Double Degree Programme should draw Consumer studies students

On 29 October, the European Commissioner for Consumers Meglena Kuneva and the Bavarian Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection Beate Merk will officially open the new Double Degree Programme EURECA. The European Master's Programme in Consumer Affairs is the new 2-year specialisation programme within Wageningen University's MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies. The programme will strengthen Wageningen University's international relationship with other high-quality European universities.

The goal of the new programme, which is being supported by the European Commission, is to increase the number of people with an advanced degree in the field of consumer sciences. To realize this, Wageningen University (a part of Wageningen UR) is working with the Technical University Munich (Germany), Aarhus University (Denmark) and Warsaw University of Life Sciences (Poland). Because of this collaboration, a select number of students will receive the opportunity to study a semester at one of the partner universities. The European Commission will finance these study periods. Students may also choose to have two universities supervise their graduation requirements. Upon graduation the student will then receive two diplomas.

In addition to the programme's opening, a conference will be held on 29 and 30 October that will focus on the theme "Mediating Consumption: Innovation, Competition and Consumer Protection in the Food Retail Sector". The impetus for the conference is a number of drastic changes within the food sector such as the shift of power relationships because of the increasing competition, the change in consumer needs, and the development of new selling channels because of modern information technology. The different aspects of the changing retail trade and its environment will be discussed during the conference. Experts in marketing, economics, consumer protection, food commerce and technology will give their vision of and exchange ideas on the conference's theme.