Does a university exchange program between different countries make students change the way they are perceiving food?

Abstract

Food is in the centre of everybody’s life. The interests between food, sociology and the environment are increasing years after years. This thesis aims to determine if a university exchange program between different countries make students change the way they are perceiving food. Specifically, it investigates the link between the way the students were aware or not of the environmental impacts food could have, and if this perception evolved during their time abroad. In this context, the perception will relate to the way the people behaved regarding specific topics about the food and its industry.

To experiment this potential change of perception, an online survey was created and distributed online to current and formers students who spent at least one semester abroad, in Italy. Respondents were asked a series of 21 questions about their experience and behaviour towards food, between before and after the moment they lived in Italy. The responses were analysed using different tools. The results shown a significantly evolution in the food perception. Indeed, after a time abroad, many participants declared seeing a certain evolution about themselves, and the way they understand how the food industry is linked with the environment and all the problematics about this domain.

The results obtained show that students, after a period of at least 3 months abroad, are likely to change their behaviour toward food depending on the potential environmental impact it could have. However, the availability of the ingredients, the freshness of them as well as their price are also important factors for the participants to consider before buying their food products.