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IMIM Study Guide 2018-2019
IMIM Study Guide 2018-2019
IMIM Study Guide 2018-2019
Medicine
With the support of the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible
for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Contents
The IMIM programme ........................................................................................ 3
Mobility options and IMIM courses .................................................................... 4
First year ................................................................................................................................. 4
First year in Groningen ....................................................................................................... 4
First year in Heidelberg ...................................................................................................... 5
First year in Uppsala* ......................................................................................................... 7
Second year ............................................................................................................................. 7
Second year in Groningen ................................................................................................... 8
Second year in Uppsala ....................................................................................................... 9
BBB Courses...................................................................................................................... 10
Spring School on personal development .......................................................................... 10
Summer School Industrial Perspectives on Innovative Medicine (IPIM) ......................... 11
Latin American Partner Universities..................................................................................... 11
Universidade de São Paulo ................................................................................................ 11
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ........................................................................... 11
University of Antiquia, Colombia ......................................................................................12
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México .....................................................................12
IMIM private sector Associated Partners * ...........................................................................12
Degree requirements ........................................................................................14
Different universities, different experiences ..................................................... 15
Grading .................................................................................................................................. 15
Academic calendar and weekly schedules ............................................................................. 15
IMIM: a double degree programme ................................................................... 17
Educational organisation....................................................................................................... 17
IMIM Governing bodies..................................................................................................... 17
Local organisation ................................................................................................................ 18
Local international offices .................................................................................................... 18
Getting around in… ...........................................................................................19
Visa ........................................................................................................................................19
Insurance ...............................................................................................................................19
Housing .................................................................................................................................19
Groningen, the Netherlands ..............................................................................................19
Uppsala, Sweden ............................................................................................................... 20
Heidelberg, Germany .........................................................................................................21
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Public Transport ....................................................................................................................21
Groningen ..........................................................................................................................21
Heidelberg..........................................................................................................................21
Uppsala ............................................................................................................................. 22
Extracurricular options ................................................................................... 22
Groningen ......................................................................................................................... 22
Heidelberg......................................................................................................................... 22
Uppsala ............................................................................................................................. 22
Participation fees & scholarships ..................................................................... 24
Participation fee.................................................................................................................... 24
Erasmus+ IMIM scholarships .............................................................................................. 24
Other scholarship opportunities .......................................................................................... 25
2
The IMIM programme
The Erasmus+ International Master in Innovative Medicine (IMIM) is a two-year 120 ECTS,
English-taught, master of excellence programme, which focuses on the education of tomorrow’s
leading translational biomedical researchers.
IMIM is jointly organised by three European Top 100 Universities: the University of Groningen in
the Netherlands, the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg in Germany and Uppsala Universitet
in Sweden. IMIM students will benefit from the vast wealth of resources and staff experience that
these three universities have to offer in the biomedical sciences and also from their networks
within both the academic and private sectors.
During IMIM, students will follow tailor-made training programmes at two of the three European
universities and will have the further opportunity to undertake research at one of IMIM’s private
sector industry partners or one of the programme’s Latin American partner institutions, those
being: Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Chile,
Universidad de Antioquia in Colombia, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico.
The IMIM mission is to educate the future generation of translational scientists and professionals
and to equip them with the skills and competences to work effectively and excel in a wide range
of multi- and interdisciplinary, internationally competitive academic and private sector
environments.
A Double Degree
IMIM is a double degree programme, meaning that students that have completed the required
mobility programmes at the different European partner universities will receive a degree
certificate from both these universities.
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Mobility options and IMIM courses
In this section you will find details on the four semesters of the IMIM programme, giving you an
overview of the study programme during each phase of your mobility. You will also find
information on IMIM's BBB Learning Line and the IMIM spring and Summer Schools.
The table below shows the four possible mobility paths IMIM students can follow during their
study programme:
Individual mobility pathways do have to be approved by the partner universities and the IMIM
boards involved, as does your choice for specific courses to be taken in case of more than one
option (see below).
The IMIM curriculum is closely modelled on the above mentioned existing master programmes at
the European partner universities, but it of course also includes IMIM specific features; notably
the Bench to Bedside and Back Learning Line. Below, you find more information on the specific
courses you will take within the IMIM programme. For more information, please consult the IMIM
website and the online course catalogues of the specific university concerned.
First year
The entire first academic year of IMIM is spend at one of the European partner universities.
Students are given the option to indicate their first university preference in the IMIM application
procedure. Generally speaking, students will be placed according to their educational background,
but personal preference will certainly be accommodated as far as possible and where deemed
practicable and appropriate.
The first semester consists of coursework. Already in the second semester of IMIM, most students
will undertake a research project comprising a maximum of 30ECTS.
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Mechanisms of Disease and Innovative Therapies (11 ECTS)
Introduction in the most recent developments in medical, biomedical and
pharmaceutical sciences. All recent scientific developments discussed in this class
are linked to the cell and cellular processes. Therefore, this top class starts with a
refresher course of two weeks on the molecular biology of the cell.
BBB1 (4 ECTS)
The goals of BBB1 are to obtain an overview of the research (groups) and PIs
within the UMCG/GRIP, to get acquainted with and select good research practice, to
help to choose the topic of a possible second internship and to compare
fundamental research with translational research.
BBB2 (4 ECTS)
BBB2 addresses the preparation of a detailed master research proposal following a
predefined format based on the NWO-VENI programme. The topic of the proposal
has to fit with the research objects of the IMIM programme.
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o Literature research, critical paper reading and scientific ethics
o Basic lab skills (practical course): Basic pipetting skills, buffer
preparation and Ph adjustment, PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis,
SDS-PAGE/Coomassie staining.
BBB1 (4 ECTS)
Research internship, paper and presentation (20 ECTS)
BBB2 (4 ECTS)
BBB Spring School Personal Development (2 ECTS)
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First year in Uppsala*
The academic year starts on the 29th of August. So you will start a few days earlier compared to
the students starting in Heidelberg and Groningen, but the spring semester will finish a few days
earlier as well. In the second semester you can choose to either follow courses or do a research
project. Note that the BBB modules are integrated within the courses mentioned below.
Second year
For the second year of your master you can choose between Groningen and Uppsala. As the master
programme underlying the IMIM curriculum in Heidelberg is an one-year programme, it is
unfortunately not possible to spend the second year of IMIM at Heidelberg University.
The second year will be concluded by completing a thesis of 30 ECTS. The IMIM-programme offers
three different options:
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1. Remain at your European Partner Institution
2. Attend one of IMIM’s Latin American Partner Institutions
3. Undertake a thesis research project at one of IMIM’s private sector Associated Partners
BBB3 (4ECTS)
BBB3 (Entrepreneurship, Venture lab & Business Plan), introduces students to
research on the specific challenges and issues that entrepreneurs face when starting
a new business in a medical context. The course provides insights into the basic skills
required to start a new venture from a scientific point of view. The central theme of
the course is entrepreneurship as a process of exploring, evaluating and exploiting of
entrepreneurial opportunities through, for example (but not only), (bio)medical
technology venturing. In seven classes/workshops, the nature of entrepreneurial
processes, origin of entrepreneurial opportunities (how to spot an opportunity to
create a business?), basic principles of business models, including strategy,
marketing, network organization and financing aspects of launching a business are
being discussed.
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research projects will be on different subjects and students will have to join at least
two different research groups.
Writing and Defending your own Research Proposal incl. BBB4 (8ECTS)
Students will write, present and defend their own research proposal. To this end,
they choose their own research topic and an appropriate top-supervisor. The topic of
the proposal has to fit in with the research objects of the Research Institute GUIDE,
GRIP or GRCG.
Please note: The IMIM coordination reserves the right to make amendments to the above mentioned
course lists should this be required, e.g. in terms of the partner universities ability to issue the
required double degree certificates. In case of different options, the courses/modules selected may
still have to be approved by the local and/or central examination committee(s).
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Bench to Bedside and Back Learning Line
As an IMIM student, in each of the four semesters you will participate in the From Bench to Bedside
and Back (BBB) Learning Line curriculum. The BBB Learning Line comprises a total of 16 ECTS
(4x4) in courses, as detailed in the diagram below. In addition, you will participate in a BBB IMIM
spring and Summer School (2 ECTS each), which all IMIM students of the same cohort will attend
together. The BBB Learning Line is an important aspect of the integrated IMIM curriculum at each
of the partners, providing added value to the individual universities' master programmes.
BBB Courses
Of the 30 ECTS taken each semester, 4ECTS will thus be as part of BBB project work. You will
undertake BBB activities together as part of one of the three Learning Communities established
during the cohort’s joint IMIM introduction week. Sometimes BBB is integrated in an existing
course, sometimes it is a course on its own, depending on the curriculum’s structure at the partner
university you are attending.
Each Learning Community will consist of a combination of students who start their IMIM
programme at different partner universities and come from different backgrounds. This set-up
aims at fostering interdisciplinary exchange enabling you and your fellow students to learn from
and build on each other’s knowledge and experiences at the different partner universities. Each
Learning Community will be assigned a BBB coordinator from one of the European partner
universities. Under the guidance of this coordinator, you will ‘meet’ with your Learning
Community on a regular basis via Skype to work on your BBB projects. Given the broad area of
topics that are covered by the BBB field, this learning line is an excellent opportunity to put your
own signature on your IMIM curriculum and experience!
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Summer School Industrial Perspectives on Innovative Medicine (IPIM)
The IPIM Summer School will be held in the summer in Groningen and aims at teaching you about
private sector priorities and the societal impact of research, in order to help you become a fully
equipped translational researcher. IPIM provides its participants with a unique opportunity to
learn from different speakers from the private sector (e.g. Pharma, Drug Development, Biotech,
Diagnostics and Food & Nutrition), as well as experts in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Intellectual
Property Rights, and Research Funding.
The week-long school is split between guest speakers, site visits and interactive workshops.
During these workshops, you will work in groups with the experienced business coaches of the
Groningen Business Generator to form a business proposal based on their some of their own
research. During the final day of IPIM participants present their group proposal as an investor
pitch in front of an expert jury. The pitch deemed the most original and commercially viable is
awarded a prize.
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University of Antiquia, Colombia
The University of Antioquia (UdeA) is a public university located in Medellín,
Colombia’s second largest city. Founded in 1803, it is Colombia’s oldest public
university and the second largest overall. It is currently home to over 36.000
students spread over its main campus and 12 other regional campuses. Thanks
to its 26 Schools, the University of Antioquia offers 82 undergraduate
programmes, 44 master’s degrees and 26 doctorate programmes in all fields
of knowledge. It is also recognized as one of the three best Colombian research Universities and
has Colombia’s highest percentage of excellence research group according to the National Board
of Science and Technology (Colciencias). For more information on the Universidad de Antioquia
please visit the website: www.udea.edu.co
*Please be aware that IMIM private sector Associated Partners may be subject to change.
Sanofi-Aventis: one of the world largest Pharma and Biotech companies transforming
cutting-edge research into novel care solutions, in particular diabetes, oncology, vaccines
and rare diseases
Boehringer Ingelheim: research-driven pharmaceutical company focused on new
medicines for the treatment of, in particular, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and
diabetes. Expertise relevant to performing studies in humans and/or with human
material
PRA Health: leading global clinical trial organisation; high quality expertise in biomarker
analysis relevant to performing studies in humans and/or with human material
QPS: Contract research: evaluation of new drugs in both pre-clinical and clinical
development including regulatory services, with high quality expertise in biomarker
analysis and performance of human clinical studies
Syncom: Contract research in medicinal chemistry in combination with in house drug
discovery research
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Sector: Drug Delivery Services
Sector: Diagnostics
DSM Nutrition: Number one in the world in production and sales of vitamins and other
nutritional products with a strong interest in research on food and health
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Degree requirements
As an IMIM student, you have to satisfy two types of requirements: (1) overarching requirements
related to the fact that IMIM is an Erasmus Mundus certified double degree programme in its own
right; and (2) the local requirements imposed by the two universities from which you expect to
receive the double degree.
The IMIM programme consists of four semesters, corresponding to a total of 120 ECTS according
to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). One EC corresponds roughly
to 28-30 hours of study, and 60 EC correspond to the study load of one academic year.
IMIM offers you the opportunity to spend an academic year at two different European partner
universities – accommodating your preference wherever possible and deemed practicable - in
order to allow you to follow a trajectory that suits your interests. Students will thus follow
different mobility pathways within the IMIM programme, but there are of course overarching
requirements that apply to each individual IMIM student. As an IMIM student, you will have to:
More specific concerning the IMIM rules and regulations will be made available in the IMIM Study,
Teaching and Exam Regulations. In many cases, local rules of the partner university you are
attending will apply to specific matters; information on these local rules and regulations are
available at the partner university concerned.
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Different universities, different experiences
As an IMIM EMJD-student you are offered an extraordinary opportunity to study at different
universities, experiences different cultures and work with fellow students and academics from
very diverse backgrounds. During this adventure, it is important to keep in mind that you will
encounter differences among the partner universities and study environments; differences which
may sometimes be surprising at first sight. This section of the study guide aims to prepare you for
this to some extent. When faced with such issues, however, please bear in mind that these form
part of your intercultural experience and that you have all been selected as excellent students,
whom we think have the talent to successfully navigate the diverse study environment that is
IMIM! Still, your local IMIM coordinators are of course always willing to answer any questions you
may have. Also, in spite of specific differences among partner universities and participating
programmes, rest assured that all partner universities are top universities offering comparable
levels of academic education.
Grading
The IMIM programme works with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS),
which serves as a formal instrument for structure, evaluation, and certification of academic work.
One credit point (1 EC) corresponds roughly to 28-30 hours of study, and 60 EC correspond to the
study load of one academic year. ECs are awarded for all academic work including contact hours,
study time, course participation, taking notes, preparing and giving a presentation, preparing and
taking an exam, writing a research paper and other research related activities.
The grades you receive during IMIM will correspond to the local grading system of the university
you are attending. Grades obtained during the IMIM programme are compared according to the
overview given below in Table 1. Even with this seemingly straight forward conversion table, you
will encounter differences in ‘grading customs’ between the universities you attend. For example,
in some countries it is much more common for students to be awarded the maximum grade for an
excellent performance, whereas in other countries it is highly unusual to be given the maximum
grade as no thesis, assignment etc. can be considered absolutely perfect. This largely has to do
with differences in (academic) culture and is an inherent part of studying in different countries
within the same master programme. Rest assured, the IMIM Board will compare the grades given
at the partner universities on a regular basis in order to ensure that grading is fair and, as much
as possible, independent of where the student has obtained the credits.
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per week, expected hours of self-study, time of day when classes are scheduled etc. Wherever
possible, the IMIM coordination will of course do everything to prevent any difficulties that may
arise from differences in academic calendars and semester specific schedules.
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IMIM: a double degree programme
IMIM is an Erasmus Mundus double degree programme.* Upon successful completion of the IMIM
programme, provided of course you have met all requirements, you will be awarded two master
degree diplomas from the European partner universities you have attended. In addition, the IMIM
organisation aims at providing IMIM graduates with a specific IMIM certificate for the successful
completion of the IMIM programme as a whole. This certificate will be accompanied by an IMIM
certificate supplement explaining the nature of the programme you have completed, as well as the
courses you followed and the grades you have obtained at the different partner universities.
*IMIM strives for accreditation as an international joint degree programme, but at present
legislation in the partner countries still makes this impossible .
Educational organisation
As IMIM is an international master programme with different mobility options, you will find that
navigating the programme may be a bit more challenging than would be the case for a local
master programme. It might therefore be helpful to know a bit more about the organisation of
this programme. As an IMIM student, you will always be dealing with two levels of organisation:
the central IMIM coordination (located at the University of Groningen but working for the
programme as a whole) and the local organisation at the level of the university where you are
enrolled in a given mobility period of your IMIM programme.
The IMIM programme as a whole operates on the basis of the IMIM Consortium Agreement and
the IMIM Study, Teaching and Exam Regulations (which will be made available to IMIM students).
These agreements outline the structure of the programme and specific rules applying to it and
its students. In many cases, given more specific local and national legislation with which IMIM
partner universities will have to comply, you will be subject to the local rules of the university at
which you are enrolled at a given moment.
Management Committee (MC): Composed of the programme director (chair) and one
representative from each participant organisation. Additionally, the MC includes one student
representative elected at the start of the curriculum and who may rotate during the project. The
MC holds executive power to make all decisions relating to successful operation of the
programme. It will clearly define the goals at the outset and interface with the other teams. The
MC coordinates the activities of the network as a whole and will be responsible for outreach
activities, organisation of student internships, induction courses, Summer Schools and course
evaluations.
Board of Admissions (BA): The BA is composed of at least one representative of each of the IMIM
Partners and will be responsible for the evaluation and selection of students.
Board of Examiners (BE): The BE is composed of independent members from each institution. It
oversees assessment procedures and is the responsible body for e.g. cases of fraud and plagiarism
in case a university´s local rules and regulations do not apply. The BE holds an independent status.
IMIM adheres to the European code of conduct for research integrity.
Programme Committee (PC): The PC is composed of three staff members and three students
from the three different participating degree-awarding HEIs. The PC is responsible for quality
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assurance of the curriculum. The Presidium of the PC consists of a chair (staff member) and a vice
chair (student member). The PC holds an independent status.
Advisory Board (AB): will advise the MC and the PC on all aspects relevant to IMIM
regarding the implementation and impact of the programme. The AB includes
representatives from the most important non-academic stakeholders who are associated
partners: the Director of the Tuning Academy; a representative from ORPHEUS; and a
rotating private sector representative from the IMIM-associated (industrial) partners.
Local organisation
Over the course of the IMIM programme, you will be registered at different partner universities.
At these universities, you largely participate in courses that are also part of local existing master
programmes. These local master programmes also all have their own structure of governing
bodies, such as programme and examination committees. In order to eventually obtain your IMIM
Double Degree from the European partner universities you have attended, you will have to satisfy
the specific degree requirements of these institutions. Of course, we do our utmost to ensure that
circumstances are tailored to the specifics of the IMIM programmes wherever possible.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to - with the help of your local IMIM coordinator - familiarize yourself
with the applicable local rules and regulations of the university you are attending.
As you probably already know or have noticed, it is important to realise that visa, enrolment and
other procedures often take a considerable amount of time to be completed. With the central IMIM
coordination and the IMIM colleagues at the partner universities we are doing everything we can
to facilitate a timely completion of all those processes. In some cases, however, we have very
limited or no influence on certain matters, such as visa procedures. It is therefore of importance
as an IMIM student to plan well ahead and to keep in touch with the IMIM coordination – central
and local – in case you have questions or run into problems when trying to make the necessary
arrangements on time.
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Getting around in…
Studying abroad is very exciting, but sometimes a bit challenging as well. Finding your way in a
new environment is not always easy, so here we are providing you with some practical
information for you about visa, housing, public transport etc.
Visa
Non-EEA students will need a visa and then a residence permit for the country in which they spend
their IMIM mobility period. Visa application procedures differ per university and per country. If
you will be attending the University of Groningen, you will be contacted by this university’s
International Service Desk (ISD) which will apply for your visa and residence permit on your
behalf. For Germany and Sweden you will have to arrange the visa application yourself, but the
local IMIM coordinators are of course ready to answer your questions about this procedure. Since
the specifics of the visa procedures depend on national legislation, which in some cases changes
regularly, and on your country of origin, it is necessary to very carefully follow the required steps
and read the information that is provided by the embassies, the ISD, etc. The IMIM Facebook
group, to which you will be invited if selected for the master programme, can serve as a platform
to exchange visa experiences.
Insurance
The central IMIM coordination arranges an insurance policy with international coverage from
AON – in accordance with Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree requirements set by the EU –
for each IMIM student. Before you start the programme, you receive the insurance certificate.
For questions about coverage, please check the AON website or contact their customer service:
http://www.aonstudentinsurance.com If you so desire, you may of course take out additional
insurance yourself. In these cases it is unfortunately not possible to cancel the standard
insurance you also got through IMIM or reduce the IMIM participation fees accordingly. Uppsala
Universitet has specific local insurance. More information about that can be found at the website
of UU.
Housing
Finding a place to live seems to be one of the most difficult and exciting things to arrange while
studying abroad. We selected some information per country to help IMIM students finding a new
home.
The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. This means that
housing is scarce, rooms are small, and they can be more expensive than what you are used to at
home. Accommodation varies from single rooms to double rooms and studios. Prices for
accommodation vary, but most rooms will be around €360,-. These rents are generally all
inclusive (room, heating, electricity, furniture, internet, et cetera).
Below we list several organizations that might be useful in your search for a place to live:
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SSH Groningen - https://www.sshxl.nl/en/cities/groningen
SSH is an independent non-profit organisation providing student housing in several
Dutch cities. The University has reserved more than 1000 rooms for new international
students with the SSH in order to offer each new international student a furnished room
to rent for the maximum of one year. Please note that you will have to pay a reservation
fee and the first and last month of rent at the time of your reservation.
Kamernet - www.kamernet.nl (switch to English)
Dutch students use kamernet.nl very often. Most of the times you are in contact with
your future roommates and you will get the know them through a ‘hospi’ before you can
get the room. A ‘hospi’ is a meeting where you and other people interested in the room
meet with the current residents, who will then select their new roommate afterwards.
Uniplaces Groningen - www.uniplaces.com (For 25% discount on the service fee please
enter: STUDENTS15)
The Student Hotel - www.thestudenthotel.com/groningen (Use the promotion-code
RUG05GR)
Housing Anywhere – www.housinganywhere.com
Pararius - www.pararius.com/english/
Facebook groups:
o Student Rooms Groningen
o Groningen Rooms
o Free Housing Announcements
o WSG Student Rooms Groningen
Uppsala, Sweden
As in Groningen, finding appropriate accommodation can be quite hard, so we recommend to start
your search for a place to live early. Rent will cost between SEK 3000 and SEK 6000 per month.
We selected some websites to help you in your search for a place to live:
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Heidelberg, Germany
If you will be attending Heidelberg University as an IMIM student, you will actually be following
the study programme at the university’s Medical Faculty in Mannheim. It is therefore strongly
recommended to look for accommodation in Mannheim, not in Heidelberg itself. There are three
private residences in Mannheim that you can apply to:
Alfred-Delp-Haus - site.alfred-delp-haus.de
The Alfred-Delp-Haus (ADH) is a centrally located, private Catholic residence, where
interaction between the residents is encouraged and plays an important role. There is a
good atmosphere that is maintained by all residents and the resident director. In an
effort to sustain this atmosphere, applicants are first interviewed so the residents can get
to know them personally.
Curt-Sandig-Haus - www.curt-sandig-haus.de
The Curt-Sandig-Haus (short: CSH) is a private ecumenical residence which is not only
popular for its cheap rent (€220,- per month), but also for its strong community. The
semester programme is very varied; parties, residence soccer team or salsa dancing.
There is an event or activity for everyone.
Emilie-Hucht-Haus - www.emilie-hucht-haus.de
The Emilie-Hucht-Haus, a catholic residence which offers rooms for students as well.
Several websites are specialised in shared apartments (WG), which are very common in
Germany. We recommend using the website of WG gesucht, since it has an English version.
For more information, go to their website: https://www.en.wg-suche.de/wg-
zimmer/deutschland-baden-wuerttemberg-mannheim
If you are already in Mannheim, the following possibilities are available in order to find private
accommodation:
Public Transport
Groningen
In the Netherlands people use an OV-chipkaart to use the public transport system. This smart card
is the same size as a bank card and can be loaded with credit in Euros at train and bus stations,
post offices and supermarkets. You can then use the OV-chipkaart to travel anywhere you want to
go in the Netherlands. For more information, see www.ov-chipkaart.nl (also available in English).
Besides the OV-chipkaart most students use a bike to get around in Groningen. It is definitely the
fastest and most environmentally friendly way to get to your classes and back home again.
Groningen is a rather small city, so you will be able to cover most of the distances by bike.
Heidelberg
On evenings, weekends and holidays, a personalised and valid student ID from Heidelberg
University is recognised as a free pass on public transport. This applies Monday through Friday
from 7pm and all day on weekends and holidays for public transport by the Rhine-Neckar
Transport Association (VRN). The evening and weekend privileges also apply to students enrolled
at Heidelberg University who study in Mannheim (e.g., Medical Faculty Mannheim). For
Mannheim students, nodes 74, 84, 94 and 104 apply.
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Uppsala
Just as in the Netherlands, riding the bike is a central part of the student life. Riding a bike is an
easy way of getting around and as a bonus it helps you to stay fit! If you consider purchasing a
bicycle, please go to an actual bike store. The bikes sold a t flea markets can be stolen and of
doubtful quality. Here is a list of bike shops and other biking resources you may find interesting
Cykeltoppen
Cykel Viktor
Cykelringen
Eriksbergs Cykel
Fålhagens Cykel
Leffes Cykel
Stahléns Cykel
Tunabackars Cykel
Bicycle safety is important! There are a number of regulations and good practices you should
follow when cycling. Make sure you understand what the different traffic signs mean. It is not
allowed to bike in pedestrian streets and the Town Square (Stora Torget).
Lights and reflectors are required by law. Fines apply for not keeping lights on while biking in the
dark.
Extracurricular options
Besides studying at top universities, you will get the chance to experience the student life in
different European cities. If you are curious what every city and university has to offer for you as
an international student, then please continue reading!
Groningen
As a lively university city, Groningen has the youngest average population in the Netherlands.
There are numerous activities for (international) students. You can either choose to join a sports
association, get to know other Internationals via the international students association ESN or
follow Dutch lessons. Find more about the above mentioned option in the university’s
international guide: www.rug.nl/education/international-students/getting-started/welcome-to-
groningen.pdf
Heidelberg
The Heidelberg University has its own student union, which is called ‘Studierenwerk Heidelberg’.
Studierenwerk Heidelberg helps you to find a place to live and organises a lot of fun activities.
Especially for the internationals they created the ICI club. The ICI club provides a space for
international and home students to meet new people at different events like parties, film
screenings or international evenings. ICI club IDs are available for only €2 per semester in the
ServiceCenter and InfoCafé International, as well as at ICI club events at the beginning of the
semester. If you are interested, please visit their site via www.studentenwerk.uni-
heidelberg.de/en/international
Uppsala
One of the most integral parts of student life in Uppsala are the student nations. There are 13
student nations, each dating back to 17th century. The student nations are responsible for
arranging activities and events specifically for students. Every nation provides a space for
students to meet, socialise and enjoy life outside the classroom. As a member, you can join a wide
array of personal interest groups and sporting clubs. For more information about the student
nations, please visit: www.uppsalastudent.com. You can also download the application Nations
guide to your mobile phone. If you would like to learn more about university life in Sweden, read
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the manual specially designed for international students:
www.uu.se/digitalAssets/295/295213_1isg-webbversion-201617.pdf
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Participation fees & scholarships
As IMIM is an international programme offered by a consortium of different universities, it has
many IMIM specific features and services in addition to those offered by the already existing
master programmes at the partner universities. All these IMIM specific characteristics come with
some additional costs and specific IMIM participation fees. We are running a central IMIM office;
dedicated support staff is available at all partner universities; many people are involved in our
elaborate selection and admission procedures; we are organising an introduction, spring and
Summer School; etc. All these services, the tuition fees and insurance fees are covered by the IMIM
participation fees. If you have been awarded an Erasmus + EMJMD scholarship, your participation
fees will be covered from this scholarship. If you are not among the IMIM EMJMD scholarship
students, you will receive an invoice from the central IMIM coordination regarding the payment
of the IMIM participation fees.
Participation fee
The IMIM participation fee amounts to € 9,000 per year for non-EU nationals and € 4,500 per year
for EU nationals. The IMIM participation fee covers all tuition fees that have to be paid when
registering at an IMIM partner university. The universities charge tuition fees in order to be able
to offer facilities like libraries, ICT infrastructure, or well-equipped labs for student practical’s or
research projects. The differences in participation fee between non-EU and EU students is mainly
related to the fact that tuition fees are often much higher for non-EU students than for EU students.
In addition, the IMIM participation fee covers the costs of the mandatory insurance policy with
international coverage and the participation costs of the IMIM spring and Summer Schools. The
participation fee does not cover subsistence costs, expenses for travelling and accommodation etc.
The funds for the Erasmus+ EMJMD scholarships are provided by the European Union (more
specifically by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency; the EACEA). These funds
are therefore subject to certain regulations, the most important of which are outlined in your
student agreement.
The Erasmus+ EMJMD scholarships are awarded by the IMIM board of admissions largely in
accordance with the ranking of IMIM applicants during the selection procedure. However, the
EACEA rules for awarding scholarships pose some limitations in this regard; no more than three
students with the same nationality can be selected and students who have already obtained an
EMJMD scholarship or are former Erasmus Mundus Master/Doctoral Course scholarship holders
are not eligible for an additional scholarship under the EMJMD action. Furthermore, there are
different types of scholarships: those for programme country students and those for partner
country students. The majority of scholarships made available by the EACEA is earmarked for
partner country students. The EACEA defines programme and partner countries as follows:
An Erasmus+ Partner Country is a country which does not participate fully in the
Erasmus+ Programme. For the EMJMD action any non-Erasmus+ Programme Country is
considered as 'Partner Country'.
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Erasmus+ Programme Countries are EU and a number of non-EU countries that have
established a National Agency and which participate fully in the Erasmus+ Programme.
The list of Erasmus+ Programme Countries can be found in Part A of the Erasmus+
Programme Guide: "Who can participate in the Erasmus+ Programme" section.
Whether you are considered a programme or partner country student depends on the following
EACEA criteria:
Students whose citizenship is one of the Erasmus+ Partner Countries count as Partner
Country students.
Partner Country students who are not residents nor have carried out their main activity
(studies, training or work) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in
any Programme Country are considered as Partner Country students. The five-year
reference period for this 12-months rule is calculated backwards as from the submission
deadline (defined by the consortia) of applying for an EMJMD student scholarship.
Students whose citizenship is one of the Erasmus+ Programme Countries count as
Programme Country students. Students with a Partner Country citizenship who do not
fulfil the Partner Country criteria defined above (12-months rule) count as Programme
Country students.
Other important limitations concerning the Erasmus+ EMJMD IMIM scholarship are, for
example, that the IMIM consortium is not allowed to pay out the monthly contribution to
subsistence costs to students when they are residing in their original country of residence
during the master programme. Nor can subsistence costs be paid for time spend in a partner
country exceeding three months. For detailed information on EMJMD scholarships (and the rules
and regulations associated with these scholarships) please consult the Erasmus+ Programme
Guide.
IMIM is an international programme with the Erasmus+ excellence label. Graduates receive their
degree from three of the most renowned European Top-100 universities. Governmental
scholarship agencies may therefore consider to fund highly motivated and excelling applicants to
IMIM. Still, you will most likely find that obtaining a scholarship is no small feat. Below, we list
some suggestions for external scholarships. If you have been offered a place in the IMIM
programme, the central IMIM coordination will be more than happy to assist you in the application
procedure of external scholarships where possible.
CONACYT, Mexico
Colfuturo, Colombia
CSC, China
LPDP, Indonesia
Becas Chile/CONICYT, Chile
PRONABEC, Peru
Netherlands Fellowship Programme
SENESCYT, Ecuador
We advise you to also use your network of fellow students, compatriots and knowledge about
funding opportunities in your country of origin when looking for alternative scholarships. Via
their websites, the different partner universities also offer several suggestions.
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