THIRD CYCLE STUDIES ON THE NEW EMERGING DISCIPLINE “BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING” IN EUROPE AN ERABBE THEMATIC NETWORK SURVEY F. Ayuga 1, D. Briassoulis 2, P. Aguado 3, I. Farkas 4, H. Griepentrog 5, E. Lorencowicz 6 1 Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (SPAIN) 2 Agricultural University of Athens (GREECE) 3 Universidad de León (SPAIN) 4 Szent István University (HUNGARY) 5 University of Copenhagen (DENMARK) 6 University of Life Sciences Lublin (POLAND) References [1] Education and Research in Biosystems Engineering in Europe (ERABEE-TN)’, [2] University Studies of Agricultural Engineering in Europe (USAEE) - Thematic Network, [3] BRIASSOULIS, D.; PANAGAKIS, P.; NIKOPOULOS, E.; AYUGA, F. (2008). The emerging evolution from Agricultural Engineering to Biosystems Engineering studies in Europe. INTED2008. International Technology, Education and Development Conference. Valencia (Spain), March, 2008 [4] Doctoral Programmes for the European Knowledge Society, Final Report on the EUA Doctoral Programmes Project, , European University Association, European University Association asbl, Rue d’Egmont 13, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; [5] David Crosier, Lewis Purser & Hanne Smidt, ’Trends V: Universities shaping the European Higher Education Area’, An EUA Report, European University Association, European University Association asbl, Rue d’Egmont 13, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; [6] BRIASSOULIS, D.; PANAGAKIS, P.; NIKOPOULOS, E (editors). (2009). Proceedings of the third ERABEE Workshop on “Third Cycle University studies in Europe: Current schemes and possible structured programs of studies in Agricultural Engineering and in the emerging discipline of Biosystems Engineering” Uppsala, May 4-5, 2009 The thematic Network ERABEE-TN Structure of third cycle studies in the surveyed countries / The thematic Network ERABEE-TN aims at the exploitation and expansion of the significant work already carried out in the framework of a previous Thematic Network USAEE- TN, dealing with 1st and 2nd cycles of education in Agricultural, Biological and Biosystems Engineering in Europe. More specifically it aims to: Develop the third cycle programs of studies in Biosystems Engineering Incorporate the Quality Assessment and Assurance Frameworks of European programs of studies in Biosystems Engineering into the European Engineering Quality Assessment scheme Integrate the Accreditation of European programs of studies in Biosystems Engineering into the European Engineering labeling scheme Establish an international attractiveness of European programs of studies in Biosystems Engineering Develop European degrees of studies (e.g. European doctorate) in the field of Biosystems Engineering Expand Biosystems Engineering programs of studies to include the emerging areas of bio-fuels and biomaterials along with products quality as related to the new CAP developments Biosystems Engineering is the evolution of Agricultural Engineering in the direction of more fundamental biological background than applied agricultural sciences and applies to all living organism systems with the exception of human ones. It integrates engineering science and design with applied biological, environmental and agricultural sciences and can be defined as “the branch of engineering that prepares students to apply engineering to solve problems in biological systems”. In the context of this evolution, Biosystems Engineering should exclude Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biotechnology. In the context of the ERABEE tasks and objectives, the third Workshop was devoted to have a picture of the situation of third cycle studies in Europe, and how the evolution to the new Bologna structures is implementing. All ERABEE partners contributed with data updated to May In this synopsis the main conclusions of the Workshop are presented. Structure of the thesis and its defense in third cycle in Europe