The international Master’s Programme Physics Methods and Information Technologies in Biomedicine was jointly developed by Tomsk State University and Maastricht University (the Netherlands). Tomsk has never seen international master’s programme in biomedical sciences before. Due to its interdisciplinary nature the Programme is available for specialists in chemistry, physics, medicine, biology, ecology, and engineering.
Prospective students were selected by the specialists from TSU and UM, said Vladimir Demkin, Vice-Rector for Network-Based Information Activities, Head of the Department of General and Experimental Physics. We took into account both motivation of students and their proficiency in English. As the result, 3 students of TSU Faculty of Physics will spend their second academic year at Maastricht University.
Under the supervision of Prof. dr. Herman Kingma the students conducted scientific research and had on-line lectures delivered by TSU lecturers. Co-supervisors of the master’s students were the teaching staff members of the Department of General and Experimental Physics (TSU) and the Department of Medical and Biological Cybernetics (SSMU).
Vladimir Demkin noted that the Programme is very attractive due to the variety of scientific fields. Physics is very important to health specialists since behind biological processes are physical laws. Doctors-researchers should understand how medical equipment works and what physical principles are used for measuring, diagnosis and treatment. The Master’s Programme encompasses knowledge in medicine, physics, and information technologies.
Tatyana Banokina, Maksim Pleshkov and Svetlana Murzina successfully defended their Master’s Theses at the meeting of TSU State Examination Committee. They were awarded excellent marks and master’s degree in Physics.
TSU students studied vestibular disorders and properties of vestibular implant. The research is very young: to date, 11 vestibular implantations have been made worldwide. After graduation Tatyana, Maksim and Svetlana may continue their studies at Maastricht University or The John Hopkins University (Maryland, USA).
June 30, TSU Delegation went to Maastricht University to sign the Agreement on further realisation of the Master’s Programme. According to the programme, the first academic year takes place at TSU, the second academic year – UM. All courses are taught in English. In 2015/16 academic year 2 Dutch candidates and 4 candidates from SSMU and TSU entered the programme.
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Maastricht University focuses on medicine and is among the top 100 of the QS University Rankings. General Cooperation Agreement between the Universities was signed in December, 2012. In May 2013 the partners signed a supplementary agreement on specification of joint activity. Within the Cooperation Agreement with the leading Dutch university TSU established the world-class Laboratory for Modelling of Physical Processes in Biology and Medicine headed by Prof. dr. Herman Kingma. The Laboratory combines resources of Maastricht University, in particular, its special research and diagnostic equipment (complex of the Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre), TSU Supercomputer enabling the processing and storage of large volumes of medical data, and diagnostic equipment of SSMU and Pharmacology Research Institute.