Training the next generation of food safety risk assessors – EFSA’s fellowship programme

EFSA’s EU-FORA initiative is up and running. The fellowship programme supports the building of the EU’s scientific assessment capacity and knowledge community. It gives early and mid-career scientists the opportunity to increase their expertise in food safety risk assessment within a European national risk assessment institute.

Fifteen young scientists from 11 EU countries have started training at EFSA, Parma, as part of their fellowship placements under the EU-FORA programme. The fellows will then complete a year of on-the-job learning at food safety risk assessment institutes across Europe, gaining first-hand experience and contributing to the work of the host institutes.

Bernhard Url, EFSA’s Executive Director, said: “This programme will help us to get hold of the best brains in Europe and build the next generation of EU risk assessors. It will keep EFSA at the forefront of scientific advancement in risk assessment. We will face the challenges of the future only by sharing knowledge and methodologies.”  

Preparing for the next round

In October 2017 young and mid-career scientists will be invited to apply for the next round of the EU-FORA fellowship programme, which starts in September 2018. Food safety risk assessment organisations will also be invited to act as hosts.