the students in these projects.

Bachelor’s Thesis, an extensive design, research or survey project, is a part of the curriculum of the last study year. The topics of these projects is are in most cases given by a research or an industrial institution, so these projects, combined with practical training and with learning through work projects, familiarises the students with practical working life duties already during the study time.

Other

Biotechnology is a part of the process industry, where the main phase of the process is carried out with living cells.  This branch of industry is growing rapidly and expanding to new fields. Dynamic research and international activities characterise this field. Biotechnology offers a challenging field to apply and commercialise the latest achievements in science.

Food technology is a part of process engineering where the material (food or its raw material) sets its own demands.

Engineers working in food industry must understand technology and processes, know chemistry in order to understand raw materials and their reactions and know microbiology and hygiene in order to understand the deterioration processes in materials.

Contact Information

Riitta Lehtinen
Head of the Bio and Food Technology Degree Programme
tel. +358 20 7553 705
email: riitta.lehtinen@evtek.fi

Liisa Heikkilä
Assistant of the Bio and Food Technology Degree Programme
tel. +358 20 7553 791
email: liisa.heikkila@evtek.fi