Bioinformatics Masters programs in Stockholm and Sweden Stockholm Bioinformatics Center Stockholm University and Royal Institute of Technology (and Karolinska Institutet)

Current status ● No current “masters” program (master degree does not exist) ● 4,5 year (270 ECTS) engineering programs at KTH (translated to masters in english) – 60 students in biotechnology – 120 students in physics – 200 (?) computer science students ● 4 (240 ECTS) Years “magister” program at SU in any subject ● Very strong students at KTH

Plans ● General KTH plan to create a“masters” program as the last 18 month of biotechnology, physics and computer science engineering programs ● Will most likely be a real master when Bologna process is ratified in Sweden (2006?) – The project will be expanded from 6-12 months. ● In 2005 will expand current courses – Introductory bioinformatics – Computational structural biology – Algorithms ● Masters program in 2006

Other programs in Sweden ● 18 Month masters program in bioinformatics Chalmers, Gothenburg – Mainly foreign students (it is free) – Mixed background (mainly computer science/math) ● 4.5 years engineering program in bioinformatics in Uppsala ● Many biotechnology programs with bioinformatics as a part of them ● Swedish Learning Lab, distance teaching in bioinformatics.

Questions ● Will it be a need for local industry ? ● What background is needed ? ● Should it be separated from biotechnology/life science ?