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This project funded under the Lifelong Learning Programme, Curriculum Development, call EAC/41/09 (2009/C 247/09), started in October 2010.

Currently there is no formal VPH-specific training in Europe. Some MSc programmes in related areas partially address this challenge, but none focuses on the essential characteristics of the discipline, such as heterogeneous data fusion, multi-scale and multi-physics modelling of physiopathology, and simulation of complex clinical work-flows. VPH-MIP will address this deficiency by developing a framework for VPH graduate programmes.

In a multi-disciplinary field such as the VPH, it is essential that students have a solid scientific grounding. The curriculum envisaged, will be tailored to VPH needs, but will be founded in relevant, and successful, pre-existing programmes at partner institutions. Novel VPH-specific modules covering core topics will be developed for use in all participating institutions and delivered through intensive use of ICT technologies, facilitating cultural and language adaptations. In addition, mobility between institutions, facilitated by ERASMUS exchange, will be encouraged enabling students to complement training provided by their primary institution by undertaking selected specialist modules at a second institution. In the longer term, joint or double awards are envisaged.

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· VPH-MIP in the VPH-NoE newsletter (January 2011, p 7-8)

· VPH-MIP in the VPH Vision & Strategy II

· Have a glimpse at the outline of the proposed VPH core modules

· A VPH label for your Master?

Objectives of VPH-MIP

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The general main objectives of this project are to:

· Identify VPH-relevant modules offered in graduate programmes within participating institutions, and develop alignments to enable students at one institution to take related but complementary modules at a second institution.

· Design extensibility principles by which additional institutions could participate in this programme in the future, considering complementarily to partners, and ensuring mobility of students and staff.

· Identify gaps in current provision and develop exemplar VPH Core Modules as on-line resources that can be followed by all students participating in the programme, and which will become the backbone of training in this field.

· Do so in a manner that is compatible with educational systems throughout the EU.

· Address legal, administrative, and political issues required to facilitate mobility.

VPH-MIP will enable students will be trained in a new and far-reaching discipline, one that is currently receiving significant attention from the EC, and which has high experiencing high demand from academic, industrial and clinical sectors.

The sketch below explains the transdisciplinar approach that the VPh-MIP will develop.

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VPH-MIP is a curriculum development programme extending from October 2010 to december 2012. During this period, the multi-institutional graduate programme will be developed.

The project consists of 6 workpackages that are briefly presented below.

· WP1 - Project management

This workpackage aims at ensuring sound administrative and financial management and at providing participants with the support and tools required for the achievement of objectives in accordance with the EU Grant Agreement, the programme of work, and the Consortium Agreement.

· WP2 - Legal/administrative issues

This workpackage is aimed at addressing all the legal and administrative aspects to materialise a multi-institutional graduate degree and produce the legally binding document. For instance, issues concerning fees, accreditation, dual awarding and future expansion will be handled in this workpackage.

· WP3 - Programme development

This workpackage will design a flexible, extensible, and multi-institutional scheme for a graduate programme which, as a whole, will account for a wide range of topics that must be covered in a field as multidisciplinary as the VPH. The essential underlying principle in this design will be that research excellence can only be achieved through sound scientific background training. Thus, this scheme will be based on integrating the training provided by MSc programmes (e.g. bioinformatics, systems biology, biomedical engineering) already offered at the participating institutions, ensuring such background training. The overlapping modules in the programmes involved will be the basis for student and staff mobility between participating institutions, as well as a solid motivation to award double degrees.

In addition, the main goal will be to train young researchers in the differentiating principles of the VPH (e.g. data fusion, multiscale modelling, simulation of complex clinical workflows). Thus this WP will design the contents of new modules that specifically address these principles (termed “Core Modules”). In order to ensure widespread availability and dissemination, as well as for future sustainability of this scheme, these modules will develop into online resources, made available through WP5.

· WP4 - Quality assurance and enhancement

This workpackage will focus on quality enhancement of learning and teaching delivery and assessment across the consortium and institutions. This process will be undertaken in line with existing guidance for quality assurance of joint degrees as part of the Bologna Process.

· WP5 - Dissemination

The Consortium will use all means to publicise its work and to ensure that accurate information is made widely available. A Website will be created maintained and updated regularly. The Consortium will publicise the project and request feedback from the VPH community. The consortium will also engage major efforts in the planning of efficient internal and external dissemination for the future VPH-MSc.

Interactive internet based course contents shall be made available for the VPH core modules (see WP3), which is to be part of the MSc programme at each host University, and for selected other courses.

· WP6 - Exploitation

The exploitation strategy set by the consortium covers three main areas: implementation and uptake of a seminal coordinated action for exchange of students at the graduate level; the establishment of a consortium to develop an Erasmus Mundus graduate programme on VPH, using the programme to enhance the profile of European higher education; and, student support.

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Students registered in one of the participating programmes will have access to a series of online course modules. A first outline of these modules can be seen in the figure below.

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Become a Master in biomedical engineering, motor sciences, bio-informatics, or mathematical medicine and biology with a specialisation in VPH-related research and join the exciting research effort around the Virtual Physiological Human.

Although the details still need to be finalised, the VPH-related research label will be awarded through the validation of 30 ECTS in VPH-related training modules. Of these, a minimum of 10 ECTS should be obtained from VPH core modules and a minimum of 10 ECTS from background in your initial curriculum with a relation to VPH.

Moreover, the research project carried out for your Master thesis will be related to the VPH.

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