"The Joint Programme in Translational and Experimental Medicine, an innovative exchange programme of Eurolife, a Network of Excellence in the Life Sciences in Europe"

Molecular Medicine is a key discipline for scientists and doctors pursuing a career in the life/ health sciences. Over the last decade, TCD has developed a structured training programme in Molecular Medicine the MSc in Molecular Medicine (www.medicine.tcd.ie/clinical_medicine/courses/msc_molecular_medicine) was founded in 1997, the first of its type in Europe. It is part of an integrated program at Diploma, MSc and PhD level, producing graduates with the key skills to become future leaders in medicine and biomedical research. Recognizing the need for an international teaching and learning dimension, TCD currently leads Eurolife, a Network of prestigious European universities that drives collaborative research and postgraduate education (www.eurolifeuniversities.org). The institutions are Trinity College Dublin, Leiden University, University of Edinburgh, Karolinska Institute, University of Strasbourg, Universitat de Barcelona and University of Göttingen. In 2008, the Eurolife Joint Programme in Translational and Experimental Medicine (JPTEM) was launched. The JPTEM is an innovative postgraduate exchange programme, allowing students to undertake part of their Masters at a Partner Eurolife Institution, thus providing a tailored programme and a unique teaching and learning experience, reflecting the strengths and international nature of the Partner Institutions. This research-intensive Masters exposes students to the best research and training, in high quality laboratories within premier European Institutions with significant reputations in life sciences research. It allows students to add to their knowledge, exposing them to new areas of excellence, while offering an international dimension to their research experience. An initial Programme Review has indicated (i) significant uptake in partner institutions; (ii) high satisfaction from student perspective; (iii) an indication that JPTEM may enhance future research collaborations between Partner Institutions. The international nature of this programme, the exposure to specialist training, allied to the portability of the qualification, helps make this a unique teaching and learning experience for the 21st century postgraduate student.