Beyond the “Bandejão" The Institutionalization of Public Policy on Food and Nutritional Security at the University

Abstract

Adequate food is a fundamental human right and a key dimension of student retention in higher education. In this context, the Coordination of Integrated Food and Nutrition Security Network (CRISA) at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) emerges as part of an institutional reconfiguration of university food policy, based on a multicampus management model. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the network and the processes that transformed the University Restaurant (RU) into an instrument of food and nutrition security (FNS). The research is based on the documentary analysis of institutional acts, administrative records, and contractual instruments from UFSCar, articulated with a bibliographic review that supports the public policy cycle approach. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic represented a turning point, requiring emergency adaptations and increasing the centrality of food access in the institutional agenda. From 2022 onwards, a restructuring of the RU can be observed, culminating in a new contractual model incorporating social, environmental, and operational criteria. The creation of CRISA strengthened policy governance and expanded its capacity for planning and monitoring. It is concluded that the transformation of the RU into a public FNS policy represents a relevant institutional advancement, although challenges related to financial sustainability and service implementation remain.