L'università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma leads the way in the new University-Enterprise integration

The first experiment of a “PhD tailored for the company” has started; the “Intese” Project is in the starting blocks to make available to the business world the know-how of Ucbm researchers on: medical devices, neuroscience, biorobotics, pharmaceuticals, agri-food, information, communication, automation and robotics technologies.

University research activity: 11% growth in the number of publications, with a 22% increase in the international indicator of the quality of the same publications

Rome, November 11th – Often mentioned, more rarely realised, the connection between the University and the business world is already a realityUniversità Campus Bio-medico di Roma. The Roman University is currently leading the way in the new “graduate program” by completing the start-up phase of the first experiment of a “doctorate tailored for the company”. A new training program that integrates, in a single cycle, a master's degree and a research doctorate, with the direct involvement of companies in the design of the training program. The first Italian university to experiment with this formula, the Ucbm is now completing the master's cycle of the program.

At the same time, the “Intese project” is at the starting blocks, financed for one million, 50% of which covered by resources from the Lazio Region. In two years teams of brains engaged in the field of biosciences will thus meet the innovation needs of Lazio's SMEs, offering them support in the design and development of cutting-edge devices in the biomedical sector.

An opportunity to turn the spotlight on the "University-companies" bridge was theinauguration of the 23rd academic year of the Campus Bio-Medico University, which took place among others in the presence of His Em. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, who during the homily of the inaugural Mass, taking up the words of Pope Francis, invited to "make the university a place in which to develop a culture of proximity and train in solidarity".

The University has always aimed at innovation, with its Integrated Research Center (CIR), 40 operating units, 20 research laboratories and over 100 researchers employed by the Ministry of Education, University and Research.

"We have continued to strengthen the teaching staff and the fruits of this commitment - recalled the President of the University, Felice Barela - are the gratifying results of our graduates in Medicine, who in the national competition for access to specialization schools were placed, according to external evaluations, among the top six Italian universities”. "A special mention goes to our 17 professors who have been included in the category of Top Italian scientists"

The results of the research activity have been summarized by Rector, Andrea Onetti Muda. “For 2014 we had an 11% growth in the number of publications, with a 22% increase in the normalized impact factor, the international indicator of the quality of the same publications.

Over 130 research projects have been active in the last 12 months, with a 75% leap in those presented in European tenders compared to 2014.”

"To our selection of teaching staff – the Rector then added - we have very courageously supported the external evaluation of our Polyclinic with the Joint Commission International, the largest international quality verification body, also applying for the visit of Anvur, the National Agency for University Evaluation and Research" .

Lorenzin: "In March General States of Research"

The Minister of Health, Beatrice Lorenzinspeaking at the inauguration. “The first - he said - it is that of humanistic education, because in the face of illness we are all frightened and those who take care of the person must be able to be close to them". “But governing the National Health Service - he added - it also means training doctors and health professionals to know how to cure with an eye to the economic management of health care".

"The University - he added - it must then help us to get out of this return of scientific illiteracy that our country is experiencing, as demonstrated first by the Stamina affair and then by that of vaccines. We live in the Renaissance of science and in the Middle Ages of communication and we can no longer accept that there are doctors who administer false therapies or who deny scientific evidence".

The Minister then announced the "States General of Bio-medical Research" for March to develop a strategic plan valid for the next few years. “We must not think only of curbing the brain drain but also of attracting them to our country, which is in the first places in Europe for bio-medical research. We have to - he added - only make it easier what we do and which is too often hampered by bureaucracy”.

Award winning Giovanni Di Pino, “Top young scientists” in Europe

Together with the Rector, Andrea Onetti Muda, the Minister then awarded the researcher from the Bio-Medico Campus Giovanni Di Pino, just inserted between the top young scientists of Europe thanks to his project, selected from over three thousand, which promises to revolutionize research strategies for the development of bionic hands for amputees. An idea that shifts the terms of the problem, no longer starting from the engineering development of prostheses, but from the cerebral processes that lead the brain to conceive an object as integrated with its body. If the project is implemented in the next 5 years, it will be possible to transform the prostheses into bioelectronic hands capable of being recognized by amputees as truly their own.

Doctorate in business

The paths of the "Graduate Program" are developed within the two faculties of medicine and engineering and, more specifically, concern: bioengineering (degree in biomedical engineering and doctorate in bioengineering and biosciences); industrial engineering (degree in chemical engineering for sustainable development and doctorate in bioengineering and biosciences); food chemistry and biochemistry (bachelor's degree in food science and doctorate in bioengineering and biosciences). There are 6 places available (two for each path) and they are selected on the basis of first-level degree grades and interviews (/it/info/training-offer). “The objective - explains the pro-rector for research Eugenio Guglielmelli - is to create figures useful to the company to innovate products or production processes”.

Companies can finance all or part of the students' journey and start an apprenticeship process within them, with a possible commitment to recruitment upon achievement of academic qualifications.

The “Agreements” Project

With "Intese" the know-how of University researchers on: medical devices, neurosciences, biorobotics, pharmaceuticals, agri-food, information technologies, communication, automation and robotics is made available to the business world.

The opportunity will be given to recent graduates, PhD students and young researchers UCBM to carry out internships, apprenticeships and joint research activities with companies, for a total of 22 hours. Patents may be filed jointly with companies or licenses may be granted for the use of technological solutions and prototypes patented by the University to promote their marketing.

Through "Intese" it will also be possible to create "spin-offs" in partnership between companies and researchers, thanks also to the approach of "start-ups" to microfinance. All for a faster passage of experimental technologies from laboratory benches to production chains.

The opinion of the companies that have hired the new graduates UCBM

The feeling between the Campus Bio-Medico University and companies is confirmed by the more than positive opinion that the latter give of the graduates UCBM hired as employees or collaborators in the company. Many "very good" and "excellent", together with a quarter of approvals approved as "good", are the marks that young graduates have achieved in terms of skills, basic and specialist training, ability to manage developments in the industrial sector, knowledge of technologies, aptitude for problem solving and creativity.

Among the strengths highlighted by the companies: communication skills, teamwork, experience in the field of "networking", the multidisciplinary approach.

Possible improvements are indicated in the survey: integration with the biomedical industrial world, project management, development of analytical and design skills. The training offer is considered in line with the guidelines of industrial development by most of the companies.

Finally, the assessments of the risk factors that could reduce the possibility of employing new graduates differ: ranging from the limited offer in the hospital sector to the need to cover customer-oriented roles, passing through the reluctance of companies to valorise the creative work and the general difficulty of the biotech industry in Italy.