Håkan Jönsson

Prof. Dr. Håkan Jönsson

Department of process and life science engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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18 August 2026 in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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HJHåkan Jönsson
Håkan Jönsson
SBStephen Burleigh
Stephen Burleigh
CLClaudia Lazarte
Claudia Lazarte
Introduction: To foster a new generation who possess the knowledge, skills, and techniques to become agents of change for a sustainable and resilient food system is essential for food systems education. The aim of this article is to map and analyze existing curricula in the field of food systems science in Europe. Methods: A literature review identifying competencies for food systems transformation is used for examining existing curricula to see how these competencies are addressed. The mapping was conducted by a mixed methods approach, including a qualitative analysis of educational texts, and an informatics-based analysis to map Bloom’s taxonomy in the educational documents. Results: The mapping demonstrates a growing diversity of Food Systems Programs and courses, with pedagogical approaches that are skills oriented, emphasizing Real-World Learning and interdisciplinary, problem-based, and experiential learning strategies. The educational programs are geographically distributed and internationally networked. While bachelor programs and lifelong learning initiatives exist, most food systems programs are found at Master level. The informatics study of Bloom’s taxonomy confirmed that the Food Systems Programs generally align with broader trends in European master’s-level, with an emphasis on higher-order cognitive processes, particularly those associated with the Create and Evaluate domains. Discussion: The possibility of gaps in foundational learning support which calls for a clear focus on practices for inclusion of, and support to, students from underrepresented backgrounds. A broadened geographic representation is also important for achieving a more inclusive education. The article proposes to align curricula more closely with the competencies required for system transformation, innovation, and inclusive governance. Strategic curriculum reform should prioritize interdisciplinarity, applied systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and the development of human-centered competencies. Efforts to expanding food systems education in basic and undergraduate studies and to underrepresented regions in Europe should be made. To provide courses and modules for professionals, to give them the tools to apply food systems thinking in their everyday work in the food sector, is another key task for development.