UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

INTERNATIONAL AND INTERDISCIPLINARY PhD COURSE [ORGANISED IN CHINA]

Food, Health and Philosophy in East and West

- cross roads among science, culture and business
ORGANISERS

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
University of Hong Kong, China

Course sponsors
ARLA Foods amba
Carlsberg Foundation

Version: 2015-12-04

SHORT FACTS:
Dates: 29 March - 8 April 2016;
Sites: Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China;
Credits: 5 ECTS (incl. presentation/report);
The course uses insights about food and health in East and West to illustrate how natural
science, social science and human science all contribute to the creation of new knowledge;
The course mixes academic lectures with site visits to universities, food markets, food/health
companies, hospitals and cultural/religious sites to augment the learning process;
The course is open to all PhD students and R&D professionals from companies that work on
topics related to the food chain and/or health of humans or animals;
Scholarships are available (see page 3 for more information).

Introduction
Food and health traditions have become globalized. On the other hand, diet and health views
differ widely around the world and are not alone determined by food availability, health care,
technology and science. The cultural and philosophical views about nature and the human
body are also important. What determines what we eat and how we stay healthy, natural
science, culture, philosophy or religion? Is food just fuel for the body machine, is food also
medicine and what are functional foods? How does food and health science relate to
business, culture, philosophy and ethics? The answers vary in different parts of the world.
New insights lead to better communication and enhanced collaboration across many borders.
The broadening PhD course aims to give PhD students a better understanding of the scientific,
cultural and philosophical background for specific diet habits and health views. We couple
field work (universities, hospitals, food markets, religious sites) with insights into the basics of
natural, social and human sciences (the 3 main academic domains). Specifically, we compare
some traditions of the Western world with those in China. This makes us aware of the
potentials and limitations of modern science and its role in diet and health globalization. An
open-minded, fruitful cross-talk across different academic fields shall support researchers
from the food-health area to see their own topic from a greater methodological perspective.

Dates, participants, venue, credits, report and exam

Time: 29 March - 8 April 2016

Participants: The course is international and welcomes mixed groups of PhD students/
researchers/company personnel (max. 20) related to different scientific disciplines. All
should have a relation to the food/health area (e.g. nutrition, food science, human or
veterinary medicine, pharma, sociology, business, anthropology, philosophy, religion).
Course sites: Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen; course language: English
Report: Participants produce a report (3-4 pages, 1 line spacing, 12 pt., excl. figures) that
is examined by the course coordinators. Report topics are defined by the start of the
course and relate to own research topics. A brief PowerPoint presentation is given.
Course material: Texts and powerpoint presentations supplied by lecturers. Updated
program and final list of lecturers are announced 1 month before course start.
Credit: 5 ECTS with oral presentation and report by the end of the course (pass/fail).

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Course fee

There is no course fee for PhD students whose institution is a member of the European
open market for PhD courses.
The course fee (without travel costs) is DKK 2.800 for PhD students whose institution is
not a member of the European open market for PhD courses. Following application, the
course secretariat may reduce the fee for participants from China.
The course fee is DKK 8.000 for professionals working in R&D organisations or similar.

Travel and accommodation costs

All participants cover their own costs for flights, local transport, accommodation and food
expenses, estimated DKK 18.000 for non-China participants: International flight, 6000
DKK; 10 days accommodation (double room, double price for single room), 4000 DKK; 10
days food and beverages, 4000 DKK; local transport, 2500 DKK; others (including costs for
lecture venues), 1500 DKK.
Each participant must pay DKK 12.000 (the total costs excluding the flight) to the course
secretariat before start of the course.
Following application, the course secretariat may cover costs for some participants (only
if infrastructure or available funds make full cost participation impossible). Also, see
scholarship information below.

ARLA Graduate Fellowships and Carlsberg Foundation Grants

ARLA Foods amba (a dairy company) is an official course partner and offers 4 fully funded
ARLA Graduate Fellowships to cover costs for participants whose work relates to dairy
sectors in China/Asia. These 4 participants compete for a trip to Denmark to participate in
the annual ARLA PhD Conference. The competition is based on quality of the course
report. If you wish to apply for an ARLA Graduate Fellowship, please contact the course
secretariat.
Carlsberg Foundation supports basic research across natural, social and human sciences.
Carlsberg Foundation Grants can help cover expenses for non-Danish participants in the
course. If you wish to apply for this grant, please contact the course secretariat.

Registration
Registration deadline: 5 January 2016 - via this link:
https://phdcourses.ku.dk/DetailKursus.aspx?id=98960&showformular=1&sitepath=SUND
Organised under Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Course leaders

Course secretariat: Martin Bech, Coordinator, ADI/ThinkChina, Univ. Copenhagen, Karen

Blixens Vej 4, 2300 Copenhagen. Tel. +45 2962 3147, mail Martin.bech@hum.ku.dk.
Course leader: Per Sangild, Professor, Comp. Paediatrics and Nutrition, Fac. Health and
Medical Sciences, Univ. Copenhagen. Tel. +45 2616 0530, mail pts@sund.ku.dk.
Course co-leader: Bent Nielsen, Ass. Professor, Dept. Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies,
Fac. Humanities, Univ. Copenhagen. Tel. +45 29903887, mail: bentn@hum.ku.dk
University of Hong Kong: Jennifer Wan, Ass. Professor, PhD, Dept Bioplogical Sciences,
Pokfulam Road, University of Hong Kong, mail jmfwan@hkusua.hku.hk
Sun Yat-sen University: Yanna Zhu, Ass. Professor, Dept. Maternal and Child Health,
School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen Univ., Guangzhou. zhuyn3@mail.sysu.edu.cn
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Course outline (DRAFT)

Key to name/background of involved personnel/lecturers is provided below.
Day

Time

Tue
8-16
29.03
8-16
Wed
17.30
30.03
19-21
8-9
9-10
10-11
Thu
11-12
31.03 12.30
13-14
14-17
17-18
18
8-9
9-10
Fri
10-11
01.04 11-12
12.30
13-17
17
8-9
9-10
10-11
Sat
11
02.04 13
14-15
15-17
17-19
196-8
8-9
9
Sun
11
03.04
12-13
13-17
17-18
18-20

Topic

Leader/
lecturer

Departure from DK or elsewhere. All students are expected to arrange

their own itinerary so that they arrive in Hong Kong at the latest in the
late afternoon of 30 March 2016.
Arrival in Hong Kong
Dinner at Tao Fong Shan (TFS)
Welcome and introduction to the course and TFS
Theme of day: Food/health relations to faith and practice
Breakfast
Food, health and philosophy East and West relations to religion/faith?
The history of Chinese thought and relations to food and health - 1
The history of Chinese thought and relations to food and health - 2
Lunch at TFS
Food and health in Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam?
Walking tour of TFS and visit to Shatin cemeteries and religious sites
Visit to Tai Wai food market
Free evening
Theme of day: Food and medicine in East and West
Breakfast
Eastern (Chinese) and Western nature views what leads us in life?
Nature views in East and West how to do cross-disciplinary science?
Food, eating and food for health in China and the West
Lunch at TFS
Site visit to HKBU School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (bus from 13 h)
Free evening in Hong Kong
Theme of day: Food and medicine in East and West
Breakfast
Food, health and philosophy of science in East and West
How do we define top natural science in the Western world?
Departure for University of Hong Kong (with metro)
Lunch at HKU
Western (and Eastern?) food and nutrition science at HKU
Course report updates from students 5 min presentations from each
Visit to street TCM doctor in Hong Kong/Wanchai food market
Free evening in Hong Kong down town
Theme of day: Nature, body and new life in new cities
Nature walk to Needle Hill Tai Qi practice
Breakfast
Departure for Shenzhen, Mainland China (with bus)
Arrival Baoan District Maternal and Childrens Hospital
Lunch
International NEOMUNE meeting on nutrition in newborn infants
Visit to Pediatric/Neonatal Depts. food and health in sensitive newborns
Dinner

MB
All
WS
PS/WS
WS
PS/AC
BN
BN
WS
PS/AC/WS
PS/AC
PS/AC

WS
BN
PS
AC
WS
WS

WS
PS
PS
PS
JW
JW
PS/BN/JW
JW

AC
WS
WS
PZ
PZ
PS/PZ/YL
PZ/YL
PZ/YL

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Version: 2015-12-04

8-9
9
10-11
Mon
11-13
04.04
13-14
14
16
168-9
10
Tue
11-13
05.04 13
14-17
17-19
198-9
10
Wed 10-12
06.04 12
14
15-18
18
8-9
Thu
9
07.04 10-13
13
148-9
9-10
10-12
Fri
12-13
08.04
13-15
15-17
17-18
18-24
Mon
8
11.04

Theme of day: Modern science to save the world?

Breakfast
Depart for Beijing Genomics Institute in Shenzhen (with bus/metro)
Site visit at Beijing Genomics Institute
Lectures: Use of new omics technologies in food and health research
Lunch
Departure for Guangzhou (with bus)
Arrival at hotel in Guangzhou (Zhu Hai SEZ Hotel)
Free afternoon/evening in Guangzhou
Theme of day: Food, health and disease
Breakfast and group reflections on food, health and life style
Departure for Sun Yat-sen University (metro)
Food, sedentary lifestyle and health in South China
Lunch at Sun Yat-sen University
Visit to SYSU affiliated hospitals (food for cancer and other patients)
Dinner (Sichuan food?)
River boat cruise on Pearl River
Theme of day: Functional foods in China
Breakfast and group reflections on health care policy
Departure for Qing Ping Market: largest functional food market in China
Qing Ping Market
Lunch at Xiamen Island East-West trade history in GZ
Departure (bus/metro)
Pearl River Beer Museum cultural, bioactive, scientific beers in China?
Dinner (herbal meal?)
Theme of day: Traditional health care philosophy science or faith?
Breakfast and group reflections: Traditional health care philosophy
Walk for TCM hospital in Guangzhou
Visit to TCM hospital (food, health, children and cancer patients)
Street lunch (optional: Visit Mosque/Catholic Church, Guangzhou)
Work on individual reports
Theme of the day: Food and health and religion in East and West
Breakfast and group reflection: Food and health philosophies
Walk to Guangxiao Church: Christianity, food and health
Walk to Guangxiao Temple: Buddhism, food and health
Vegetarian meal at Guangxiao Temple
Lecture at hotel: Foundations of modern science in food and health
Presentation of individual reports, course evaluation
Farewell dinner (Japanese)
Return home via Guangzhou airport
Deadline for delivery of course report via e-mail to course coordinators

PZ
FG
FG/KK
FG/KK
FG
MB/YL
MB/YL

PS/BN
PS/MC
DS/MC
MC
MC
MB
MB
PS/BN
AC
AC
AC
MC/MB
MC/MB
AC
PS/BN/AC
AC
AC
AC
PS/BN/AC
PS/BN/AC
AC
AC
AC
PS
PS/BN/AC
MB
MB
PS/BN

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Abbreviation and names of program point organizers/lecturers (alphabetical):

AC: Chan, Abraham, PhD theology, Senior Pastor, Chinese Church of Portland, Maine, USA
BN: Bent Nielsen, Ass. Prof., course co-leader. Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, Univ.
Copenhagen.
DS: Su Dongfang, Clinical doctor, PhD, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.
FG: Fei Gao, Adj. Ass. Professor, Genomics Platform leader, Chinese Academy of
Agricultural Sciences
HW: Hsiao, W.-L. Wendy, Ass. Dean, Prof., School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist
University
JW: Jennifer Wan, Ass. Professor, PhD, Dept Bioplogical Sciences, Pokfulam Road, Univ.
Hong Kong
KK: Karsten Kristiansen, Prof. Biology, Univ. Copenhagen & Beijing Genomics Institute,
Shenzhen
MB: Martin Bech, course secretariat coordinator, ADI/ThinkChina, Univ. Copenhagen.
MC: Muqing Cao, PhD stud., Dept Maternal and Child Health, Sun Yat-sen Univ.
PS: Per Sangild, course leader, Professor, Fac. Health and Medical Sciences, Univ.
Copenhagen
PZ: Ping Zhou, MD/PhD, Neonatology, Baoan Maternity & Child Hospital, China
WS: Tong Wing Sze, leader, Spirituality Division/Bridge & Dialoque, Tao Fong Shan
Christian Centre, HK
YC: Yajun Chen, Ass. Prof., PhD, Dept Maternal & Child Health, School Public Health, Sun
Yat-sen Univ.
YL: Yanqi Li, Post Doc and clinical studies coordinator in NEOMUNE project, Univ.
Copenhagen
YZ: Yanna Zhu, Ass. Prof., Dept. Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun
Yat-sen Univ.

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Version: 2015-12-04