1. Transatlantic Biosystems Engineering Curriculum and Mobility (TABE
Transatlantic Biosystems Engineering Curriculum and Mobility (TABE.NET)

2. TABE.NET Funding and Personnel
Funded by EU-US Atlantis program ( )
US partners
Virginia Tech (lead), Mary Leigh Wolfe
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Rich Gates
EU partners
University College Dublin (Ireland) (lead), Nick Holden
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain), Francesco Ayuga
University of Bari (Italy), Giacomo Scarascia, Francesco Gentile
Agricultural University of Athens (Greece), Demetres Briassoulis
External Evaluator
Mike Delwiche, University of California, Davis

3. Overall Project Goal
To advance internationalization of Biosystems Engineering curricula and to develop a global awareness within the discipline

4. Specific Objectives Define the common threads within the BE discipline
Globalize core BE courses by creating a database of multinational examples
Develop innovative courses to advance the continuing development of BE programs in the US and EU (and globally)
Enhance the global perspectives of both students and faculty
Create a cohort of students aware of, and able to work in, a global employment market

5. Project Activities Student mobility Curriculum development
Faculty mobility

6. Student Mobility
Each EU partner is sending 6 students to US (3 to each institution; 4 x 6 = 24)
Each US partner is sending 12 students to EU (6 to each institution; 2 x 12 = 24)
One or two semesters study abroad
Scholarships $5,000 or €5,000
To date: 19 student mobilities (17 funded by TABE.NET) over 25 semesters of study abroad

7. Student Mobility Numbers (fall 2010 – fall 2012)3
UCD 1 3
UPM 2 1
UIUC 2 UB 2 4 2
AUA VT 2 1

8. Challenges Related to Student Mobility
Language
Greece, Italy, Spain
Courses taught in Greek, Italian, and Spanish
Language training before and during the exchange
Support from English-speaking faculty at host institution
United States
Demonstration of English proficiency for admission
Course transfer/recognition

9. Staff/Faculty Mobility
EU partners: 2 scholars each for teaching and curriculum development plus 1 UCD scholar for dissemination and reporting ([2 x 4] + 1 = 9 staff mobilities)
US partners: 2 scholars each for curriculum development and research collaboration (4 staff mobilities)

10. Curriculum Development Activities
Produce resources that can be implemented in a variety of ways by BE programs around the world
Develop materials in English, with abstracts translated into the languages of the partners
Conduct activities to produce scholarly publications

11. Curriculum Activities
Common threads of the biosystems engineering discipline
Database of multinational examples for core BE courses
Course development: Collaborative online (web-based) design project
Course development: Online (web based) innovation and entrepreneurship
Course development: What is biosystems engineering?

12. Activity 1. Common Threads of the Biosystems Engineering Discipline
Define competences
Core competences
General - mostly related to math, science, engineering, and humanities-economics
Generic - communication, cooperation, design ability, etc.
Mid-level competences
Relate to applied BE topics or specialization
Are addressed with applied courses on specialised areas of expertise over the 2nd cycle program of studies (or during the last two years of the integrated programs of studies).
Evaluate the competences to identify the common threads

13. Activity 2. Database of Multinational Examples
Increase the global relevance of the courses and enhance the learning experience of the students
illustrate the variability and similarity of global issues with respect to geography, climate, political system, culture, and other characteristics
Design the database structure and format for describing a multinational example
Solicit examples from faculty of the partner institutions
Enter examples into the database, which will be made accessible through the project website (

14. Activity 3. Collaborative Online (web-based) Design Project Course
Course coordinator will compile international teams to work on the design problem using eTutors/eMentors to support the teams and provide structured learning support materials
Course will be based on the UCD course BSEN Biosystems Engineering Design Challenge (found by following links at
The “Design” team has established a Scholar project site through which team members have shared their CVs and information about the current design activities in their respective programs
Addressing issues of timetable and time zone

15. Activity 4. Online Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course
Address issues such as business plans, intellectual property, marketing finances and law
Develop using resources from NovaUCD (example material at and other partner institutions
Core curriculum will be supplemented by localization and examples drawn from BE and existing entrepreneurship courses (e.g. engineering.illinois.edu/news/index.php?xId= )
Team has agreed a curriculum and approach that addresses timetable and time zone issues

16. Activity 5. Course Development: What is Biosystems Engineering?
Proposal vision:
Seminar course focusing on key global issues about which biosystems engineers have expertise, specifically, water, air, biological resources, energy, and food
Goal of introducing BE students to these global issues, including the role of biosystems engineers in addressing problems in these areas
Seminar materials developed and contributed by all partners
Blended learning approach, including common on-line lectures (seminar presentations) and local tutorials
Target student will be a mid-level undergraduate, for example a sophomore or junior in the US and in the 3rd year of level 1 or 1st year of level two in EU

17. Learning from Collaboration
Relationship-building
Regular conference calls increase individual productivity and group progress
Differences in teaching approaches, e.g., theory vs. application
Vocabulary differences, e.g., courses, modules, resources, materials, staff faculty

18. Join us! Curriculum Development Student Mobility To develop materials
To evaluate materials
To use materials
Student Mobility

19. Transatlantic Biosystems Engineering Curriculum and Mobility (TABE
Transatlantic Biosystems Engineering Curriculum and Mobility (TABE.NET)