New Generation of Life Sciences Researchers
Project New Generation of Life Sciences Researchers (No. OP13.2.3.1.51) was selected in the call for proposals “Knowledge for the future” of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and implemented within the Operational Program for Human Resources Development 2007-2013, 3rd Development Priorities “Development of Human Resources and Lifelong Learning”, priority orientations “3.1. Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training systems”. The operation, financed in part by the European Union from the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, took place between 1st October 2012 and 31st August 2014.
The AIM of the project was to awaken interest in science and its applied aspects in young people during their early professional formation, to enable them to access centers of scientific excellence in Slovenia and to actively participate in their early training for science-educated and innovative individuals who will build a knowledge society in Slovenia in the coming decades.
OBJECTIVES
- establishment of intergenerational and interregional cooperation between students, their mentors and scientists in order to acquire new knowledge;
- early involvement in cutting-edge research and reflection on ethical issues related to research and scientific knowledge;
- developing professional guidelines for the introduction of ethical and moral values into research and education;
- promoting science and promoting youth innovation with a view to establish lasting links between consortium partners and beyond;
- setting guidelines for further youth involvement activities in cutting-edge research after the end of the project.
ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS
39 lectures: presentations of the latest interesting top-notch research fields in the field of life sciences and ethical aspects of research and their results in secondary schools;
26 excursions: Visits to research laboratories and meeting researchers;
16 workshops: In-depth one- or two-day high school workshops;
2 research camps during the holidays;
29 research assignments for students;
3 round tables in the field of synthetic biology, in the field of biological medicine and in the field of teaching ethics;
1 proposal for a strategy for the transfer of the scientific-research approach and ethics into the curricula of Slovenian secondary schools;
1 closing conference.
PARTNERS AND PARTICIPANTS
In a project consortium led by the National institute of chemistry (Department of synthetic biology and immunology)
in collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana (Department of Pharmaceutical Biology)
and the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana (Department of Sociology),
13 high schools participated: Biotehniški izobraževalni center Ljubljana, I. gimnazija v Celju, Gimnazija Brežice, Gimnazija Franca Miklošiča Ljutomer, Gimnazija in ekonomska srednja šola Trbovlje, Gimnazija in srednja šola Rudolfa Maistra Kamnik, II. gimnazija Maribor, Gimnazija Vič, Gimnazija Piran, Srednja šola Črnomelj, Gimnazija Ravne na Koroškem, Gimnazija Velenje, Škofijska klasična gimnazija.
