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IMBS Class 2016-18: Inscription Open
Christoph Borner,
Cristina Arranz
Affiliation: Dean Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry , University of Buenos Aires
Keywords: Biomedicine, Master, PhD, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, University of Freiburg, Germany
Categories: News and Views
DOI: 10.17160/josha.2.6.59
Languages: English
In 2008 the International Master in Biomedical Sciences (IMBS) was established as a joint program between the Faculty of Medicine of the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg (ALU) and the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) in Argentina. The aim of this program is to provide scientific knowledge and state-of-the-art experimental experience to current and emerging biomedical research areas with a focus on translational research and development. It is also meant to foster teaching and research cooperation between the two Universities and to contribute to cultural exchange on the master, PhD and professor level. The program was implemented in a specific agreement co-signed by the Rectors of the two Universities in 2008. Moreover, the cooperation was strengthened by the UBA visit of the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg Kretschmann in 2011 when another agreement was signed. Since 2008 over 70 students have completed the innovative IMBS program with good to excellent grades. 75% of them continued their training with a PhD thesis in Germany, Argentina or elsewhere, 25% got a job at a university or in industry. The program consists of a two-year master course, carried out at UBA and ALU, finishing with a master thesis defense and a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree at UBA. The theoretical and practical modules at both universities have been stepwise adapted to meet both the specific needs of the participants and the official requirements of the universities. For example, in 2013 we awarded an additional degree at ALU, the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), for the successful completion of all practical modules (8 modules during 5 months summer school amounting to 30 Credit Points (cps) in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)). Another milestone was achieved in 2014 when the IMBS program was accredited by the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation (CONEAU) with the best possible rating A (Appendix 4). The next sep will be to award a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Biomedicine from the Faculty of Medicine of ALU (corresponding to 120 ECTS cps), thus making the IMBS truly BINATIONAL. From then on the modules taught in Buenos Aires and Freiburg will yield two Masters, a M.Sc. at UBA and a M.Sc. at ALU. On the basis of the successful cooperation between ALU and UBA, we obtained DAAD funding in the program “Subject related Partnerships with Institutions of Higher Education” for expanding the IMBS master to a PhD program and to further Universities in Latin America. Our TREAM (TRinational Education Improvement in Latin AMerica) program started in Jan 2015 with the Universidad de la Republica de Montevideo (UdelaR) as an additional partner.