About
We are a leading interdisciplinary hub of researchers, teachers and students; developing new science, curating evidence and learning on the intersection and interdependence of the systems that underpin the health and wellbeing of people and our planet.
The global population will approach 11 billion by the end of this century. We are in the midst of climate, biodiversity, malnutrition and inequity crises. We must tackle dangerous rates of global warming and dramatic biodiversity loss. At the same time, over a third of the global population is affected by one or more forms of malnutrition – be that hunger, obesity or micronutrient deficiency – with the most deprived being more vulnerable to threats to health and wellbeing.
Our food, farming and land use systems are central to achieving food and nutritional security. They are extremely vulnerable to environmental change, whilst also being important drivers of this change.
Ensuring that all people have access to healthy diets, while protecting the natural systems on which we all depend, is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.
Achieving sustainable, healthy diets underpins many of the Sustainable Development Goals – especially those concerned with hunger, poverty, health, gender equality, life on land and in water, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. We apply a Planetary Health approach that explores the drivers, risks, impacts, connections among, and potential contributions to these and related global challenges of the Anthropocene era in which we live.
The Global Academy is based at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies - part of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine - at the University’s Easter Bush Campus. Our remit is to catalyse interactions university-wide, and with partners globally, to drive progress towards regenerative and ethical food systems and land use for healthy people and a healthy planet.
Our Vision
Healthy people and a healthy planet, through regenerative and ethical food and land use systems
Our Mission
Providing science and leadership for regenerative, ethical, food and land use systems for healthy people and a healthy planet through:
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Agenda-setting, impactful, trans-disciplinary research in
- Food systems, nutrition and health
- Sustainable land and environmental resource use
- Planetary Health and One Health
- Inspiring, lifelong education and training for Planetary Health and Food Systems leaders, practitioners and advocates
- Partnership, engagement and co-creation to maximise the relevance and impact of our work and drive the development of solutions
Our research and associated education and engagement are in two broad themes – Food System Transformation and Healthy People, Healthy Planet. Across and among these, we are concerned with the interface between science, policy and industry; data-driven innovation; and governance/ethics.
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Global Academy Staff have expertise spanning:
- Human nutrition and public health
- Agricultural systems, ecology and soil science
- Land use, environmental and agri-food systems
- Climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation
- Agricultural and natural resource economics
- International law and governance of natural resources
- International development
- Data science, mathematical modelling and decision support
- Innovation, regulation, policy and governance
- Behaviour change and social networks
- Animal science and livestock systems
- Veterinary public health, population medicine and animal health policy.