FBMEFS: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Food System

Module code: FBMEFS

Module provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 15

Level: 7

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Qiaofen Cheng , email: Q.Cheng@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Richard Frazier, email: r.a.frazier@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 12 May 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of the module is to get you to analyse a problem and generate new ideas to meet current and future challenges in the food sector. Through the module, you will develop entrepreneurial skills including networking, team building, creativity and presentation skills. You will also gain a basic knowledge on accessing resources to make your ideas a reality.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the existing literature on a food system challenge given
2. Design a technical solution for a specific challenge, taking into account the different stages of the food supply chain
3. Undertake market research and financial modelling in relation to a proposed technical solution
4. Defend a proposed solution during a pitch

Module content

The module will bring together the EIT Food cohort to analyse current problems within the food supply chain, such as environmental pollution or food waste, and develop potential solutions to these issues. Throughout the module you will be exposed to entrepreneurs and industry experts, to help develop your business skills. The module will cover the following topics; how to be an effective leader, how to work within a team, developing business ideas, business sustainability, financial modelling, market research, entrepreneurial skills and building a successful business.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be delivered in the format of online learning resources, lectures, plus tutorials with industry experts.

Study hours

At least 35 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve all of the following to pass this module:

1. A mark of 50% in each assessment
2. An overall module mark of 50%

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Level 3 (i.e. foundation modules for Part 0) and Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs