The objective of the European Master Degree in Biological and Chemical Engineering for a Sustainable Bioeconomy (Bioceb) is to answer the needs of the bioeconomy sector in well-trained graduates, able to develop innovative and sustainable bio-based products and bioprocesses, and ensure their integration into alternative value chains and different bioeconomy sectors.

Bioceb consists of a dedicated 2-year (4-semester) MSc joint programme with a core in-depth training in biotechnology encompassing biological resource diversity and optimal use, bioprocess design and upscaling, and biobased products engineering for targeted markets, with complementary focus on soft skills including project management.

In order to promote the development of sustainable and circular bioeconomy systems, the programme goes beyond the biomass processing technical issues, by providing knowledge of green chemistry principles, tools for socio-economic and environmental assessment, experience of facing real-life bioeconomy challenges through projects and examples of flexible biorefinery systems adapted to local contexts.

Five academic institutions collaborate intensively to offer joint study modules in addition to their existing curricula. Moreover, a group of strategic associated partners is settled with members from non-EU universities, research institutions and socio-economic partners, to contribute to the curricula (monitoring, consulting, internships, master’s thesis, etc.) and to the dissemination of the programme.

Bioceb is a modular two-year integrated Master programme jointly structured as shown in the table at the bottom of the page.

The tracks were designed to meet the sector’s needs thanks to a limited number of combinations between education offers of all Bioceb partners in S2 and S3, offering coherent and sought-after employment profiles while preserving consistency and joint experience.

Table 1. Tailored modular tracks adapted to specific profiles needs

The common first semester (S1) at URCA provides a multidisciplinary scientific knowledge base and a shared culture in the field of agro-resources and their conversion through biorefinery processes. Students will benefit from the socio-economic environment of associated partner Pôle IAR (Cluster in Industries and Agro-resources) and the proximity of a major European biorefinery industrial site (Pomacle-Bazancourt biorefinery). S1 is crucial for making students from all around the world getting to know each other, building likewise a real sense of being part of the same cohort.

The second semester (S2) allows the students to enrich their technical and scientific experience with cross-cutting approaches dealing will value-chain sustainability assessment, with specific focus either on economics (AgroParisTech) or on green chemistry principles (TalTech). These specific skills combined with the common scientific knowledge base, as well as the content and joint experience of the Summer School organised by TalTech will make interactions between the students during their third semester particularly favourable and stringent.

The third semester (S3) offers a specialization in one of the key biotechnology approaches of bioeconomy: biomass engineering (AgroParisTech), bioprocesses (ULiège) and bio-based products (Aalto). Whatever the location, the students will get skills in innovation and dissemination processes, as well as soft skills preparing them to the job market.

The fourth semester (S4) is dedicated to a R&D internship leading to a master’s thesis preparation and defence.

You can view your degree structure and information on courses and study modules in Sisu (sisu.aalto.fi) once you’ve made a HOPS study plan (Sisu instructions).  
 
Your study plan automatically shows the courses and study modules that are compulsory, i.e. those you are required to complete in order to graduate. For your elective (optional) studies module, you can find courses by using the search function either in Sisu’s ‘selection assistant’ or on the Search page (click Search on the upper banner).

Code: CHEM3057 (Materials and Biopolymers)

All along the first 3 semesters, the students will have to carry-out a co-supervised and jointly evaluated project named “Green Line project”, engaging groups of 2-3 students.

In addition, in order to be allowed to perform any laboratory work, students need to complete the course CHEM-E0140 Laboratory Safety Course (0 cr).

The master’s thesis at Aalto University is equivalent to 30 ECTS. Aalto University sets the following formal requirements for the master’s thesis:

• the topic of the thesis has to be accepted by Aalto University,
• the supervisor or co-supervisor of the thesis must be a professor at Aalto University,
• the master’s thesis must have one or two advisors, holding minimum an M.Sc. degree,
• the master’s thesis must be assessed at Aalto University.

The master’s thesis work is typically done in collaboration with one or more industrial companies, and the advisor(s) can also be from industry. The topic, supervisor, advisor(s), and the language of the thesis are approved officially by the Degree Programme Committee.