Co-Operative Board Members Enjoy Final Diploma Workshop on ‘New Technologies and Future Food Developments’
The Food Industry Training Unit was delighted to welcome co-operative board member participants of the UCC-ICOS Diploma in Corporate Direction (Food Business) to UCC campus this week for their final workshop of the programme.
Co-Operative board members recently concluded their Diploma programme with a final workshop focused on New Technologies and Future Food Developments.
This busy three-day workshop facilitated students’ in-company research project presentations. Dr Bridget Carroll (Academic Programme Director) and Billy Goodburn (Head of Learning of Development, Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)), reviewed 23 student research project presentations, with topics ranging from future of farming and co-operatives, to milk price volatility, to genocells, to clean energy, to nitrates derogation limits, to agribusiness retail strategies, to AI and the Irish dairy sector.
Focusing on the module workshop theme of ‘New Technologies and Future Food Developments’, the session explored how emerging innovations are shaping the future of food industry.
Contributing speakers included:
- Prof Joe Bogue and Dr Lana Repar (Department Food Business & Development, CUBS, UCC)
- Prof Paul Ross (APC Microbiome Ireland, UCC)
- Prof Lawrence Dooley (Department Management & Marketing, CUBS, UCC)
- Prof Alan Kelly, Prof Seamus O’Mahony and Dave Waldron (School of Food & Nutritional Sciences, UCC)
- Dr Doug McMillan (Green Restoration Ireland)
- Barry Skillington (Atlantia Clinical Trials)
Participants engaged in practical discussions on how these advancements can strengthen co-operative models, improve efficiency, and respond to evolving consumer expectations. The workshop also highlighted the importance of leadership readiness in navigating technological change while maintaining co-operative values.
The event marked a fitting conclusion to the Diploma programme, leaving board members better equipped to guide their organisations through a rapidly changing agri-food landscape.
We very much look forward to welcoming all participants (and their families!) back to UCC Campus in the autumn to celebrate their Adult Continuing Education (ACE) conferring ceremony!
* This part-time Diploma is organised by the Food Industry Training Unit (FITU), in association with the Department of Food Business and Development (Cork University Business School) and Adult Continuing Education (ACE), all based in University College Cork, and in partnership with the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). The Diploma is Level 7 (Special Purpose) in the National Framework of Qualifications. Accreditation for the programme rests with University College Cork.
Programme participants comprise of Board Members and Senior Management from agri-food co-operatives like: ArraTipp, Aurivo, Bandon Co-op, Barryroe Co-op, Callan Co-op, Dairygold, Drinagh Co-op Ltd, Kerry Co-op, Lakeland Dairies, Lisavaird Co-op, and Tirlán.