Prof. Dr. Bernd Hallier, One Health, and the TUN EQA Memorandum of Understanding

 

President of  the European Retail Academy, Prof. Dr. Bernd Hallier, participated on October 8, 2017, in Cologne (Köln) at ANUGA (the world’s largest and most important trade fair for food and beverages), at the Signing ceremony of the TUN EQA Memorandum of Understanding, a first step in building a new network as an excellent platform for global dialogue (TUN = Thematic University Network; EQA = Education and Qualification Alliance).

 
As already announced by the European Retail Academy in the Preview for ANUGA, based on the preparations for the 200 years Anniversary of the University of Bonn, the two international networks EQA (Education Qualification Alliance) and ERA (European Retail Academy) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to institutionalize a Thematic University Network (TUN) to promote holistic Research about food/health/sustainability and the Penetration of knowledge and standards along the Total Supply Chain from farm to fork.
 

Vision and Mission of TUN were explained jointly by Prof. Dr. Petersen/EQA and University of Bonn and Prof. Dr. Hallier/ERA. The MOU was signed by the Chairman of the Board of EQA (Christian Gruetters) and Prof. Hallier for ERA; in additional bi-lateral contracts the University of Debrecen/Hungary and University of Chapingo/Mexico signed already during the ANUGA presentation. Pre-contracts are already in preparation for universities from Poland, Romania and Russia. All those professors represent together the ACADEMIC BOARD which will supervise the following strategic, tactical and operational steps.
 

Further Academic Institutions can join in the upcoming months – as well as Supporters from the international Standard Organizers and Businesses with interests in the Total Supply Chain from Farm to Fork.
 

It is worth mentioning that Bonn International Center for Food Chain and Network Research (FoodNetCenter Bonn) was founded in 2006 as interdisciplinary center of the University of Bonn (main objectives:  interdisciplinarity; contribution to university profile; outstanding research & development; Focus Groups: Food Waste, One Health, Responsible System Information), being focused on 6 Global Goals, including good health and well-being.
 

As shown by the FoodNetCenter Bonn (in the Report Period March 2014 – October 2015), within Focus Group One Health approach: the One Health concept is a worldwide strategy for expanding inter-disciplinary collaborations and communications in all aspects of health care for humans, animals and the environment; to develop a One Health strategy, three joined research fields are defined: assessment of ecologic or drug resistance bacteria; support of food chain oriented crisis management; evaluation of One Health approach. EQA has been established in 2015, having as founding members standard providers, certification bodies, service enterprises specialized in quality management as well as educational institutions.