ESCI-UPF has achieved a significant milestone by securing funding from the prestigious “la Caixa” Foundation's Social Observatory for the project, "Food Education in Spanish Schools: Current Practices, Challenges and Future Opportunities (FoodEd)".
“La Caixa” Foundation’s Flash Call for Quantitative Surveys in Social Sciences is a competitive scheme that supports impactful research across Spain. In this edition, a total of 219 applications were submitted, with only 10 projects ultimately selected for funding, representing a success rate of 4.6%. The FoodEd project stands out as one of these successful initiatives, highlighting the quality of its research design and proposed methods, and its social impact potential.
Among the other reputed institutions awarded funding are CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), Universidad de Salamanca, Universidad de Málaga, Universitat Ramon Llull, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Institut d’Economia de Barcelona, and Fundación Pública Andaluza de Investigación Biosanitaria de Andalucía Oriental. See the list of projects and prestigious evaluators participating in the selection process here.
The FoodEd project aims to examine how Spanish primary and secondary schools promote sustainable and healthy eating habits among children. By conducting a comprehensive national survey, the study will provide insights into current educational practices, challenges faced by educators, and opportunities to improve food education initiatives in schools. This research is particularly relevant in the context of growing concerns about childhood obesity and the environmental impacts of the global food system.
Under the leadership of Mercè Roca, with fellow ESCI-UPF researchers Sandra Sinem Kaya and Erick Suarez, the project will delve into how variables such as school type, size, and regional differences shape food education practices. The results are expected to guide policymakers, educators, and public health authorities in designing more effective strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable diets among children.
In line with the project’s advancement, ESCI-UPF has published the official tender for the fieldwork required for this study. The contract includes the responsibilities linked to conducting the survey across Spain’s diverse educational landscape adhering to strict quality control measures to ensure reliability and robustness.
The successful completion of the FoodEd project is set to provide invaluable insights into the role of educational institutions in shaping children’s dietary habits and contributing to broader sustainability efforts. ESCI-UPF’s achievement in securing this funding underscores its commitment to impactful social science research and reinforces its role as a leader in advancing knowledge for societal progress.
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