Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education
The FEBS Education Committee has the mission of promoting education of the highest quality in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Europe at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In order to realize this important objective: (1) we encourage the development of innovative teaching methods; (2) we disseminate advice on educational resources; (3) we arrange at least one education event at each FEBS Congress; and (4) we arrange other educational events from time to time such as workshops on educational issues in FEBS member countries on request.
FEBS Education Events 2021
FEBS Education Committee Seasonal Webinars
This series is aimed at disseminating evidence and best practice examples related to teaching and learning in molecular life sciences.
Spring webinar: ‘The Pandemic Brain: Science and Strategies for Optimal Learning’, Janet Zadina, USA
10 March 2021,15:00 (CET); find joining instructions here.
Dr Zadina is an educational neuroscientist, keynote speaker, workshop presenter and consultant for using neuroscience to inform educational practices.
5th ‘FEBS Education Ambassadors Meeting’
This is a meeting for Ambassadors from each FEBS Constituent Society to share progress and ideas on educational issues across Europe. A virtual half-day event will take place on 20 May 2021; however, a face to face full event is also planned in Vilnius, Lithuania, in autumn 2021.
A Biochemical Society and FEBS Training Event: Evolving Molecular Bioscience Education
Glasgow, UK; 27–28 May 2021
Lectures, group discussions and poster presentations for best practice and novel ideas in molecular bioscience higher education. Organized with the Biochemical Society (UK): reduced registration for members of FEBS Constituent Societies. Sign up for a registration alert here.
FEBS-sponsored Event of FEBS Education Ambassadors
Education and training for successful research careers
Organizers: Vida Mildažienė, Rasa Žukienė, Saulius Serva
Taujenai manor, Ukmergės district, Lithuania; June 2021
FEBS Constituent Society: Lithuanian Biochemical Society (LBD)
FEBS/IUBMB Special Sessions on Education at the virtual 45th FEBS Congress
3–8 July 2021; https://2021.febscongress.org/special-sessions-and-workshops
Session 1 – Learning and the brain: Translating the science of learning to educational practice
Tuesday July 6; 16:00–18:00. Chair: Ferhan Sağın, Turkey
• Exploring new horizons in education: using multiple pathways to enhance and energize science instruction, Janet Zadina, USA
• Implementing cognitive science and discipline-based education research in the undergraduate science classroom, Ido Davidesco, USA
• Small-group discussions
Session 2 – You should... I should… – Let’s clarify our roles and responsibilities in PhD education
Wednesday July 7; 16:30–18:30. Chairs: Jerka Dumić, Croatia; Jason Perret, Belgium
• Expectations of professionalism in doctoral education in an ever-changing academic world, Robert Harris, Sweden
• The postdoc experience - hopes, fears, expectations and reality, Geula Hanin, UK
• Panel discussion
Posters on educational and related issues are invited for the 45th FEBS Congress: see abstract topics.
FEBS Education Workshop
Chisinau, Republic of Moldova (date TBC)
An Education section in FEBS Open Bio
Following a proposal from the FEBS Education Committee, the open access journal FEBS Open Bio has started a new section devoted to original and valuable publications in biochemical and molecular life sciences education. The overall aim of this initiative is to foster good educational practices, stimulate the development of innovative teaching methods, and disseminate advice on educational techniques and resources. For further details, including about the appointed Editors, peer review and how to submit, see the FEBS Open Bio editorial announcing this initiative. Publication costs will be covered by FEBS.
Resources, reports and enquiries
For resources from FEBS Education events, please visit the FEBS Education Platform at: www.febs-edu.eu. The FEBS Education Platform is maintained by the FEBS Education Committee and supplements general information on the FEBS website, serving to disseminate FEBS education activities and to share resources.
The work of the FEBS Education Committee is reported to FEBS Council and in the FEBS Annual Report. Occasional reports also appear in FEBS News. For enquiries on FEBS Education events (focused on pedagogical issues), please contact Prof. Ferhan G. Sağin, Chair, FEBS Education Committee, via the Contact Us section of the website. For members of the Education Committee, click here.
A short history
The FEBS Education Committee had its roots in the FEBS 'Working Group on Teaching Biochemistry', which was founded in 2001 by Prof. Jean Wallach (Lyon, France). Between 2001 and 2006, it was active in promoting educational events at yearly FEBS Congresses. In the Council Meeting held in Istanbul in 2006, the 'FEBS Working Group on Teaching Biochemistry' was converted to the 'FEBS Education Committee', with Prof. Edward Wood (Leeds, UK) as the founding Chair. Prof. Gül Güner Akdogan (Izmir, Turkey) took over following the sad loss of Ed Wood in December 2008. She was elected as Chair of the Committee at the Council Meeting held in Prague in 2009, and has been re-elected for subsequent terms (third-term election in Berlin in 2015).
In addition to arranging education events at the annual FEBS Congress, since 2008 a significant activity of the Education Committee has been the organization of workshops on educational issues upon request or in collaboration with FEBS Constituent Societies throughout the FEBS area: Sofia, 16–17 October, 2008; Cluj-Napoca, 30 September, 2009; Athens, 14 May, 2010; Opatija, 18–19 September, 2010; Tallinn, 14 May, 2011; Slovakia (Smolenice), 12–14 September 2011; Ljubljana, 3–4 November 2011; Izmir, 29–30 March 2012; Yerevan, 8–9 October 2012 (pictured above); Cambridge, 17–18 December 2012; Gdansk, 13 July 2013; Tbilisi, 8–9 October 2013; Sofia, 22 November 2013; Debrecen, 24–25 August 2014; Belgrade, 18–19 September 2014; Cambridge, 30–31 ; March 2015; Sarajevo, 3–4 September 2015; Oslo,18–19 September 2015; Athens, 8–9 October 2015; Riga, 24–25 November 2016; Kaunas, 26–27 June 2017; Sofia, 17 November 2017; Zagreb, 4–5 April 2018; Chester, 12–13 April 2018; Izmir, 5–6 September 2018; Tbilisil, 8–9 April 2019; Ternopil, 3–4 October 2019; Marrakech, 19–20 December 2019.
Other recent activities include the initiation of 'FEBS Ambassadors on Education' Meetings to create a platform for education representatives from FEBS Constituent Societes to brain-storm on educational issues across Europe (Prague 2016, Paris 2017, Zagreb 2018), an IUBMB–FEBS conference on New Horizons in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education (Rehovot, 6–8 September 2017), and an IUBMB-supported Research and Careers Skills Workshop (Izmir, 7 September 2018).