Ghent University - Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
International Master in Sustainable Drug Discovery
Ghent, Belgium
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2024
TUITION FEES
EUR 9,000 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* For Erasmus Mundus scholarship and self-funded applicants
** 4.500/year for EU students
Introduction
Are you looking for a top international master in the innovative pharma-biotech field? Then, the new International Master in Sustainable Drug Discovery (S-DISCO), recently selected by the European Commission, is something for you.
This 2-year study programme, organized by 4 European Universities (Ghent University, Medical University of Gdańsk, University of Lille and the University of Groningen), focusses on drug discovery, which is the creative and critically important phase in early life cycle of a medicine that precedes elaborated preclinical and clinical development. The programme is unique in that it will pay notable attention to sustainability, an aspect that currently receives close to zero attention in traditional medicine R&D programmes but which rapidly becomes a high priority requirement. Moreover, courses are given not only by academic experts, but also by industry and competent authorities. Combined with the limited number of excellent students that will be allowed, this guarantees high-quality education, preparing the students for a bright future in the pharma-biotech field.
Check the video to learn more about this programme: S-DISCO
Gallery
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Erasmus Mundus scholarships are available (deadline for application: 1st of December 2023).
Curriculum
The International master S-DISCO is a 2-year study programme (120 ECTS) in English: 90 ECTS (semesters 1-2-3) consist of face-to-face and on-line learning and 30 ECTS (semester 4) are dedicated to a master thesis. The programme is organized by 4 highly-ranked universities, thereby giving the students the possibility to spend their time in some great historical cities in Europe.
The programme is preceded by a one-week summer school at Ghent University (end of September), in order to update their starting competences while enjoying the vibrant university and city atmosphere.
The first semester follows immediately after the summer school at Ghent University and will introduce the students to the broad perspectives and basics of sustainable drug discovery.
The programme continues with the second semester when students move together to the Medical University of Gdańsk, where more in-depth courses on e.g. molecular modelling, omics and green analytics are given. In the mid of the semester, the S-DISCO days are taking place, which are organized by the students. During these days, students will be exposed to the research activities of doctoral, postdoctoral and senior researchers.
The third semester takes place at the University of Lille or the University of Groningen. The different stages in the drug discovery process up to drug development are discussed, i.e. screening, target identification and validation, hit-to-lead, preclinical studies up to first-in-human trials. By selecting the appropriate mobility track, students will be able to become more proficient in certain aspects of drug discovery by benefitting from the specific expertise of the selected partner university.
The final semester is dedicated to the execution and writing of the master thesis. The thesis is performed under the supervision of a lecturer of one of the four consortium universities, but with the opportunity to be hosted in an international academic or industrial partner worldwide.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Our graduates will be trained to find creative and innovative solutions for the various challenges in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological field. Emphasis is on the crucially important discovery phase, taking into account environmental, ecological and socio-financial sustainability aspects. Workforce shortages exist for almost every position within the pharmaceutical and related industries, and scientists with the skills offered by our master program are extremely in-demand by the industry. Moreover, both national medicine-competent authorities as well as international agencies, such as EMA, FDA or WHO, will look for our high-level graduates. The same is true for civil society organizations, such as NGOs, working in this field. Finally, our graduates will have acquired useful competencies for further academic studies, i.e. Ph.D., thereby deepening the drug discovery field while propagating the sustainability viewpoint in pharmaceutical research and education.