4th Congress of the European Association of

University Departments and Faculties of Biology

(EUROBIO)

Biology and Society in the 21st Century

Advances in Biological Education

School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

A word of introduction

This fourth Congress of EUROBIO will focus on aspects of biology that will be of major significance in the social and economic development of Europe in the 21st Century. Speakers will review the elements of biological knowledge that Europeans need to understand in order to appreciate the significance of current and future biological developments, and to reach informed decisions about such developments. We will also continue a review of advances in the teaching of biological sciences, by lectures, workshops and posters. Papers will be presented by invited speakers, but contributions in the form of posters or demonstrations of CAL Programmes or computer based assessment methods are requested.

Charles Susanne

Chancellors Conference Centre, approximately 5 km from the City Centre, and the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester will provide a pleasant and convenient venue. A very economical accommodation package is available at Chancellors, which will provide 3-star en-suite accommodation for the first 75 participants. Later bookings will be available at a local Hotel approximately 1 km from the Conference Centre. The School of Biological Sciences is the largest in the United Kingdom and has responsibility for the teaching of approximately 20 Degree Programmes in biological science and much of the pre-clinical teaching of the University’s Faculty of Medicine.

The meeting in Manchester will be followed by a Post Congress Meeting at the University of Wales, Bangor.

Manchester has an excellent international airport with direct flights from many European cities. It is a short taxi ride to Chancellors Conference Centre. Travel by train from London takes approximately 2_ hours but early morning rail tickets (before 9.00 am) are very expensive (approximately £150). At 9.00 a.m. and on later trains tickets cost under £50.

Arrival

Registration at Chancellors, 12.00-18.30

19.00 Reception by University of Manchester and School of Biological Science

08.45 Welcome by the Dean of Biological Sciences, Chancellors Conference Centre
09.00 Keynote Paper, Education and Culture
09.45 Questions, Discussion
10.00 Biology and Society, European educational needs in the 21st Century
10.45 Questions, Discussion
11.00 Coffee/Tea
11.30 Genetic Manipulation in Agriculture
12.15 Questions, Discussion

12.30 Lunch, Chancellors

14.00 Problem Based Learning
14.45 Workshops, Problem Based Learning, Biology and Society
15.45 Tea/coffee, Posters, Publishers Exhibition
16.45 Workshops, continuation

09.30 Keynote Paper. Ethical considerations in the teaching of Biology
10.30 Coffee/Tea
11.00 Advances in Computer Aided Learning and Assessment
11.30 On-line learning

12.30 Lunch

14.00 Workshops: Computer Aided Learning, Assessment, On-line learning, Ethics
16.00 General Assembly

19.30 Reception and Banquet, Chancellors

09.30 Leave Chancellor’s by bus
10.45 Visit to Plas Mawr in Conwy - a restored house of 16th century
12.00 Lunch in the Conwy Valley
13.00 Bodnant Gardens - a guided tour of one of Europe’s best gardens containing a "wild" woodland garden and also formal gardens. It is the home of Lord Aberconwy
19.00 Welsh Banquet in Gwydir Castle

09.30 Tour of the University of Wales, Bangor, including the facilities for students in the School of Biological Sciences
12.30 Lunch in Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey
14.00 Visit to the nature reserve at the South Stack, Anglesey, Auks, shags, fulmers, puffins, raptors and endemic plants. Return via the spectacular sand-dune system at Aberfraw
20.00 Reception and dinner at the University of Wales, Bangor

08.00 Coach departs from Bangor for Manchester Airport. Arrival at Airport approximately 9.45 a.m.. (Trains from Bangor to London are frequent. The approximate journey time is 4 hours).

BOOKINGS

Accommodation booking, Congress Registration and reservations for the Post-Congress Meeting can be made by returning the enclosed forms. The Registration fee covers lunches, coffee/tea, and the Congress Banquet and receptions for participants. Offers of Posters, CAL Programme Demonstrations etc. should be given on the Registration Form. If computers are needed for Demonstrations, information will be requested later, so that suitable computers can be made available.

The Fee for Accompanying Persons covers the Congress Banquet and receptions.

The Supplementary Fee for non-members of EUROBIO confers membership of EUROBIO for 1 year and gives voting rights at the General Assembly.

If you wish to request the Second Circular with the full programme before making a reservation please return your details on the Registration form, but without payment at this time. Bookings for the Manchester Congress should be sent to the Congress Secretariat and for the Bangor Meeting to the University of Wales, Bangor.

Dr H A S Epton, The University of Manchester, School of Biological Sciences, G.30B Stopford Building, Manchester M13 9PT, UNITED KINGDOM. Reservation Enquiries:
Tel: 44 161 275 4953, fax: 44 161 275 4969, e-mail: wpwarden@man.ac.uk

Local committee: H A S Epton, K R F Elliott, M Mahon, D Shaw
International committee: C Susanne (Brussels); C Kastritsis (Thessaloniki); L Lewan (Lund);P Gahan (London); J Parnell (Dublin); F Barth (Wien); St Dukiandjev (Sofia); D Dunon (Paris); H Epton (Manchester); V Ferak (Bratislava); B Juodka (Vilnius); H Kryvi (Bergen); M Lazaridou (Thessaloniki); B Luckas (Jena); J Lumme (Oulu); P Macek (Ljubljana); M Malicka (Wroclaw); C Prado (Madrid); C Queiroz (Lisboa); C Rankin (Odense); V Van Rij (Amsterdam); G P Sironi (Milano); R Strasser (Geneve); M Szente (Szeged); A Vadineanu (Bucarest); G Van de Vyver (Brussels).