Abstract
The article reflects on current international trends in higher education in nanotechnology based on stakeholder discussions held within the EU funded project NanoEIS: Nanotechnology Education for Industry and Society. The discussions with stakeholders reflects on the main issues emerging from this project, that also includes surveys investigating the connection between university education in nanotechnology and the demands of the labour market for personnel with nanotechnology training. The project’s recommendations include a model curriculum for nanoeducation at BSc, MSc and PhD level. The modular organisation of this curriculum increases the opportunities for incorporating elements into current or new nanotechnology courses or as specialisation in disciplinary courses in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, engineering, etc. Stakeholder comments suggest that there may be interest in developing nanotechnology courses at universities of applied science and in lifelong learning institutions. In addition, university professors in other countries show interest in setting up their own curricula, learning from the best practices in Europe.
Keywords: Nanotechnology, higher education, industry, society, stakeholders, nanosafety.
Graphical Abstract
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