Joint Module - Development Steps for New Chemical and Biological Entities and Vaccines

This project was initiated for establishing an international module for students. The module was developed for a single pilot run. Following the initial implementation, the courses were evaluated,...

This project was initiated for establishing an international module for students. The module was developed for a single pilot run. Following the initial implementation, the courses were evaluated, and improvements were made. Currently we are working on the changes in the systems needed to transfer the developed courses into the regular degree programs. Regarding the theoretical courses this transfer is progressing well and is planned to start in the academic year 2025/26. However, for the laboratory courses additional funding is required to cover costs such as student travel, accommodation, and necessary course material.

All planned activities were executed according to the time line. According to the project timeline, the project started in October 2022. Within the first month regular Team meetings were held to plan the on-site kick-off meeting in Krems and to collect and coordinate the ideas for the course contents. Although the kick-off meeting took place later than planned (January 2023), the intensive preparation during prior meetings resulted in a finished plan for the modules course development. The timeline for developing the theoretical courses was set for the spring semester 2023. During this period the courses were created, and the responsible lecturers held regular meetings to ensure that the contents were without unnecessary redundance and provided meaningful connecting points. The theoretical courses were scheduled for the fall term 2023 as initially planned during the kick off meeting. The laboratory courses, planned for the spring term 2024, were run as planned. Throughout all courses, students were encouraged to work in teams composed of members from different universities.

The objectives formulated in the project proposal were fully achieved. The module was successfully developed and delivered with a small group of students from all three universities as planned. The technical content of the module was highlighted. The theoretical background and interrelationships were taught during the first semester via virtual classroom as interactive online courses for the selected group of students from all participating universities. In the second semester, exemplary techniques within the value chain were introduced, developed and implemented. Students were invited to evaluate all courses after completion. Additionally, the students were asked to provide feedback at the beginning of the courses, after the first teaching unit of each lecture to incorporate suggestions for improvement immediately. Three students per university were selected based on their academic achievement up to the time of application. The place reserved for students with special needs was not needed due to a lack of applicants from this group. In addition to the predefined goals, the project has facilitated student and researcher exchanged and laid a foundation for joint research projects.