2005:7 R

Evaluation of programmes in dietetics and in domestic science, nutritional science, nutritional economics, culinary arts, clinical nutrition and nutrition

The report comprises two sections. The first contains a summary together with the decisions and reflections of the National Agency for Higher Education. The second presents the findings of the panel of assessors and provides a general overview followed by evaluations of each individual higher education institution.

The programme offering a vocational qualification and the subjects dealt with in the evaluation are offered by a relatively limited number of higher education institutions and span a broad spectrum ranging from aesthetics, the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences and medicine. The panel of assessors therefore contained experts from a number of different disciplines. The panel identified substantial differences between the programmes evaluated as well as certain general patterns.

The undergraduate programmes in most of the subjects evaluated and the programme for dieticians are firmly based in vocational practice, but varying degrees of progress have been made in establishing links between research and the teaching. As several of the disciplines are relatively new and the research environments are restricted in size there is still an inadequate recruitment base of teachers with research qualifications. Several of the subjects are multidisciplinary, which makes it difficult to create a coherent identity and offer specialisation. Generally speaking, the quality of the programmes is considered sound. The panel of assessors recommends that further development could be provided by focusing on more analysis of intelligence resources, teaching methodology, internationalisation and also strategic measures to rectify the gender imbalance among students and teachers.

The panel of assessors considers that the systems for supervision and for student influence in the graduate programmes function effectively. Graduate students taking these programmes in social science settings are offered stable conditions of employment and appointed to studentships from the beginning of their programmes. However the number of graduate students is too small to enable each research environment to acquire critical mass. The panel of assessors therefore urges cooperation. Faculties of medicine offer larger, well established research environments but students are not offered appointments from the beginning of the programme. Instead a system of work placement is in operation for graduate students.

All of the programmes are considered to live up to the standards required in higher education and the National Agency for Higher Education is not therefore questioning the right of any to award degrees. However Örebro University´s Restaurant Academy at Grythyttan is advised against developing a master´s programme in culinary arts before the subject´s disciplinary links and identity have been enhanced.