1. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

2. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Founded in2003as an initiativeof european neuroscience graduate schools Steering committee:Ulrich Dirnagl (Berlin) Denise Manahan-Vaughan (Bochum) Harry Steinbusch (Maastricht) Kiki Thermos (Thessaloniki) Adopted as an organisation within FENSin November 2005NENS Committeeelected by FENS COUNCIL: Chair: Denise Manahan-Vaughan (Bochum)Deolinda Lima (Oporto)Miklos Rethelyi (Budapest)Tomi Taira (Helsinki) Alessandro Treves (Trieste) FENSSecretary general, Asla Pitknen FENSTreasurer, Alois Saria NENSResearch assistant:Melanie Brngel-Dittrich

3. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Federation of European Neuroscience Societies 27European Neuroscience Societies 6 Monodisciplinary societies 4. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Federation of European Neuroscience Societies NENS PENS 5. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Federation of European Neuroscience Societies NENS -represents european schoolsandprogrammes that offerstructured educationin Neuroscience at Masters and PhD levels PENS 6. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Federation of European Neuroscience Societies NENS PENS -FENS/IBROprogramme of european neuroscience schools -winter and summer schoolsas additional training for graduates 7. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

CurrentStatus -103schools currently registered within NENS -ranging accross 23european countries -19of these countries arerepresented at the NENSgeneral meeting today

8. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)CurrentStatus - all 103schools are visibleon the NENS website -information about programme structure -application procedures -focus of the programme etc.. 9. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)CurrentStatus -information about programme structure -application procedures -focus of the programme etc.. 10. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)-information about training courses/educational events 11. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)-information about training laboratories 12. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)NENSONLINE DATABASE http://fens.mdc-berlin.de/nensorwww.fens.org -schoolcoordinator receives a password -you can conduct online updates of your school information -you can enter information online aboutyour courses and educational events -directlinks to your websites,yourcoordinators - increased international visibility for yourgraduate schools 13. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

increased international visibility for yourgraduate schools

fostering exchange of know-how

support of graduate education in neuroscience through improving mutual support

e.g access to course options in NENS schools; division of labour(reduction of workload per GS whilst expandingyour educationalspectrum)

mutual acknowledgement of curricular courses(Bologna)

• • -acquisition of credit points though attendance of external courses

• • (increased diversity of options for your graduate students)

Advantages & Benefits ofNENS -Networks 14. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

NENS Objectives:

Fostering of exchange and mutual support between graduate schools of neuroscience accross europe

15. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

NENS Objectives:

Fostering of exchange and mutual support between graduate schools of neuroscience accross europe

2. Creating a Europe-wide reputation for excellence in postgraduate education

-Establishing basic curricula/minimal requirementsfor Mastersand PhDdegrees.

-Establishment of a quality assurance system foreuropean PhD- and Masters degrees in Neuroscience

-Development of a european Masters degree and european PhD in Neuroscience (European Curriculum/ European Focus)

3.

16. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

NENS Objectives:

Fostering of exchange and mutual support between graduate schools of neuroscience accross europe

2. Creating a Europe-wide reputation for excellence in postgraduate education

-Establishing basic curricula/minimal requirementsfor Mastersand PhDdegrees.

-Establishment of a quality assurance system foreuropean PhD- and Masters degrees in Neuroscience

-Development of a european Masters degree and european PhD in Neuroscience (European Curriculum/ European Focus)

3. Exchange ofexperiences on recruitment issues

17. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Why Exchange and Mutual Support?

Most european neuroscience schools were established in recent years

Pool of accumulating expertiseof established european neuroscience schools

• Can be used to optimise current programmes

• Can be used as frame of reference for upcoming programmes

18. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Why Exchange and Mutual Support?

Most european neuroscience schools were established in recent years

Pool of accumulating expertiseof established european neuroscience schools

• Can be used to optimise current programmes

• Can be used as template for upcoming programmes

Educational agreements and mutual recognition of credit points

• will facilitateexchange of studentsand know-how

• will enable training to occuroutside of local centres

• Willimprove open-accesstraining and methods coursesfor european graduate students.

• Will serve to generally improve the standards of european neuroscience education

19. Why Exchange and Mutual Support? 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Complementary Skills Training Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Formal LecturesPractical Courses Methods Courses Symposia / Seminars Journal Clubs Tutorials EducationModalities 20. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Implementationof Exchange and Mutual Support

Online database of training andcourses available accross european neuroscience schools

Online information about credit point systems and allotment of CPs within the schools

21. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Implementationof Exchange and Mutual Support

Database of training andcourses available accross european neuroscience schools

Information about credit point systems and allotment of CPs within the schools

CP No. of Schools PhD 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10-30 30-50 50-70 100-120 160-180 300 No. of Schools CP MASTER 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 20 30 60 100 180 No. of Schools 22. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Implementationof Exchange and Mutual Support

Database of training andcourses available accross european neuroscience schools

Information about credit point systems and allotment of CPs within the schools

NENS-mediated educational agreements and mutual recognition of credit points

23. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Creating a Europe-wide reputation for excellence in postgraduate education Establishing basic curricula/minimal requirementsforMastersand PhD degrees What is the minimum knowledgeacquirement at Masters /PhD levels? -what do we expect our graduates tolearn and understand? Training in methodological skills? Suggesting guidelines forschools in the setting-up phase?Creation of a european textbookto accompanygraduate training? 24. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

more than 100 graduate schools of neuroscience in europe

Establishment of a quality assurance system foreuropean PhD- and Masters degrees in Neuroscience? 25. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

more than 100 graduate schools of neuroscience in europe

Establishment of a quality assurance system foreuropean PhD- and Masters degrees in Neuroscience? 26. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

more than 100 graduate schools of neuroscience in europe

Ranging from formalised structured curricula through research programmes withoutformalised training

Differing research perspectives, goalsand methodologies

Enriched neuroscientific academic landscape that underpins qualitative neuroscience research in Europe

but nominal similarity versus diversity of goals confounds perception of europe as a forum of excellence for neuroscience training

Establishment of a quality assurance system foreuropean PhD- and Masters degrees in Neuroscience? 27. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Implementation ofQuality Assurance

Agreement europe-wide, on compulsory features of a neuroscience degree curriculum (whilst retaining diversity and range of programmes)

Peer-reviews of individual graduate schools

Attainment of a NENS seal of quality

Eligibility for NENS-funding

28. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)Development of a european Masters degree and european PhD in Neuroscience

Why European Degrees?

European Curriculum/ European Focus

Higher international recognition and perception

Raises attractivity to non-europeans (subsequent marketability of locally acquired degree)

Increases competitiveness oflesser known universities and graduate schools

29. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Implementation ofEuropean Degrees

Agreement on curricular structures

European neuroscience certificates (NENS?)

30. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Recruitment Issues

Quality ofstudent applications

Distribution world-wide

Selection of graduate students

International competition &competitiveness

31. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Implementationof Recruitment Issues

Database of University rankings

Advice as to effective recruitment strategies

Database as to equivalence ofprimary degree certificates from universities worldwide

Exchange of informationas tosuccessful/ unsuccessful candidates

32. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Work in Progress

Improvementsof NENSwebsite (registration,maintenanceof yourschools details, course database)

Generation of a european databaseon neuroscience graduate programmes

Generation of a template (frame of reference) for european PhD and Masters degrees

Submission of a funding application within FP7

33. Network of European Neuroscience Schools (NENS)

Through NENS activities we anticipate:

• • the promotion of European higher education area in the field of

• • Neuroscience

• • setting of quality standards in neuroscience programmes

• • encouragementand support of mobility among students and teachers

• • increasing choices and opportunities for students (and teachers)

• • improving the cooperation among current and future European scientists

• • generating new and significant knowledge in the field

• • laying the basis for obtaining funding within local and EU programmes