The document summarizes the European Platform for Young Biotechnologists (YEBN). YEBN aims to integrate biotechnology students across Europe. It has institutional members from 7 countries representing over 250 members. Projects include surveys on career skills and experiences, and promoting integrated PhD programs between industry and academia. The network allows an exchange of perspectives and collaboration on common goals like education, careers and communication.

1. Welcome to YEBN !
European Platform for Young
Biotechnologists
Irina Epstein and Marie Mueller
Executive board member
May 21st, 2012
9pm-10pm Skype

2. YEBN?
Young European Biotech Network

3. Y

4. Institutional Members
European
Projects

5. Institutional Members
Represent 7 European countries
PhD, MSc and Bsc students of Life Sciences
Work in close collaboration
Diversity of cultures, languages and attitudes
CNSB

6. Short trip around Europe?

7. Poland
250 members
Main aim:
To integrate biotechnology students from whole country
Contact: Main activities:
eb.assb@gmail.com Annual conference and meeting (for the past three years
also as international conference)
http://www.assb.pl
Annual Workshops “DNA Encyclopaedia of Life”
“Young Generation in BioBusiness” Conference at
BioForum, Lodz, Poland.
Contests for members with attractive prizes
Participation in many events organized by biotechnology
environment in Poland

8. Germany
Mission: Support of Life Sciences students by organizing events that facilitate their transition
into further studies or into the working world by providing information, experience, training and
opportunities
• Career fair ScieCon
• Student congress ScieTalk, lectures, seminars,
company tours, panel discussions,
• Semestral nation-wide meetings
• Informal networking initiatives e.g. ScieKickIn,
a soccer game between Life Sciences companies
and research institutes
• Workshops to broaden and improve personal
skills

9. France
Activities: Projects:
Communication:
- Create a French biotech network
- Website: Give ideas for career
choices and opportunities!
- Special video interviews of
PhD, Post Doc or Master Students on
Website: first YEBN IM to launch its own their research or „daily lab routine‟
social network for young biotechnologists! - Student job offers collected via RSS
feed
- Group discussions
- Documents exchange
- Connection via Facebook
- Online payment of the
membership fee

10. Austria
• BSc, MSc and PhD student of Biotechnology in Austria
• Platform for students and professionals from
biology, biotechnology, molecular
biology, biochemistry, medical science, bioinformatics
• Mentoring project – ideas for further expansion with
YEBN
• Interdisciplinary, interuniversitary and independent
organization
• Open lectures

11. Switzerland
Networking & career development for life scientists
Bridging the gap between academia and industry
Project platform for young researchers
Promoting entrepreneurship
12 active members involved in different projects
500 + followers through newsletter and social media
16th of February 2012: 3rd Zurich Life Science Day
3 parallel sessions on Careers and Entrepreneurship and a company exhibition
http://www.lifescience-youngscientists.ch

12. Spain
6 regional IMs with >600 members
Founded on July 2008, joined YEBN in 2011
Main focus:
• To provide a common framework in order to
represent Biotech in Spain
• To ensure progress and prestige for the PQ
in Europe and Spain
• To promote science and research

13. Italy
CNSB
• BSc and MSc Students of Biotechnology
• Didactics and the application of the reform of
the University
• Strong appointment for the recognition of the
Professional Figure of the Biotechnologist
• National organization composed by 6 regional
branches distributed all over the Country • Primary role and a constant presence to
promote a public debate on biotechnology
• 600 members: PhD Students, Post-
doc, Researchers; professionals in the Biotech http://www.cnsb.it/
industry and in the Communication field.
• Opinion making; policy consultation; promotion
of biotechnologists to the labour market;
• Organization of lifelong learning programmes
and scientific/networking events;
• Scientific communication and dissemination

14. Task and Project Groups
• Consolidation of efforts of single IMs
by identification of common goals
• Exchange of views and local
perspectives
• Development of youth attitude
towards arising issues

15. Project Groups
• Career in Life Sciences
• iPhD
• Career Development
Task Groups
• Education and Professional Qualification
• Communication

16. Careers in Life Sciences Project
Skills Hiring
Mobility
Experiences

17. CiLS Project: International science
careers survey
1. A systematic assessment of skills, experiences
and mobility for a career in the life sciences
2. Not hypothesis driven, discovery based
research
3. Resource guide for career planning, to get on
the right track for both scientists and
companies

18. CiLS: example of outcomes
Careers: most interest is clearly linked to research in life
sciences
Overall, life scientists have a strong interest in working
abroad
Career concerns are the primary driver, followed by more
general conditions in the country the person is moving
to. Work possibilities for partner are very important if
married/living with partner.
Companies show strong interest in people combining
scientific with non-scientific skills (managerial
skills, sales).

19. Did you know?
Companies most value creative and analytical
thinking, work experience in the field, graduate research
topic and grades from graduated degree when hiring!
creative thinkning
analytical thinking
work experience in the Spanish scientists
field Spanish companies
research topic
grades
0 1 2 3 4 5
Level of importance
Comparative analysis: Spain, scientists vs companies

20. iPhD - Project
European meeting to create a network of
coordinators
EFB-cooperation
Foster iPhD through information

21. Steps of the -project
Kick-off at the first European Youth Conference on Careers in Life
Sciences in Frankfurt organised YEBN in 2009
Step 1: State of the art
Benchmark existing iPhD programmes,
where a formal collaboration between industry and
academia is designated as part of PhD programmes
Step 2: Evaluation of the situation in Europe
Survey on the first-hand experiences of iPhD
programmes to identify
needs, benefits and obstacles
frequently faced

22. all over Europe
IPHD ACADEMIC INDUSTRY
CANDIDATE INSTITUTION PARTNER
Gaining insights Improving the quality Highly qualified
into the non- of doctoral education work force and
academic sector  providing highly scientific know-
qualified workers to how
the labour market
Approximation to Attracting more and Access to cutting
industrial thinking more diversified and edge research
and problem sustainable funding
solution from external
strategies organizations for
research
Enhanced Gaining awareness of Access to
employability technical challenges sophisticated and
opportunities faced by companies innovative
beyond academia instruments and
facilities
Networking in Enhancing quality of
expanded research management
environments

23. - challenges
• Identification of partners valuing • Adequate funding
university R&D / industry R&D • Excellent supervision
• Mutual agreement on the • Realistic expectations
research topics and on the • Long-term commitments and
processing of the research agreements
outcome
People and ideas are key elements in the development of a vibrant and agile economy. Industry can also
benefit greatly by developing relationships with early stage researchers and their academic research
institutions as a means of maximizing exposure to new ideas and the potential for innovation.
IRCSET
It's important to allow industry to have a certain amount of control over the project. It's vital to have a
minimum time that the student must spend on the company premises. EPSRC
Try to aim for long term programmes, at least 5 years long. Try to harmonize and not to fragment
administrative procedures. Facilitate the establishment of foreign researchers within the country (also by
unifying the degree system in Europe). IKERTU

24. Education and Professional
Qualification Task Group
Goals
• Ensure cooperation between IMs on activities focused on
the quality of educational programmes
• Coordinate international actions towards the recognition of
professional qualifications
• Help the activities in the area of iPhD and complementary
skills to establish EC funded international projects
Cooperation with the Task Group "Education and Professional
Qualifications" of the European Federation of Biotechnology

25. Communication Task Group
Different channels of communication:
- Newsletter released every two months
Reaches: 3000 readers
- Website – 3500 registered users
www.yebn.eu
- Facebook site
- Twitter channels of YEBN and IMs

26. Career Development Project Group:
YEBN Career Event
2 day event October 2012
http://lscconference2012.yebn.eu/
Presentation of
- status of iPhD project
- results of CiLS survey
Lectures, workshops and policay sessions
about life scientists’ career options,
tools & skills
Think tank: Further improvements of Life Science
Education in Europe
This project is supported by the
‘Youth in Action’
EU Programme

27. Position papers

28. A platform to promote exchange
YEBN forms a platform for exchange of ideas and flow of
information and experience cultural differences and
working methods
YEBN provides opportunities for young people to interact
and build a common understanding of biotechnology
related issues
Connecting people through personal and non-personal
meetings and common projects is essential!

29. YEBN – Act European!

30. How can you get involved ?
• Either get active in your national organisations or directly get
involved in YEBN activities ;)
• Communication task group
• Editing English articles for the newsletter
• Write articles for the YEBN Newsletter (4 times per year)
• Currently on-going development of a the new YEBN website
• YEBN logo competition
• Career Development Conference 2012
• iPhD website updating to an information platform about
industrial-PhD programmes for Biotechnologists