The VDOE – Professional Association for Nutrition, Home Economics and Food Science
VISIBLE.RELEVANT.RECOGNISED.
Since its foundation in 1973, the VDOE has represented the professional interests of all those who have completed a degree in Oecotrophologie, Nutrition, Home Economics, Food Science, or a comparable subject, or who are currently studying one of these subjects.
Under the motto VISIBLE. RELEVANT. RECOGNISED, we actively support members of our professional group in all industries and fields of activity. The VDOE currently represents around 4000 members, including approximately 500 students. Additionally, around 80 corporate members, including companies, associations, universities, and institutions, support the VDOE.
The VDOE works independently and without pursuing economic goals.
About us
- The Study Programme Oecotrophologie was founded at the Justus Liebig University Giessen in 1963
- The VDOE is the only professional association for nutritionists, home economists and food scientists in Germany.
- The VDOE focuses on professional matters and represents university-trained members
- VDOE members are qualified professionals, scientists, and students in the fields of Home Economics and Nutrition, Food Science and Life Sciences, and related disciplines who hold a German “Diplom” degree*, Bachelor’s degree, or Master’s degree. In addition, other individuals, associations, companies, institutions, or organisations may join as corporate members, provided they support the association’s objectives.
- *The German “Diplom” degree refers to a full-time study course ranging from three and a half to four years at a university of applied sciences or five years at a university. This degree is not equivalent to the “high-school diploma” and has been gradually superseded by the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees over the last 10 years.
Our mission:
- Represent professional political interests
- Facilitate networking
- Shaping and securing the future of the discipline and the profession
- Promotion of training and provide further education opportunities for members
- Making the diverse qualifications of our professional group visible and engaging in dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.
Our areas of expertise
- Professional politics
- Networking
- Qualification
- Further education
- Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes
- Career and job services
- Information and communication
Where do VDOE members actively work?
- Food industry and food trade
- Pharmaceutical industry
- NGOs and associations, public corporations, and civil service
- Media, publishers, and PR agencies
- Hospitals and clinics, health insurances and health care companies
- Catering and household appliance industry
- Universities and universities of applied sciences, schools and other educational establishments
- Research institutions
- Freelance sector
What sectors do VDOE members work in?
- Marketing and Sales
- Production/Product Development
- Catering
- Supply Management
- Quality Management/Quality Assurance
- Science/Research/Teaching
- Nutrition/Diet Counselling/Nutritional Therapy
- Consumer counselling
- Education and Training
- Public relations, Editorial work, Journalism
- Home economics management
- Clinical trials management and pharmaceutical consulting services
- Project management
- Regulatory affairs
- Politics/Administration
- International cooperation
- Management/Occupational Health Care
What are VDOEs key tasks?
- Representation of member interests
- Maintaining close and constant contact with employers, universities, higher education institutions, and the media
- Participation in governmental and other national and international professional decision-making processes
- Information and Communication
- Regular meetings of currently over 60 regional VDOE groups
- VDOE Newsletter every two weeks
- Specialised networks (obesity, workplace health promotion and occupational health management, education, press work and public relations, trade and industry, care and catering, diabetes, nutrition counselling and dietetic therapy, quality management/assurance, young professionals)
- Further Training / Sponsorship
- Broad range of seminars
- VDOE Nutrition Counselling Certification
- Annual scientific conference
- Sponsorship of young scientists, researchers, and academics
- Support and Counselling
- Job hunting and business start-ups
- Legal and bureaucratic issues
- Overcoming professional isolation
- Contract procurement for members
Services
The professional association’s services include, for example
- eleven specialist VDOE networks and VDOEregional networking platforms at over 60 locations nationwide,
- a continuing education programme specially tailored to the professional group,
- quality assurance in nutritional counselling and therapy through qualification and certification,
- the referral of competent discussion partners from the field of Oecotrophologie,
- information and advice on starting a business,
- scientific events such as annual conferences and network meetings,
- the VDOE expert search enables journalists, consumers and clients to search nationwide for self-employed Oecotrophologists from various fields,
- the VDOE job service, which supports both members in their job search and employers in their search for suitable specialists,
- the annual OECOTROPHICA Award to promote young scientists,
- the VDOE NEWSLETTER (only for members) and the VDOE BLOG, which report on professional policy issues and news from the professional field,
- further exclusive services and benefits.
VDOE networks
- Networking with professional colleagues
- Professional exchange and advice
- Nationwide network of regional groups through VDOEregional
- Networking right in your local region
- Lectures, excursions, professional exchange and advice
- Communication between committees and networks via the VDOE forum
Working group – International Professional Politics
The goals of this working group are:
- Reflecting the internationalisation of the professional world and degree programmes
- Scrutinising the developments in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, e.g. new nutritional recommendations in the DACH countries
- Promoting international experience/stays abroad, especially for young members
- Initiating the provision of information on international work experiences and workplaces/international institutions
Check our blog posts on working in Switzerland and Austria. Visit our Swiss and Austrian partner organisations SWAN and VEÖ.
Here you can find us – get in contact
- Administrative office in Berlin
- VDOEregional groups in Germany and a representative in Switzerland
- Specialised networks and work groups