Bioinformatics

This high-level training in Bioinformatics research from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) opens up a wide range of career options for students, as well as academic opportunities. 

There is currently an ever-growing demand for professionals with this level of training, coming from hospitals and the pharmaceutical, biotech and agro-food industries. Companies in these sectors are generally highly active in terms of their RD&I, this being essential if they wish to maintain or improve their competitive position.

The explosion in the biological data handled by hospitals and businesses (the big data paradigm) and the need to develop procedures to correctly interpret these data (in the context of an institution’s specific objectives) are the main factors behind this growing demand for people highly trained in Bioinformatics .

Quality assurance system

The Bioinformatics research from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has a series of systems to guarantee the highest levels of quality.

First, the UOC’s Scientific Committee for Research and Doctoral Studies – an independent body set up in 2002 and composed of international experts – assesses the University’s academic performance, oversees the quality of the doctoral programme, and advises the president on research strategy.

Second, the period of training leading up to the doctoral programme, developed through the university master’s degrees run by the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, formed part of the 2011 Audit programme led jointly by the Spanish National Quality and Accreditation Agency (ANECA), the Galician University System Quality Agency (ACSUG) and the Catalan University System Quality Agency (AQU) which was designed to promote development and introduction of internal university programme quality assurance systems.

Third, and finally, as with all other UOC programmes, it forms part of the University’s internal quality assurance system, approved by the UOC’s Governing Council on 19 June 2009.

Courses included

• Depending on what studies the doctoral student has already completed, and whether or not they have obtained initiation to research credits in an official postgraduate course, it may be deemed appropriate for them to take bridging courses.

• These bridging courses are made up of courses already existing in the University’s official postgraduate programmes.

• In the event a doctoral student is assigned bridging courses as part of their study plan, they shall have to take these courses and pass them during their first academic year.