Redesign of agrifood systems is urgent to mitigate the effects of climate change and fulfil sustainable development goals. This process requires that professionals involved in the food life cycle have a set of competencies currently not present in the curricula, such as the ability to assess the environmental impact and sustainability of the activities and processes in the agri-food systems or the most recent scientific and technological developments to increase resilience to the effects of climate change and the productivity in the agroindustry and food processing. The project aims to identify and fill those gaps in 5 universities from 3 countries in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay). The concrete goal is to modernise a wide range of food-related study programs on the participating IES, including agronomy, agroecology, bioprocesses and food technologies at undergraduate, master and doctorate levels. To achieve and sustain these curricular changes, teachers from all the participating HEIs will be trained in the new content by experienced professors and researchers from 4 HEIs in 3 European countries (Belgium, Spain and Portugal). A transdisciplinary approach involving teachers, students, and relevant societal actors (local/rural communities, farms, industry and commerce) will bring closer training, labour market and societal needs. The curricular changes will materialise in developing 18 courses to be incorporated into the existing programs, four new study programs, and nine modernised laboratories for practical. All the created material for students and teachers will be offered freely and openly through a series of MOOCs to maximise the project’s impact. We expect these changes will contribute to employability, sustainable growth, transition to a greener economy, and the empowerment of local communities by addressing how the degradation of natural resources and the deterioration of productive systems affects the local populations.

The EduSAF project aims to ensure that training, research, and knowledge exchange on agri-food systems lead to ecological and sustainable improvements. These improvements contribute to food security, employability, increased incomes, and the livelihoods of communities while reducing environmental degradation through the integration of technological tools. This goal directly aligns with three of the European Commission's overarching priorities for Latin America: the Green Deal, Digital Transformation, and Sustainable Growth and Employability.

In this context, and considering the specific needs of each country and Higher Education Institution (HEI), the EduSAF project pursues the following five specific objectives, which serve as a common foundation across the diverse realities of the participating entities: Latin American:

• Prioritize curricular changes by identifying the genuine needs of social actors to ensure relevance and alignment with societal challenges.
• Enhance the capacities of participating Latin American HEIs through teacher training in key project areas: environmental sustainability, life cycle assessment for evaluating agri-food systems, resilience to climate change effects, and the use of digital tools and green technologies for improving agri-food systems.
• Upgrade training programs by updating curricula and laboratory practices to focus on developing graduates' competencies, critical thinking, and capacities. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the environmental impact of agri-food processes, fostering resilience to climate change, applying appropriate technologies, and addressing labor market demands, all while incorporating local knowledge and needs. Transdisciplinary education approaches, such as problem-solving methodologies or innovation days, will be included.
• Foster integration and transdisciplinarity by promoting the exchange of information, knowledge, experiences, and best practices across the region. This will generate synergies between academia and the socio-economic sectors of the agri-food system, ensuring the sustainability of actions beyond the project's conclusion.
• Strengthen internationalization efforts by advancing international scientific cooperation focused on the life cycle of agri-food processes, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing on a global scale.

• Needs Assessment: Conduct an analysis of the general needs of local socio-economic actors to identify gaps and introduce improvements in curricula. This aims to equip graduates with enhanced competencies in the proposed subject areas.
• Objective Formulation: Based on the identified needs, design new learning objectives to enhance students' skills and capacities by the end of the course.
• Selection of New Learning Content: Ensure that the selected content aligns with the learning objectives, maintaining relevance, validity, and meaningfulness for students.
• Organization of New Learning Content: Structure the learning material by considering learners' maturity, prior knowledge, comprehension levels, critical thinking abilities, and interests.
• Development of Teaching Concepts and Materials: Create innovative concepts and materials to improve teaching and learning practices. This includes evaluating and disseminating these strategies to maximize their impact.
• In-Service Training for Educators: Provide professional development for educators, focusing on self-assessment of their teaching effectiveness. Training should include improving skills in curriculum development, evaluation, and implementation.
• Documentation of Best Practices: Compile and share teaching materials, instructional scenarios, and experiences as examples of effective teaching practices for broader adoption.

• The project is expected to have a significant impact on Latin American HEIs during its implementation, primarily through the training of a considerable number of teachers in areas of knowledge that differ substantially from their current expertise. While this presents a challenge for the participating educators, the overwhelming interest they have demonstrated in acquiring these competencies ensures the success of these activities. The teachers recognize the urgent demand for these skills from the socio-economic sector. Equipped with these new capabilities, they will not only effectively guide students in the new content areas but also establish connections with regional experts, fostering collaboration in both education and research.
• A dedicated work package on regional integration will further strengthen links between HEIs in the region, across different disciplines within HEIs, and between HEIs and socio-economic actors. This initiative will enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange, creating a robust network of stakeholders.
• The project will also bring immediate improvements to practice laboratories, providing specialized equipment currently unavailable in the region. This enhancement will transform traditional laboratory practices, enabling hands-on experiences that closely mirror real-world scenarios in the productive and industrial sectors.
• A direct and tangible impact is anticipated for students in the short term, as the new courses will be integrated into existing curricula as elective options. These courses will introduce content that is both complementary to current programs and highly relevant to societal needs, addressing concepts that are entirely absent from present offerings. The rapid implementation of these courses is expected to generate substantial benefits for graduates, equipping them with valuable, in-demand skills.
• The introduction of new study programs at UNCuyo, UMSS, and UTO will amplify the project’s impact, extending benefits to a broader student population, including those outside the participating HEIs. Additionally, the creation of MOOCs from all project materials will ensure open and free access to this knowledge, further extending its reach and societal impact.