SPU Helps Shape New Educational Programs in Central Asia
24.10.2025
A pilot testing of study modules within the international project Open Food Innovation University – OFINU took place at the Samarkand University of Agrotechnologies and Research (SAMARU) in Uzbekistan from October 6 to 12.
The Slovak University of Agriculture (SPU) in Nitra was represented by Professor Miroslava Kačániová from the Institute of Horticulture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, and Associate Professor Eva Ivanišová from the Institute of Food Science, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, and the SPU Food Incubator.
“During the mobility, we focused on Module No. 4 - Cereal Technology and Module No. 7 - Academic Writing,” said Professor Kačániová. Within Module 4, theoretical and practical lessons connected the chemical and physical composition of cereals with flour quality analysis, dough rheological properties, and sensory evaluation of bakery products, including aspects of food packaging. Participants had the opportunity to practice baking wheat bread enriched with oat, buckwheat, and spelt flour, followed by quality and sensory assessment. Associate Professor Eva Ivanišová delivered a lecture on Wheat Quality Evaluation.
Workshops on Academic Writing focused on the structure of scientific articles, correct citation practices, working with literature sources, and styles of scientific communication. The module was led by Professor Miroslava Kačániová.
As part of the program, the participants visited Lazzatli Don, a company specializing in wheat flour production, which provided a direct link between theory and practice in a real industrial environment. The SPU experts also participated in the university’s scientific conference and a joint seminar on the piloted modules, which offered an opportunity to share experiences and fine-tune the course content.
The OFINU Project (No. 101128855) connects universities from Europe and Central Asia with the ambition to establish an Open Food Innovation University. The project brings modern European education, strengthens professional capacities, and supports regional development, where access to quality education is a key to a better future. The consortium includes seven partners, coordinated by the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. SPU in Nitra is represented by nine academics from the Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering and the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science.
