Promoting internationalization is a priority area due to the emerging single European labor market, which requires increasing transparency in the allocation of qualifications and related information systems and guidance services in individual member states. Internationalization will increase the compatibility of education systems, making it easier for individuals and jobseekers to move within Europe. The priority objective of EuroDisBioFood is to promote the internationalization of doctoral study programs in English focused on biotechnology and food sciences with the strategic goal of the preparatory phase of the JointDegree study program at PhD. level at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SUA) and foreign universities Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (WUELS) in Poland, Miguel Hernández University of Elche (MHU) in Spain and University of Molise (UM) in Italy. The partial objectives of the project are (1) to increase transparency in the allocation of qualifications by drawing up common curricula, (2) to create common learning materials by incorporating innovative internationally recognized scientific knowledge, (3) to co-organize with AgroBioTech Research Centre of SUA and research centres of partner foreign institutions and professional events with the aim of incorporating innovative international trends into study materials, (4) to increase students' qualification requirements PhD. level of higher education with the aim of increasing readiness for the labor market. The EuroDisBioFood project consortium is made up of 4 universities: SUA (Slovakia), WUELS (Poland), MHU (Spain) and UM (Italy), including the involvement of research infrastructures as university units, coordinated by internationally recognized personalities. Within EuroDisBioFood, transnational project meetings are planned in each country, educational activities Sensory evaluation of food and use in practice, Biotechnological processes for functional foods, Scientific publishing, Interactive education in doctoral studies, Didactic seminar of supervisors of doctoral students, Education of doctoral students study in the field of writing scientific papers, etc. The planned intellectual outputs are teaching materials focused on modern methodological processes in science 4 modules in accordance with research infrastructures and curriculum design as a summary of information about the educational intent of the doctoral study program. The implementation of EuroDisBioFood will at local, national, European and international levels: (1) link, lay the foundations and ensure transparency for synergistic English doctoral studies in biotechnology and food sciences, (2) provide a system of harmonized and optimized transnational access to state-of-the-art research infrastructures to be used by target groups - academics, researchers, students as well as practice, (3) support innovation through the effective dissemination and transfer of knowledge to stakeholders and the training of a new generation of biotechnology and food scientists and students, (4) At the level of joint international education, this project will harmonize educational and research approaches and methodologies in the field of biotechnology and food sciences in close cooperation and in line with the needs of practice. The expected outcomes of the project are: (1) the concept of joint curricula with the interconnection of theoretical knowledge and practice by applying innovative methodological processes for the preparation of the concept of a joint study program JointDegree at PhD. study level (2) internationalization of common teaching materials with innovative international scientific knowledge of participating institutions based on the outputs of educational, research and professional events, (3) conception of doctoral study program and quality assurance of education with indicators of process and results measurement in accordance with the European Higher Education Area (ESG) in order to ensure transnational quality, (4) promoting internationalization, marketing and branding of European networking in the field of biotechnology and food sciences. The expected impact of the project on target groups such as academics, researchers, students, internships is wider, simplified and more effective access to the latest knowledge in biotechnology and food sciences and to European research infrastructures, which are necessary for transnational research. Participating organizations of related infrastructures will develop transparency, synergy and capabilities, leading to an increase in the quality of education and harmonized services.
By implementing the project, we wanted to achieve significant support for the internationalisation of doctoral study programmes in the field of biotechnology and food science, to compare the curricula of doctoral studies at the domestic and foreign participating institutions forming the partnership, which formed the basis in the preparatory phase of a joint study programme at the 3rd level of higher education. To achieve the main objective, 4 sub-objectives of the project had to be fulfilled: (1) to increase transparency in the recognition of qualifications by developing the concept of curricula, (2) to develop common learning materials by incorporating innovative internationally recognised scientific knowledge and understanding, (3) collaborate with research centres of partner institutions and co-organise educational, research and professional events to incorporate innovative international trends into the curriculum materials, (4) to enhance the qualifications of third cycle students to increase their readiness for the labour market. The objective and needs of EuroDisBioFood were in line with the established European priorities of higher education institutions, including the Slovak Republic, for the period 2020-2024.
The internationalisation of universities is a cross-cutting tool that can contribute significantly to the vision of the 2030 Strategy for the Internationalisation of Higher Education. Given the emerging single European labour market, which requires increased transparency in the recognition of qualifications, promoting internationalisation is a priority area. The aim of the project was to support the internationalisation of PhD study programmes in English focused on biotechnology and food science with the strategic intention of the preparatory phase of a joint study programme for the 3rd degree at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SPU) and foreign universities Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (WUELS) in Poland, Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) in Spain and the University of Molise (UNIMOL) in Italy. The strategic objective of the project plan was to strengthen the quality of higher education with international acceptability, to develop bilateral quality foreign partnerships in education and research and to integrate international impulses into all spheres of social life at national and local level.