European Biotechnology
Thematic Network Association

The Thematic Network in Biotechnology started in 1996 and during these ten years four projects were presented and approved. The developed projects beginning form the first one:
BIOTECH - Biotechnology Thematic Network (Ag. No. 26036 - CP -1 -96 - 1 - IT - ERASMUS – ETN).

The main aims of Biotech Network project were to co-ordinate a common effort not only at the level of European Universities but also at the level of enterprises and to create a forum between European partners of different sectors and enterprises. The objectives were to establish the industrial needs, to define course programme objectives, the course contents, the various professional profiles, to establish common criteria of evaluation, to favour the applicative use, the research and didactic integration and to promote continuous formation. During this first project the Network was organised in six working groups, with different aims, each one co-ordinated by one colleague and each with its own activities to be completed. The WGs were: Workgroup 1 Educational and Institutional Needs, Workgroup 2 Core and Modular Curricula, Workgroup 3 Eurodoctorate and Euromaster Degrees, Workgroup 4 Quality Assessment, Workgroup 5 Advanced Short Courses, Workgroup 6 Code of Conduct.
The second project was BIOTECHNOLOGY DISSEMINATION - Results, Dissemination by means Web site of European Biotechnology Network(Agreement No. D26036-CP-1-99-1-IT-ERASMUS-ETN).

The objectives of this project were the diffusion of the products inside and outside of the network by implementing and using the WEB site interactive, quality evaluation, internal and external, and revision of the existing results, newsletters production and diffusion, enlargement of the network and the analysis of academic formation in Biotechnology in the East Countries, the creation of co-operation with other TNPs as means of diffusion and of complementary activities through dedicated WEB sites. A spin-off of the project was an International first level Degree: Job Creation Oriented Biotechnology".
A third project BIOTECHNET - BIOTECHnology Thematic NETwork (Ag. No. 10051- CP - 1 - 00- IT- ERASMUS – ETN) was approved by the EC in 2000. The aims of the project were to develop a continuous education system in the area of biotechnology, to collaborate with laboratories and enterprises in order to define the subjects in which it is more important to stress formation, to devise the methodology to be used, to establish evaluation systems.

The Network, with its WGs was very fruitful creating many products such as the publications which illustrate the state of art of the Biotechnologies in different countries so that we are finishing the booklet collection started during the first year of the project; the preparation of 7 ODL modules, we have also made some tests that demonstrate the value of the adopted methodology; the spin-off: the International first level Degree “Job Creation Oriented Biotechnology".

The forth project, BIOTECHUNTE – Biotechnology University Formation for Enterprises Development (Ag. No. 110769 - CP -1-2003-1- IT - ERASMUS –TNPP) was started from October 31 2003.

  • the relationship between education and research activities of European Institutions and Enterprises growth;
  • the improvement of this relationship for mutual benefits;
  • the evaluation of the didactic approaches already developed on potential job creation;
  • the identification of good practical methodology in developing this area, the favouring of the economical development of disadvantaged areas across Europe.

EuroBiotech project

This project aims at implementing the development of Biotechnological Industries by creating synergies between Institutions and Enterprises. The specific objectives are:

  • The relationship between education and research activities of European Institutions and Enterprises growth;
  • The improvement of this relationship for mutual benefits;
  • The evaluation of the didactic approaches already developed on potential job creation;
  • The identification of good practical methodology in developing this area;
  • The favouring of the economical development of disadvantaged areas across Europe.