Among the Estonian and global sustainable development goals, smart, active and healthy people are the most important priority.
We want smart, active and healthy people to live in Estonia, because a healthy and knowledgeable person is more resource-efficient, flexible, resilient and prone to change their attitudes and current behavioural habits.
In order to meet the needs of a growing world population, we need to move from linear mass consumption to a circular economy, which is why it is necessary to change the norms and habits of our diet. A sustainable food system ensures food security, healthy eating and takes into account social, economic and environmental sustainability. In order to achieve a sustainable economy and health system, demand reduction, matching supply and reducing the environmental footprint are necessary. Appropriate and effective prevention activities and smart health and food technologies are crucial to achieving this goal.
The shortage of medical staff, the high cost of health services and the need for more efficient and personalised health care require a wider use of health technologies. From a business point of view, it is important to note that health care contributes nearly 7% of GDP to the entire economy of the country.
Health and Food Technologies Focus Centre coordinates the activities of the field in order to have a constantly up-to-date overview of the university’s competencies, systematize cooperation with external partners, and introduce the university’s health and food technology capabilities.
Objectives
The objectives of the Focus Centre are:
- Consolidate competences, use opportunities for cross-faculty cooperation;
- Significantly increase the external financing of research and development;
- To be a single and visible point of contact for TalTech’s communication and value propositions on health and food technologies;
- Develop domestic and international cooperation;
- Communication with various ministries and state institutions to ensure the visibility of TalTech’s competencies in the field of health and food technologies and participation in policy-making processes;
- Provide a single “door to health and food technologies” to our external partners.