Educational Initiatives in Europe
and the Mediterrean
Giulio M. Mancini
Landau Network Centro Volta
Second Workshop
AHRC Network on Ethics Education for Neuroscientists
September 2012
Experience in Promoting Education on Security
and Dual Use Issues among Life Scientists
•
2008-2009, LNCV-BDRC project “Fostering the Biosecurity Norm for Life Science
Students” on European Universities
– Funded by EC, DG Justice Freedom and Security
– Survey of considerations in syllabi and networking to engage universities, promote
information and discuss implementation challenges
•
2010-2011, LNCV projects to survey and engage universities in North Africa and
South Asia
– Funded by the US Biosecurity Engagement Program
– Partners: Association Marocaine de Biosécurité (AMBS) in Morocco and Quaid-i-Azam
University (QAU) in Pakistan
•
2011-2013, ISIS Euro-Mediterrean Master on Neuroscience and Biotechnology
– Funded by EC, TEMPUS.
– LNCV is Associate Partner to a Consortium of 11 universities establishing a new Master
– Bioethics course with educational materials on dual use and potential military applications of
neuroscience
•
2011-2012, “European Biosecurity Awareness Raising network” (EUBARnet)
– Funded by EC, DG Home Affairs
– Present life science students with multidisciplinary aspects of security issues
ISIS Euro-Mediterrean Master
in Neuroscience and Biotechnology
• Funded by TEMPUS: Modernizing higher education in EU
neighbours
– TEMPUS, managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture
Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission under the
supervision of EuropeAid Development and Cooperation (DEVCO)
and the Directorate-General for Enlargement, supports the
modernisation of higher education and creates an area of cooperation in countries surrounding the EU.
– Established in 1990, the scheme now covers 27 countries in the
Western Balkans, Eastern Europe (TACIS), Central Asia, North
Africa and the Middle East (MEDA)
Full University
Partners
Associate Partners
www.isis-master.org
ISIS Overview
• A two years Master Program in Neuroscience
and Biotechnology (120 ECTS)
• From cellular to integrative physiology and
behavioral neuroscience
• In English and/or in French
• Fully recognized Master degree in association
with Universities from Euro-Mediterrean
countries (France, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Egypt
and Lebanon)
Master in Neurosciences & Biotechnology
EU member states
Tempus IV partner
countries
11 universities from 6
countries
3 associated partners
• up to 200 students /year from both life
sciences and medical schools
• e-learning, French/english
• quality assurance implementation
• student representatives
• gender balance attention
I. Perroteau (University of Turin), presentation of ISIS at the LNCV-UNESCO Workshop “Higher Education and Professional Responsibility in
CBRN Applied Sciences and Technology Across the Sub-Mediterranean Region”., Venice, April 3-4, 2012
6
ISIS Objectives and Jobs Opportunities
• Acquiring high-level innovative and interdisciplinary training in
Neuroscience
• Manipulating theoretical concepts together with a broad range of
experimental methods used in Biotechnology and Biomedicine
• Mastering competences required to implement and use modern
techniques, and to serve complex experimental set-up
• Conceiving and conducting individual projects in Neuroscience and
Biotechnology
• Elaborating and communicating scientific data and concepts
• Developing connections and networking in Neuroscience across the
Mediterrean
• Job opportunities as Researcher, Service Engineer, Application
Scientist, Bio-Medical Engineer, Sale Engineer, Healthcare Executive
ISIS Teaching Modalities
• Shared resources in the Consortium
• Mainly e-learning courses (platform at Université
Senghor d’Alexandrie)
• On-site teaching
• Conferences by Consortium members
• Internships (at Associate Partners or other labs or
companies)
• Enrolment: 40 students (on 240 candidates)
started in 2011 in 2 universities; others will start
in September 2012
ISIS Syllabus
• Four different tracks:
– Molecular and cellular neurosciences (synthetic biology)
– Neuropharmacology and innovative therapeutics (drug
design, drug deliver, vectorization, nanotechnology)
– Integrative and system biology (cognitive neurosciences:
from sensation to perception and from perception to
action)
– Medical Neuroscience and neuroimaging
(neurostimulation, intervention neuroradiology,
radiosurgery)
All students attend “core” common modules, including:
“Regulations, Laws and Ethics, Biosecurity” (3 ECTS)
Introducing Bioethics, Biosecurity and Dual
Use Topics in ISIS
• Background: Seminar on security
and dual use issues with Master
students in biology and PhD
students in neurosciences at the
University of Turin, 23 May 2009
• Promoted by the Council of
Biologists of Italian Universities
(Collegio dei Biologi delle
Università Italiane, CBUI)
• Turin participates both to
EUBARnet and ISIS
Report of the 2009 Board Meeting of CBUI: “interest in
[…] coordinate activities and initiatives aimed to including
educational contents on biosecurity at different levels;
test common strategies for the implementation of online
modules; disseminate educational materials and modules
to further universities interested in using them.”
Introducing Bioethics, Biosecurity and Dual
Use Topics in ISIS
• Reference from Bologna
process and Dublin Descriptors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
•
•
Knowledge and
understanding
Applying knowledge and
understanding
Making judgements
Communication
Learning skills
Presented to partners and
students in the second
annual general assembly of
the Consortium in Beirut,
May 2012
Interest raised and more
integration proposed
Bachelor: “to inform judgements that
include reflection on relevant social,
scientific or ethical issues”
Master: “reflecting on social and ethical
responsibilities linked to the application
of their knowledge and judgements”
Session “Les Neurosciences au Quotidien” included
presentation on “Dual use and military applications of
neuroscience” by Giulio M. Mancini, Gerald Walther
and Malcolm Dando
Course “Bioethics, Laws and Ethics,
Biosecurity”
• 3 ECTS = 75 hours workload
• Co-designed by USEK and LNCV
• Short but compulsory (“core”) course, in the third semester before
the 4 tracks differentiate
• 10 to 12 thematic lectures
• 4 lectures on dual use, potential misuse and military applications,
regulation and prohibition
Course “Bioethics, Laws and Ethics,
Biosecurity” in ISIS
• Draft syllabus
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Ethique de la recherche touchant l'homme et la liberté du chercheur
Bioethics : european laws
Recherche en santé, regard éthique et principe de précaution
Conseil génétique
Essais cliniques
Consentement aux soins dans les maladies mentales
Brain death
Neuroimagerie : enjeux éthiques et aspects médico-légaux
Security and dual use implications
History of misuse: chemical, biological and toxin weapons
The CBW prohibition regime, law of war, human rights, drug control
Weapons of the future?
Course “Bioethics, Laws and Ethics,
Biosecurity” in ISIS
• Lectures on Dual Use and Potential military applications
– 1. Introduction: Security and Dual Use implications of Neuroscience
and Biotechnology
• Beneficial advances can open issues of misuse; overview of military interests;
regulations and policy options; ethical issues and the role of sientists.
– 2. History of Misuse: Chemical, Biological and Toxin Weapons
• History of disease and poison used in war; examples from national programs;
long-term impacts and uncontrolled consequences; threats from state and
non-state actors
– 3. Restraints: the CBW Prohibition Regime, Law of War; Human Rights;
Drug Control
• The Geneva Protocol; the BTWC; the CWC; national implementation norms;
humanitarian law; drug control and export controls.
– 4. Weapons of the Future?
• Discussion on case studies: deep brain simulation and brain-computer
interfaces; the assimilation of S&T in military complexes; incapacitants today
and in the future; the role of scientists.
What the ISIS experience can suggest on the questions from
AHRC first workshop
• Lack of time, resources,
expertise and teaching space
• How much tailoring to the
discipline is needed?
• Does the incorporation in the
curriculum reduces flexibility?
• What starting point would
engage scientists best?
• Appropriateness of web-based
courses?
• What are the minimum
standards?
• ISIS case is a (quite uncommon)
case with engagement with
neuroscientists during the
curriculum design. It was easy to
include a reasonable but
compulsory course on ethics
• Tailor as much as possible in the
context. ISIS faculty was
interested in discussing practical
cases related with home
departments’ specializations
(anesthetics, fear drugs…)
• ISIS is mostly e-learning, with
Partners expert in one field
lecture for students of all
universities
Networking In Europe
• Continued engagement of universities in Europe:
European Biosecurity Awareness Raising network
–
–
–
–
Map the current educational opportunities on biosecurity;
Produce multidisciplinary informational materials;
Organize events and seminars for students
Engaged universities aimed at addressing various aspects
of biosecurity/dual use, including an holistic approach to
possible “threats” and “risks” (either natural or deliberate)
• Information does not limit strictly to “pathogens” but also the
GMOs; invasive species; and ecotoxicology-related meanings of
“biosafety and biosecurity”
The European Biosecurity Awareness Raising
Network
www.biosecurityeducation.eu
www.eubarnet.eu
Consortium Partners
Larger Network
Ethics in Neuroscience Curricula
• Assessment on a sample of 184 degree courses in
7 EU Member States in neuroscience, toxicology
and biotechnology;
• Carried with online investigation of keyword in
syllabi and course description;
• Less than 20% of neuroscience curricula clearly
included references to “ethics” in their syllabi,
learning objectives or course description (7 out of
39), but for almost two-thirds there was not
enough information available
2011 – 2012 EUBARnet Seminar Series
•
•
Seminars organized locally
– Internal teachers
– Embedded in courses:
follow ups, continued
discussion...
– Tailored to contexts
(language, specialization…)
EUBARnet
– provides external experts
(and “multidisciplinary”);
– monitors feedback of
students;
– collects informational
materials on the website
Feedback from Students: Some Preliminary
Suggestions
• Questionnaires from students participating in Spring 2012
seminars (University of Coimbra, University of Milano,
University of Torino, Delft Technical University). Total 79
students
• Ecologists, Biologists, Biotechnologists and
Neuroscientists. Mainly Master students.
• Almost 80% mentioned to have at least some “previous
knowledge” of issues of biosecurity/dual use;
• However, 45% reported that those issues were not
mentioned in curricula courses (and the rest that
references are small).
Feedback from Students: Some Preliminary
Suggestions
Do you think that your knowledge and understanding of
the following aspects have developed after this
seminar?
Definition of “dual use” in S&T
The ambiguity of life science
and technology
100%
90%
Unanswered
80%
70%
The uncertainty on results
characterizing new
technologies
Not at all
60%
50%
44.3%
Not very much
40%
30%
1.3%
Yes
20%
10%
0%
Yes, very much
Based on 79 respondents from University of Coimbra, University
of Milano, University of Torino and Delft Technical University. AY
2012
0.0%
20.0%
40.0%
Do you think that some
aspects of research that
you study could present a
“dual use” issue?
60.0%
The possibility that they are
applied both for peaceful and
hostile purposes
The potential of obtaining
positive results beyond
expectations
Feedback from Students: Some Preliminary
Suggestions
“I think it’s necessary to develop the culture of
responsibility and a strong ethical protocol
among life scientists. In my opinion it’s
important to include programmes like (and
stronger that) this one, in scientific curricula
to rise the knowledge of potential dual use
and biological weapons and to train people,
that will become scientists, to biosecurity
awareness”
[Participant from UNIMI]
“Knowledge means power, and everything can be
used for good or bad issues, it’s just the way
of thinking and your personal principles. So
in order to avoid a hostile application work
should be done in the basic level, that means
changing the way people think.”
[Participant from DTU]
“Less presentations about
organizations and
terminology and more
interaction…”
[Participant from DTU]
“More practical case studies”
[Participant from UC]
“Add laboratory biosafety and
biosecurity”
[Participant from UC]
Thank you!
Giulio M Mancini - Landau Network Centro Volta - www.centrovolta.it/landau