International Master in Innovative - Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree - International Master in Innovative Medicine
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International Master in Innovative
Medicine
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree
With the support of the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible
for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.Contents
The IMIM programme ........................................................................................ 3
Mobility options and IMIM courses .................................................................... 4
First year ................................................................................................................................. 4
First year in Groningen ....................................................................................................... 4
First year in Heidelberg ...................................................................................................... 5
First year in Uppsala* ......................................................................................................... 7
Second year ............................................................................................................................. 7
Second year in Groningen ................................................................................................... 8
Second year in Uppsala ....................................................................................................... 9
BBB Courses...................................................................................................................... 10
Spring School on personal development .......................................................................... 10
Summer School Industrial Perspectives on Innovative Medicine (IPIM) ......................... 11
Latin American Partner Universities..................................................................................... 11
Universidade de São Paulo ................................................................................................ 11
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ........................................................................... 11
University of Antiquia, Colombia ......................................................................................12
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México .....................................................................12
IMIM private sector Associated Partners * ...........................................................................12
Degree requirements ........................................................................................14
Different universities, different experiences ..................................................... 15
Grading .................................................................................................................................. 15
Academic calendar and weekly schedules ............................................................................. 15
IMIM: a double degree programme ................................................................... 17
Educational organisation....................................................................................................... 17
IMIM Governing bodies..................................................................................................... 17
Local organisation ................................................................................................................ 18
Local international offices .................................................................................................... 18
Getting around in… ...........................................................................................19
Visa ........................................................................................................................................19
Insurance ...............................................................................................................................19
Housing .................................................................................................................................19
Groningen, the Netherlands ..............................................................................................19
Uppsala, Sweden ............................................................................................................... 20
Heidelberg, Germany .........................................................................................................21
1Public Transport ....................................................................................................................21
Groningen ..........................................................................................................................21
Heidelberg..........................................................................................................................21
Uppsala ............................................................................................................................. 22
Extracurricular options ................................................................................... 22
Groningen ......................................................................................................................... 22
Heidelberg......................................................................................................................... 22
Uppsala ............................................................................................................................. 22
Participation fees & scholarships ..................................................................... 24
Participation fee.................................................................................................................... 24
Erasmus+ IMIM scholarships .............................................................................................. 24
Other scholarship opportunities .......................................................................................... 25
2The IMIM programme
The Erasmus+ International Master in Innovative Medicine (IMIM) is a two-year 120 ECTS,
English-taught, master of excellence programme, which focuses on the education of tomorrow’s
leading translational biomedical researchers.
IMIM is jointly organised by three European Top 100 Universities: the University of Groningen in
the Netherlands, the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg in Germany and Uppsala Universitet
in Sweden. IMIM students will benefit from the vast wealth of resources and staff experience that
these three universities have to offer in the biomedical sciences and also from their networks
within both the academic and private sectors.
During IMIM, students will follow tailor-made training programmes at two of the three European
universities and will have the further opportunity to undertake research at one of IMIM’s private
sector industry partners or one of the programme’s Latin American partner institutions, those
being: Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Chile,
Universidad de Antioquia in Colombia, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico.
The IMIM mission is to educate the future generation of translational scientists and professionals
and to equip them with the skills and competences to work effectively and excel in a wide range
of multi- and interdisciplinary, internationally competitive academic and private sector
environments.
The IMIM EMJMD-programme enables you to:
Get in touch with world leading scientific researchers
Develop your multidisciplinary research skills in the BBB-learning line
Not only broaden your knowledge about Innovative Medicine, but also your
Entrepreneurial and Business knowledge with our multidisciplinary approach
Benefit from the vast wealth of resources and staff experience at our IMIM
partner universities
Learn another language, or two!
Get in touch with new and interesting cultures
Be part of an international research community
A Double Degree
IMIM is a double degree programme, meaning that students that have completed the required
mobility programmes at the different European partner universities will receive a degree
certificate from both these universities.
Bench to Bedside and Back
Alongside their courses and research projects, students will also be following the IMIM Bench to
Bedside and Back (BBB) translational learning line throughout their four semesters, focused on
the idea of bringing science to society. This multidisciplinary group project is designed to
encourage the growth of students’ business and entrepreneurial skills. On top of this students will
take part in the IMIM Spring and Summer Schools, respectively designed to develop the students'
soft skills and business savvy!
3Mobility options and IMIM courses
IMIM's integrated curriculum draws on four already established English-taught Master
programmes at the three European Partner institutions.
These programmes are:
MSc Medical and Pharmaceutical Drug Innovation at the University of Groningen
MSc Translational Medical Research at the Manheim Medical Campus of Heidelberg
University
MMS Molecular Medicine and the MMS Medical Research at Uppsala University
In this section you will find details on the four semesters of the IMIM programme, giving you an
overview of the study programme during each phase of your mobility. You will also find
information on IMIM's BBB Learning Line and the IMIM spring and Summer Schools.
The table below shows the four possible mobility paths IMIM students can follow during their
study programme:
Mobility options First year Second year
1st semester & 2nd semester 3rd semester & 4th semester
Option 1 Heidelberg Groningen
Option 2 Heidelberg Uppsala
Option 3 Groningen Uppsala
Option 4 Uppsala Groningen
Individual mobility pathways do have to be approved by the partner universities and the IMIM
boards involved, as does your choice for specific courses to be taken in case of more than one
option (see below).
The IMIM curriculum is closely modelled on the above mentioned existing master programmes at
the European partner universities, but it of course also includes IMIM specific features; notably
the Bench to Bedside and Back Learning Line. Below, you find more information on the specific
courses you will take within the IMIM programme. For more information, please consult the IMIM
website and the online course catalogues of the specific university concerned.
First year
The entire first academic year of IMIM is spend at one of the European partner universities.
Students are given the option to indicate their first university preference in the IMIM application
procedure. Generally speaking, students will be placed according to their educational background,
but personal preference will certainly be accommodated as far as possible and where deemed
practicable and appropriate.
The first semester consists of coursework. Already in the second semester of IMIM, most students
will undertake a research project comprising a maximum of 30ECTS.
First year in Groningen
The academic year starts on the first Monday of September in Groningen (3rd of September 2018).
Each course lasts six or seven weeks. These core courses are intense; every week you have 30-40
contact hours with your lecturers and supervisors.
4Mechanisms of Disease and Innovative Therapies (11 ECTS)
Introduction in the most recent developments in medical, biomedical and
pharmaceutical sciences. All recent scientific developments discussed in this class
are linked to the cell and cellular processes. Therefore, this top class starts with a
refresher course of two weeks on the molecular biology of the cell.
Experimental Techniques in Research (9 ECTS)
The main objective is to identify a research question and design an appropriate
research plan. Students acquire theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on
experience in a number of techniques. Besides that students will acquire knowledge
of the principles of the technique and its sensitivity, limitations, throughput time
and costs in order to identify an appropriate technique to solve a research question.
BBB1 (4 ECTS)
The goals of BBB1 are to obtain an overview of the research (groups) and PIs
within the UMCG/GRIP, to get acquainted with and select good research practice, to
help to choose the topic of a possible second internship and to compare
fundamental research with translational research.
Research Project (30 ECTS)
Students will participate in a UMCG/GRIP research group and carry out their own
research project. Students will experience all different aspects of research. The two
research projects will be on different subjects and students will have to join at least
two different research groups.
BBB2 (4 ECTS)
BBB2 addresses the preparation of a detailed master research proposal following a
predefined format based on the NWO-VENI programme. The topic of the proposal
has to fit with the research objects of the IMIM programme.
BBB Spring School Personal Development (2 ECTS)
The Spring school meeting is organized in Heidelberg and focuses on the students’
personal development and growth and their acquisition of soft skills. This meeting
also includes an Industry and Innovation day. Speakers including both scientists
and entrepreneurs from small and big pharmaceutical companies, give lectures on
the ins and outs of working in the pharmaceutical industry.
First year in Heidelberg
Students will study at the Mannheim Medical Campus, which belongs to the Ruprechts-Karls-
Universität Heidelberg. The academic year starts on the first Monday of September (5th of
September 2016). Each module, except for module 1, lasts 7 weeks and consists of several
different courses. Below, you can find an overview of the content of the modules. During module
five you can choose to follow courses regarding Molecular Oncology, Neurobiology or Vascular
medicine.
Module 1: Foundation model (2 weeks & 3ECTS)
In this module students are introduced to the MSc programme and to the three
elective subjects molecular oncology (MO), neurobiology (NB) and vascular
medicine (VM). In lectures and a laboratory course they learn about basic aspects of
research and how to handle laboratory work:
5o Literature research, critical paper reading and scientific ethics
o Basic lab skills (practical course): Basic pipetting skills, buffer
preparation and Ph adjustment, PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis,
SDS-PAGE/Coomassie staining.
Module 2: The molecular and cellular basis of medical disorders (6ECTS)
This module covers a spectrum of advanced cell and molecular biology topics that
explain fundamental aspects of how cells work and are controlled by external
stimuli. Practical courses in different model organisms and with a broad range of
laboratory methods complement the theory. Basic bio statistical analysis is also
introduced.
Module 3: Understanding disease processes (6ECTS)
This module introduces animal experimentation and gives an overview of general
disease processes. Over a five-week period each student will be embedded in a
research laboratory and will undertake a project of relevance to the ongoing work
in that laboratory.
Module 4: Diagnosis and Therapy (9 ECTS)
The course drug development and clinical trials provides an overview of drug
development and the prognostic evaluation and design, organisation and analysis of
clinical studies. It is supplemented by a course on genetically modified animal
models reflecting one of the topics in the distinction subjects. The course Tools for
translational research provides an overview of the principles and practice of
magnetic resonance imaging and on bio banking, with emphasis on the logistical,
quality and ethical considerations that have to be taken into account. The course
Therapeutic strategies: established and experimental provides an overview of
established and experimental therapies and gives an insight into how experimental
therapies develop into accepted and established therapeutic strategies. In the
course Case studies: targeted therapies and translational medicine selected examples
of targeted therapies and translational medicine will be explored in depth over a
five-week period each student will be embedded in a research laboratory and will
undertake a project of relevance to the ongoing work in that laboratory in order to
illustrate their principles, development and application in clinical practice.
Module 5: Chose your own courses (6 ECTS)
o Molecular Oncology
This module summarizes current knowledge on the molecular basis
of cancer
o Neurobiology
This module summarizes current knowledge on the pathophysiology
of nervous system disorders.
o Vascular medicine
This module summarizes current knowledge on the vascular
medicine.
BBB1 (4 ECTS)
Research internship, paper and presentation (20 ECTS)
BBB2 (4 ECTS)
BBB Spring School Personal Development (2 ECTS)
6First year in Uppsala*
The academic year starts on the 29th of August. So you will start a few days earlier compared to
the students starting in Heidelberg and Groningen, but the spring semester will finish a few days
earlier as well. In the second semester you can choose to either follow courses or do a research
project. Note that the BBB modules are integrated within the courses mentioned below.
Medical genetics and cancer- Molecular Mechanisms (15ECTS)
The course comprises genetic variation and causes behind genetic diseases as well as
the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the origin and progression of cancer.
Advanced Techniques in Molecular Medicine (MM) (15 ECTS)
The course treats methods to study the human genome and changes therein, but also
deals with post-genomic methods for studies of molecular interactions.
For the second semester you can choose between:
Research project (30 ECTS)
Or the following courses:
o Genomic and Epigenomic Medicine (MM) (15ECTS)
The course will provide an insight into the applications, strategies
and implications of genomic and epigenomic analysis of the human
genome, its impact on human diseases and translation into clinical
tools. Current opinions and research findings, as well as methods and
technologies, will be conveyed and discussed throughout the course.
Applications of bioinformatics and computational data analysis will
be illustrated.
o Molecular Tools for Proteome Analysis and Diagnostics (7.5
ECTS)
The course will provide an insight into the applications, strategies
and implications of molecular analysis methods in research and
medicine. Current opinions and research findings, as well as
development of novel methods and technologies, will be conveyed
and discussed throughout the course.
o Biomarkers; Discovery and Validation (7.5 ECTS)
The course aims to provide an insight into the current knowledge,
future potential use and development of biomarkers as both
prognostic and diagnostic tools in health care. Different types of
biomarkers will be discussed as well as the methods for discovery
and validation of protein biomarkers in serum.
BBB Spring School Personal Development (2ECTS)
*The option to select courses instead of a research project during the second semester at Uppsala
University has not yet been finalized. There is a chance that only the research project can be
selected due to the degree requirements of the University of Groningen to which the students
attending Uppsala University in the first year will progress for the second year. The IMIM
consortium strives to provide the students with the final overview of options as soon as possible.
Second year
For the second year of your master you can choose between Groningen and Uppsala. As the master
programme underlying the IMIM curriculum in Heidelberg is an one-year programme, it is
unfortunately not possible to spend the second year of IMIM at Heidelberg University.
The second year will be concluded by completing a thesis of 30 ECTS. The IMIM-programme offers
three different options:
71. Remain at your European Partner Institution
2. Attend one of IMIM’s Latin American Partner Institutions
3. Undertake a thesis research project at one of IMIM’s private sector Associated Partners
Second year in Groningen
The academic year starts on the first Monday of September (4th of September 2017). Each course
lasts six or seven weeks. These core courses are intense; every week students have 30-40 contact
hours with their lecturers and supervisors.
BBB Summer School Industrial Perspectives on Innovative Medicine (2ECTS)
The IPIM summer school will be held during the last week of the summer period in
Groningen, with the aim of teaching students about private sector priorities and the
societal impact of their research. This will help them to become fully equipped
translational researchers. IPIM provides participants with a unique opportunity to
learn from different speakers from the private sector (e.g. Pharma, Drug
Development, Biotech, Diagnostics and Food & Nutrition), as well as experts in the
areas of Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property Rights, and Research Funding.
Electives (11 ECTS)
The second year in Groningen starts with a 6-week elective period. During this
period, the UMCG and GRIP organize advanced courses (3 weeks/course, 5 ECTS)
connected to the specific tracks within MPDI. Electives can also be followed outside
UMCG/GRIP as long as the learning outcomes of the electives dovetail with the
learning outcomes of the IMIM master programme. Students receive guidance and
help from their mentor and can consult the track coordinator to select the best
elective courses to match their research ambitions. The Board of Examiners has to
approve the electives.
Design of Research Projects (5ECTS)
During this 4-week course, the students will work on pre-defined topics under the
supervision of a teacher. The course will address different elements relevant for the
writing of a research proposal. Each student will work on a different pre-defined
topic that will be handed over to another student for the generation of ideas and
hypotheses. Finally, the student will generate a research plan on the topic she/he
started.
BBB3 (4ECTS)
BBB3 (Entrepreneurship, Venture lab & Business Plan), introduces students to
research on the specific challenges and issues that entrepreneurs face when starting
a new business in a medical context. The course provides insights into the basic skills
required to start a new venture from a scientific point of view. The central theme of
the course is entrepreneurship as a process of exploring, evaluating and exploiting of
entrepreneurial opportunities through, for example (but not only), (bio)medical
technology venturing. In seven classes/workshops, the nature of entrepreneurial
processes, origin of entrepreneurial opportunities (how to spot an opportunity to
create a business?), basic principles of business models, including strategy,
marketing, network organization and financing aspects of launching a business are
being discussed.
Research project II (30ECTS)
Students will participate in a UMCG/GRIP research group and carry out their own
research project. Students will experience all different aspects of research. The two
8research projects will be on different subjects and students will have to join at least
two different research groups.
Writing and Defending your own Research Proposal incl. BBB4 (8ECTS)
Students will write, present and defend their own research proposal. To this end,
they choose their own research topic and an appropriate top-supervisor. The topic of
the proposal has to fit in with the research objects of the Research Institute GUIDE,
GRIP or GRCG.
Second year in Uppsala
The academic year starts on the 28th of August 2017. You will start a few days earlier compared
to the students starting in Heidelberg and Groningen, but the spring semester will finish a few
days earlier as well. In Uppsala, students will have the option to follow courses or do an additional
research project in the first semester. Note that the BBB modules are integrated within the courses
mentioned below.
BBB Summer School Industrial Perspectives on Innovative Medicine (2ECTS)*
Bio-imaging and Cell Analysis (MM) (7.5ECTS)
The course aims to provide an insight into the current knowledge as well as the
future use and development of bio imaging methods as analytical and diagnostic
tools in research and healthcare.
Regenerative Medicine (MM) (7.5ECTS)
The course aims to provide an insight into the current knowledge, future potential
use and development of regenerative medicine. Different kinds of stem cells will be
discussed as well as tissue engineering and their applications in accelerating the
healing process to restore injured or damaged tissues and organs. Basic stem cell
biology as well as cellular programming and reprogramming will be covered.
Research project incl. BBB3 (15ECTS)
OR
Research project (MR) incl. BBB3 (30ECTS) instead of the three above
mentioned modules
Semester 4 Master Degree project_IMIM incl. BBB4 (30ECTS)
*The Uppsala University is in the process of making final adjustments to ensure that the maximum
mandatory number of ECTS for each semester does not exceed 30. Final adjustments to the ECTS
distribution as indicated here are thus to be expected.
Please note: The IMIM coordination reserves the right to make amendments to the above mentioned
course lists should this be required, e.g. in terms of the partner universities ability to issue the
required double degree certificates. In case of different options, the courses/modules selected may
still have to be approved by the local and/or central examination committee(s).
9Bench to Bedside and Back Learning Line
As an IMIM student, in each of the four semesters you will participate in the From Bench to Bedside
and Back (BBB) Learning Line curriculum. The BBB Learning Line comprises a total of 16 ECTS
(4x4) in courses, as detailed in the diagram below. In addition, you will participate in a BBB IMIM
spring and Summer School (2 ECTS each), which all IMIM students of the same cohort will attend
together. The BBB Learning Line is an important aspect of the integrated IMIM curriculum at each
of the partners, providing added value to the individual universities' master programmes.
BBB Courses
Of the 30 ECTS taken each semester, 4ECTS will thus be as part of BBB project work. You will
undertake BBB activities together as part of one of the three Learning Communities established
during the cohort’s joint IMIM introduction week. Sometimes BBB is integrated in an existing
course, sometimes it is a course on its own, depending on the curriculum’s structure at the partner
university you are attending.
Each Learning Community will consist of a combination of students who start their IMIM
programme at different partner universities and come from different backgrounds. This set-up
aims at fostering interdisciplinary exchange enabling you and your fellow students to learn from
and build on each other’s knowledge and experiences at the different partner universities. Each
Learning Community will be assigned a BBB coordinator from one of the European partner
universities. Under the guidance of this coordinator, you will ‘meet’ with your Learning
Community on a regular basis via Skype to work on your BBB projects. Given the broad area of
topics that are covered by the BBB field, this learning line is an excellent opportunity to put your
own signature on your IMIM curriculum and experience!
Spring School on personal development
The programme of this Spring School will focus on developing your ‘soft skills’; manage time, give
and work with feedback, plan your studies and research. We will also focus on reflecting on your
study and learning method’s and on how to adjust these if necessary. The Spring School
furthermore fosters students` self-reflections on issues such as self-managed learning,
achievement motivation, communication skills and cultural awareness.
10Summer School Industrial Perspectives on Innovative Medicine (IPIM)
The IPIM Summer School will be held in the summer in Groningen and aims at teaching you about
private sector priorities and the societal impact of research, in order to help you become a fully
equipped translational researcher. IPIM provides its participants with a unique opportunity to
learn from different speakers from the private sector (e.g. Pharma, Drug Development, Biotech,
Diagnostics and Food & Nutrition), as well as experts in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Intellectual
Property Rights, and Research Funding.
The week-long school is split between guest speakers, site visits and interactive workshops.
During these workshops, you will work in groups with the experienced business coaches of the
Groningen Business Generator to form a business proposal based on their some of their own
research. During the final day of IPIM participants present their group proposal as an investor
pitch in front of an expert jury. The pitch deemed the most original and commercially viable is
awarded a prize.
Latin American Partner Universities
The fourth semester of your IMIM programme is dedicated to your graduation research
project/internship. There are several options during this semester, one of which is applying for a
placement at one of our distinguished Latin American partner universities. Below, you find a brief
introduction to each of these universities.
Universidade de São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo (USP) is the oldest University in Brazil and one of the
most prestigious higher education and research institutions in Latin America. Its
first school, the Law School was established in 1827 and the University was founded
in 1934 upon the unification of several pre-existing schools. USP is located in the
state of São Paulo, Brazil. Although still relatively young, USP has quickly achieved
a leading role in many different fields as a research centre. At the same time,
undergraduate and graduate courses have continuously improved their quality and now attract
the very best students. As a public university USP receives each year 11,502 new students in the
undergraduate courses, selected from over 130,000 applicants. The postgraduate programmes
attract students from many different parts of Brazil as well as Latin America and over 50 countries
around the world. With campuses distributed over seven cities (Bauru, Lorena, Piracicaba,
Pirassununga, Ribeirão Preto, São Carlos and São Paulo), USP has over 90,000 undergraduate and
postgraduate students and 5,900 faculty members. USP has 42 colleges, 240 undergraduate
programmes and more than 220 postgraduate programmes in all academic areas delivering 2,300
PhD degrees each year. For more information on Universidade de São Paulo please visit the
website: www5.usp.br
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) is a research-oriented university,
a leader in Latin America in terms of academic reputation and research output,
with a vibrant student body and high-tech facilities. The university has been
developing a consistent strategy in deepening its offering of academic
programmes in the field of biomedical sciences. There are three doctoral
programmes, one in medical sciences, one in biological sciences and an
additional interdisciplinary programme in neuroscience, as well as a broad offering of master’s
degrees and medical specializations. For more information on Pontificia Universidad Católica de
Chile please visit the website: www.uc.cl
11University of Antiquia, Colombia
The University of Antioquia (UdeA) is a public university located in Medellín,
Colombia’s second largest city. Founded in 1803, it is Colombia’s oldest public
university and the second largest overall. It is currently home to over 36.000
students spread over its main campus and 12 other regional campuses. Thanks
to its 26 Schools, the University of Antioquia offers 82 undergraduate
programmes, 44 master’s degrees and 26 doctorate programmes in all fields
of knowledge. It is also recognized as one of the three best Colombian research Universities and
has Colombia’s highest percentage of excellence research group according to the National Board
of Science and Technology (Colciencias). For more information on the Universidad de Antioquia
please visit the website: www.udea.edu.co
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) is one of the most
important educational, scientific, cultural and social projects in Mexico.
Because of the contribution of its academics and researchers, it is considered
as one of the most recognized higher education institutions in the world. It
aims to provide leading higher education to prepare committed
professionals, researchers, professors and technicians, who will contribute greatly to society. For
more information on Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México please visit the website:
www.unam.mx
IMIM private sector Associated Partners *
IMIM's associated partners are eight private sector companies. These companies will be involved
in the IMIM curriculum, through the supervision of students, placement for student internships,
participation in the Industry Perspectives on Innovative Medicine Summer School, and other
related activities. Furthermore, IMIM also counts with the support of two important organisations
that deal with modernisation processes for international education and research: the Tuning
Academy and ORPHEUS.
*Please be aware that IMIM private sector Associated Partners may be subject to change.
The following private partners are associated partners of IMIM:
Sector: Pharma & Biotech
Sanofi-Aventis: one of the world largest Pharma and Biotech companies transforming
cutting-edge research into novel care solutions, in particular diabetes, oncology, vaccines
and rare diseases
Boehringer Ingelheim: research-driven pharmaceutical company focused on new
medicines for the treatment of, in particular, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and
diabetes. Expertise relevant to performing studies in humans and/or with human
material
PRA Health: leading global clinical trial organisation; high quality expertise in biomarker
analysis relevant to performing studies in humans and/or with human material
QPS: Contract research: evaluation of new drugs in both pre-clinical and clinical
development including regulatory services, with high quality expertise in biomarker
analysis and performance of human clinical studies
Syncom: Contract research in medicinal chemistry in combination with in house drug
discovery research
12Sector: Drug Delivery Services
InnoCore: Innovative solutions in developing tools and methods of drug delivery
Sector: Diagnostics
IQ Products: SME developing in-house innovative diagnostics, including production and
worldwide sales
ABL: Diagnostic company (SME) with an international market with specialised expertise
in bioanalysis and in vitro assays
Sector: Food & Nutrition
DSM Nutrition: Number one in the world in production and sales of vitamins and other
nutritional products with a strong interest in research on food and health
13Degree requirements
As an IMIM student, you have to satisfy two types of requirements: (1) overarching requirements
related to the fact that IMIM is an Erasmus Mundus certified double degree programme in its own
right; and (2) the local requirements imposed by the two universities from which you expect to
receive the double degree.
The IMIM programme consists of four semesters, corresponding to a total of 120 ECTS according
to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). One EC corresponds roughly
to 28-30 hours of study, and 60 EC correspond to the study load of one academic year.
IMIM offers you the opportunity to spend an academic year at two different European partner
universities – accommodating your preference wherever possible and deemed practicable - in
order to allow you to follow a trajectory that suits your interests. Students will thus follow
different mobility pathways within the IMIM programme, but there are of course overarching
requirements that apply to each individual IMIM student. As an IMIM student, you will have to:
Participate in both the spring and Summer Schools (totalling 4 ECTS)
Complete every course with a sufficient/passing grade
Be registered at two different European Partner Institutions for one complete academic
year (60 ECTS obtained) at each of those Partner Institutions
Obtain at least 20 ECTS of the first semester modules of the degree programme before
being allowed to start in semester two
Obtain at least 45 out of 60 ECTS of the first year of the degree programme before being
allowed to start in semester three
Obtain at least 75 ECTS before being allowed to start the master thesis research project
More specific concerning the IMIM rules and regulations will be made available in the IMIM Study,
Teaching and Exam Regulations. In many cases, local rules of the partner university you are
attending will apply to specific matters; information on these local rules and regulations are
available at the partner university concerned.
14Different universities, different experiences
As an IMIM EMJD-student you are offered an extraordinary opportunity to study at different
universities, experiences different cultures and work with fellow students and academics from
very diverse backgrounds. During this adventure, it is important to keep in mind that you will
encounter differences among the partner universities and study environments; differences which
may sometimes be surprising at first sight. This section of the study guide aims to prepare you for
this to some extent. When faced with such issues, however, please bear in mind that these form
part of your intercultural experience and that you have all been selected as excellent students,
whom we think have the talent to successfully navigate the diverse study environment that is
IMIM! Still, your local IMIM coordinators are of course always willing to answer any questions you
may have. Also, in spite of specific differences among partner universities and participating
programmes, rest assured that all partner universities are top universities offering comparable
levels of academic education.
Grading
The IMIM programme works with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS),
which serves as a formal instrument for structure, evaluation, and certification of academic work.
One credit point (1 EC) corresponds roughly to 28-30 hours of study, and 60 EC correspond to the
study load of one academic year. ECs are awarded for all academic work including contact hours,
study time, course participation, taking notes, preparing and giving a presentation, preparing and
taking an exam, writing a research paper and other research related activities.
The grades you receive during IMIM will correspond to the local grading system of the university
you are attending. Grades obtained during the IMIM programme are compared according to the
overview given below in Table 1. Even with this seemingly straight forward conversion table, you
will encounter differences in ‘grading customs’ between the universities you attend. For example,
in some countries it is much more common for students to be awarded the maximum grade for an
excellent performance, whereas in other countries it is highly unusual to be given the maximum
grade as no thesis, assignment etc. can be considered absolutely perfect. This largely has to do
with differences in (academic) culture and is an inherent part of studying in different countries
within the same master programme. Rest assured, the IMIM Board will compare the grades given
at the partner universities on a regular basis in order to ensure that grading is fair and, as much
as possible, independent of where the student has obtained the credits.
ECTS grading scale University of Heidelberg Uppsala
Groningen University University
A 8.5-10 1.0-1.5 5/VG
B 7.5-8.4 1.6-2.0 4/VG
C-D 6.5-7.4 2.1-3.3 4/3/G
D-E 5.5-6.4 3.4-4.0 3/G
Fail 1.0-5.4 4.1-5.0 U
Tabel 1: A comparison of the grading system used at the partner universities
Academic calendar and weekly schedules
Another difference you will encounter is that between academic calendars of the IMIM partner
institution. Depending on your individual mobility pathway (i.c. which universities you will attend
and when), you may start the academic year at a different date than some of your fellow IMIM
students. This may also mean the academic year ends earlier for you. You may furthermore find
that the set-up of weekly schedules at the partner universities differs somewhat in terms of classes
15per week, expected hours of self-study, time of day when classes are scheduled etc. Wherever
possible, the IMIM coordination will of course do everything to prevent any difficulties that may
arise from differences in academic calendars and semester specific schedules.
16IMIM: a double degree programme
IMIM is an Erasmus Mundus double degree programme.* Upon successful completion of the IMIM
programme, provided of course you have met all requirements, you will be awarded two master
degree diplomas from the European partner universities you have attended. In addition, the IMIM
organisation aims at providing IMIM graduates with a specific IMIM certificate for the successful
completion of the IMIM programme as a whole. This certificate will be accompanied by an IMIM
certificate supplement explaining the nature of the programme you have completed, as well as the
courses you followed and the grades you have obtained at the different partner universities.
*IMIM strives for accreditation as an international joint degree programme, but at present
legislation in the partner countries still makes this impossible .
Educational organisation
As IMIM is an international master programme with different mobility options, you will find that
navigating the programme may be a bit more challenging than would be the case for a local
master programme. It might therefore be helpful to know a bit more about the organisation of
this programme. As an IMIM student, you will always be dealing with two levels of organisation:
the central IMIM coordination (located at the University of Groningen but working for the
programme as a whole) and the local organisation at the level of the university where you are
enrolled in a given mobility period of your IMIM programme.
The IMIM programme as a whole operates on the basis of the IMIM Consortium Agreement and
the IMIM Study, Teaching and Exam Regulations (which will be made available to IMIM students).
These agreements outline the structure of the programme and specific rules applying to it and
its students. In many cases, given more specific local and national legislation with which IMIM
partner universities will have to comply, you will be subject to the local rules of the university at
which you are enrolled at a given moment.
IMIM Governing bodies
Below you can find an overview of the governing bodies of the IMIM programme. For some of
these, student members will be selected. This will be further discussed during the IMIM
introduction meeting in August. Should you be interested in participating in one of these boards
or committees, please let us know during the introduction!
Management Committee (MC): Composed of the programme director (chair) and one
representative from each participant organisation. Additionally, the MC includes one student
representative elected at the start of the curriculum and who may rotate during the project. The
MC holds executive power to make all decisions relating to successful operation of the
programme. It will clearly define the goals at the outset and interface with the other teams. The
MC coordinates the activities of the network as a whole and will be responsible for outreach
activities, organisation of student internships, induction courses, Summer Schools and course
evaluations.
Board of Admissions (BA): The BA is composed of at least one representative of each of the IMIM
Partners and will be responsible for the evaluation and selection of students.
Board of Examiners (BE): The BE is composed of independent members from each institution. It
oversees assessment procedures and is the responsible body for e.g. cases of fraud and plagiarism
in case a university´s local rules and regulations do not apply. The BE holds an independent status.
IMIM adheres to the European code of conduct for research integrity.
Programme Committee (PC): The PC is composed of three staff members and three students
from the three different participating degree-awarding HEIs. The PC is responsible for quality
17assurance of the curriculum. The Presidium of the PC consists of a chair (staff member) and a vice
chair (student member). The PC holds an independent status.
Advisory Board (AB): will advise the MC and the PC on all aspects relevant to IMIM
regarding the implementation and impact of the programme. The AB includes
representatives from the most important non-academic stakeholders who are associated
partners: the Director of the Tuning Academy; a representative from ORPHEUS; and a
rotating private sector representative from the IMIM-associated (industrial) partners.
Local organisation
Over the course of the IMIM programme, you will be registered at different partner universities.
At these universities, you largely participate in courses that are also part of local existing master
programmes. These local master programmes also all have their own structure of governing
bodies, such as programme and examination committees. In order to eventually obtain your IMIM
Double Degree from the European partner universities you have attended, you will have to satisfy
the specific degree requirements of these institutions. Of course, we do our utmost to ensure that
circumstances are tailored to the specifics of the IMIM programmes wherever possible.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to - with the help of your local IMIM coordinator - familiarize yourself
with the applicable local rules and regulations of the university you are attending.
Local international offices
All partner universities have staff or international offices dedicated to assisting their international
students. How this is organized exactly differs per university. The central IMIM coordination
cooperates closely with the different international officers to ensure that the relevant
departments at each university are aware of the IMIM students they can expect for a given
mobility period. When possible, the central IMIM coordination will inform you about registration
procedures, mobility pathways, documents to provide etc. Where specific local procedures of a
partner university are concerned, however, you will be assisted by the staff of that university.
As you probably already know or have noticed, it is important to realise that visa, enrolment and
other procedures often take a considerable amount of time to be completed. With the central IMIM
coordination and the IMIM colleagues at the partner universities we are doing everything we can
to facilitate a timely completion of all those processes. In some cases, however, we have very
limited or no influence on certain matters, such as visa procedures. It is therefore of importance
as an IMIM student to plan well ahead and to keep in touch with the IMIM coordination – central
and local – in case you have questions or run into problems when trying to make the necessary
arrangements on time.
18Getting around in…
Studying abroad is very exciting, but sometimes a bit challenging as well. Finding your way in a
new environment is not always easy, so here we are providing you with some practical
information for you about visa, housing, public transport etc.
Visa
Non-EEA students will need a visa and then a residence permit for the country in which they spend
their IMIM mobility period. Visa application procedures differ per university and per country. If
you will be attending the University of Groningen, you will be contacted by this university’s
International Service Desk (ISD) which will apply for your visa and residence permit on your
behalf. For Germany and Sweden you will have to arrange the visa application yourself, but the
local IMIM coordinators are of course ready to answer your questions about this procedure. Since
the specifics of the visa procedures depend on national legislation, which in some cases changes
regularly, and on your country of origin, it is necessary to very carefully follow the required steps
and read the information that is provided by the embassies, the ISD, etc. The IMIM Facebook
group, to which you will be invited if selected for the master programme, can serve as a platform
to exchange visa experiences.
Insurance
The central IMIM coordination arranges an insurance policy with international coverage from
AON – in accordance with Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree requirements set by the EU –
for each IMIM student. Before you start the programme, you receive the insurance certificate.
For questions about coverage, please check the AON website or contact their customer service:
http://www.aonstudentinsurance.com If you so desire, you may of course take out additional
insurance yourself. In these cases it is unfortunately not possible to cancel the standard
insurance you also got through IMIM or reduce the IMIM participation fees accordingly. Uppsala
Universitet has specific local insurance. More information about that can be found at the website
of UU.
Housing
Finding a place to live seems to be one of the most difficult and exciting things to arrange while
studying abroad. We selected some information per country to help IMIM students finding a new
home.
Groningen, the Netherlands
Finding a place to live can be a bit of a challenge in Groningen as it is a very popular student city.
The University of Groningen itself does not provide accommodation for students. Therefore we
advise you to start looking for accommodation as soon as possible. To help international
students finding proper housing, the University of Groningen has reserved accommodation with
the SSH. The purpose of SSH is explained below.
The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. This means that
housing is scarce, rooms are small, and they can be more expensive than what you are used to at
home. Accommodation varies from single rooms to double rooms and studios. Prices for
accommodation vary, but most rooms will be around €360,-. These rents are generally all
inclusive (room, heating, electricity, furniture, internet, et cetera).
Below we list several organizations that might be useful in your search for a place to live:
19 SSH Groningen - https://www.sshxl.nl/en/cities/groningen
SSH is an independent non-profit organisation providing student housing in several
Dutch cities. The University has reserved more than 1000 rooms for new international
students with the SSH in order to offer each new international student a furnished room
to rent for the maximum of one year. Please note that you will have to pay a reservation
fee and the first and last month of rent at the time of your reservation.
Kamernet - www.kamernet.nl (switch to English)
Dutch students use kamernet.nl very often. Most of the times you are in contact with
your future roommates and you will get the know them through a ‘hospi’ before you can
get the room. A ‘hospi’ is a meeting where you and other people interested in the room
meet with the current residents, who will then select their new roommate afterwards.
Uniplaces Groningen - www.uniplaces.com (For 25% discount on the service fee please
enter: STUDENTS15)
The Student Hotel - www.thestudenthotel.com/groningen (Use the promotion-code
RUG05GR)
Housing Anywhere – www.housinganywhere.com
Pararius - www.pararius.com/english/
Facebook groups:
o Student Rooms Groningen
o Groningen Rooms
o Free Housing Announcements
o WSG Student Rooms Groningen
Uppsala, Sweden
As in Groningen, finding appropriate accommodation can be quite hard, so we recommend to start
your search for a place to live early. Rent will cost between SEK 3000 and SEK 6000 per month.
We selected some websites to help you in your search for a place to live:
Uppsala University Housing Office – www.housingoffice.se
Uppsala University Housing Office offers accommodation to foreign visitors at Uppsala
University. The university has an agreement with Akademihotellet AB to provide fully
furnished and equipped apartments and rooms. Uppsala University Housing Office also
rents apartments and rooms from various house owners in Uppsala to sublet to foreign
university visitors. All units are furnished, but standard, living areas and equipment vary
so please see descriptions for each area.
Studentstaden - http://www.studentstaden.se/
Studentstaden is the largest provider of student accommodation in Uppsala. Like many
housing companies in Sweden, they have a queue system. It is therefore important that
you register for their queue as early as possible.
Studentboet – www.studentboet.se
This website includes a list of all the housing companies in Uppsala, and a large
collection of second-hand contracts ranging in type, price and availability.
Heimstaden – www.heimstaden.com
Heimstaden is a private housing company that provides apartments and student
dormitory rooms to students who are enrolled on a full-time basis at Uppsala University
or the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).
Blocket - www.blocket.se
Blocket is a popular Swedish website where people offer a wide variety of things,
including accommodation. While the website is in Swedish, you can find advertisements
for second-hand contracts under the category Bostad.
20Heidelberg, Germany
If you will be attending Heidelberg University as an IMIM student, you will actually be following
the study programme at the university’s Medical Faculty in Mannheim. It is therefore strongly
recommended to look for accommodation in Mannheim, not in Heidelberg itself. There are three
private residences in Mannheim that you can apply to:
Alfred-Delp-Haus - site.alfred-delp-haus.de
The Alfred-Delp-Haus (ADH) is a centrally located, private Catholic residence, where
interaction between the residents is encouraged and plays an important role. There is a
good atmosphere that is maintained by all residents and the resident director. In an
effort to sustain this atmosphere, applicants are first interviewed so the residents can get
to know them personally.
Curt-Sandig-Haus - www.curt-sandig-haus.de
The Curt-Sandig-Haus (short: CSH) is a private ecumenical residence which is not only
popular for its cheap rent (€220,- per month), but also for its strong community. The
semester programme is very varied; parties, residence soccer team or salsa dancing.
There is an event or activity for everyone.
Emilie-Hucht-Haus - www.emilie-hucht-haus.de
The Emilie-Hucht-Haus, a catholic residence which offers rooms for students as well.
Several websites are specialised in shared apartments (WG), which are very common in
Germany. We recommend using the website of WG gesucht, since it has an English version.
For more information, go to their website: https://www.en.wg-suche.de/wg-
zimmer/deutschland-baden-wuerttemberg-mannheim
If you are already in Mannheim, the following possibilities are available in order to find private
accommodation:
Newspaper "Sperrmüll," which is published every Tuesday and Friday.
Local daily paper, the "Mannheimer Morgen". Room and apartment offers are published
in the Friday edition.
Public Transport
Groningen
In the Netherlands people use an OV-chipkaart to use the public transport system. This smart card
is the same size as a bank card and can be loaded with credit in Euros at train and bus stations,
post offices and supermarkets. You can then use the OV-chipkaart to travel anywhere you want to
go in the Netherlands. For more information, see www.ov-chipkaart.nl (also available in English).
Besides the OV-chipkaart most students use a bike to get around in Groningen. It is definitely the
fastest and most environmentally friendly way to get to your classes and back home again.
Groningen is a rather small city, so you will be able to cover most of the distances by bike.
Heidelberg
On evenings, weekends and holidays, a personalised and valid student ID from Heidelberg
University is recognised as a free pass on public transport. This applies Monday through Friday
from 7pm and all day on weekends and holidays for public transport by the Rhine-Neckar
Transport Association (VRN). The evening and weekend privileges also apply to students enrolled
at Heidelberg University who study in Mannheim (e.g., Medical Faculty Mannheim). For
Mannheim students, nodes 74, 84, 94 and 104 apply.
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