Teaching at Department of Biomedical Sciences

Study programmes

The Department of Biomedical Sciences is involved in many of the Bachelor and Master programmes offered at the Faculty. These entail the study programmes Medicine, Odontology, Molecular Biomedicine, Human Biology, Public Health, Medicine & Technology, and Health & Informatics.

Teaching activities

The Department’s staff is supporting the students’ learning by synchronous study activities such as lectures, seminars, practical assignments (lab work), and other – synchronous or asynchronous – student engaging activities such as facilitating student presentations, moderating discussion fora, developing quizzes and providing feedback on the University learning platform (Canvas). Other activities include supervision of undergraduate students, often in form of project-based work.

At the Department of Biomedical Sciences, assistant professors become part of course teams and teach in e.g. seminars, tutorials, lab classes; design and execute other asynchronous activities and may also supervise undergraduate students. They must also participate in the Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Programme.

Likewise, associate professors are part of course teams, and will teach in student activating teaching activities (lectures, seminars, tutorials, other asynchronous activities, supervision) and exam work (designing and correcting exams). In addition, associate professors often get involved in course leadership.

Teaching and capacity development

In line with the Department’s strategy and action plans, we aim at continuously developing the quality of our courses. We embrace that students do not learn by listening, but by reflection. Hence, we seek to develop our teaching activities continuously to formats that foster student engagement. Furthermore, we use renowned Learning Design methods and tools for developing our courses to more blended formats.

According to the legislated “Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities” from 2019, research and research-based teaching rank equally. The Ministerial Order states that “the research-based teaching activities are the primary method of dissemination and application of research-based knowledge in society”. Currently (spring 2021), BMI’s academic staff participates in teaching activities corresponding to (on average) 40-50% of their working hours.

In addition, according to the Ministerial Order, all staff members who teach must create and continuously maintain a teaching portfolio as well as continuously develop pedagogical-didactic competencies. At the Department of Biomedical Sciences, the teaching portfolio, teaching plans and wishes for further capacity development of pedagogical-didactic competencies are key selection criteria in the employment process (associate professors and professors) and are a recurring subject in the annual performance and development reviews for all academic staff.