The Master’s Academic Programme in Bioinformatics is jointly delivered by four related higher education institutions of the University of Belgrade - the Faculty of Medicine, School of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, and School of Dental Medicine - in cooperation with a healthcare and research institution, the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia.

The programme has been developed in response to the growing labour-market demand for professionals in this field, particularly in areas where a shortage of qualified experts has been identified. It is designed to enable students from diverse academic backgrounds to communicate and work effectively in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary environments.

The Master’s Academic Programme in Bioinformatics comprises four groups of elective courses. The programme lasts one academic year and carries a total of 60 ECTS credits.

Students are required to complete:

  • two courses, totalling 12 ECTS, designed to supplement prior knowledge in areas not covered by their completed undergraduate or integrated academic studies;
  • two courses from the Bioinformatics Core, totalling 10 ECTS;
  • one course from the Biomedicine Core, worth 5 ECTS; and
  • one course addressing the professional and ethical aspects of bioinformatics, worth 3 ECTS.

The programme also includes professional internship training and a Master’s thesis, together accounting for 30 ECTS, defined in accordance with the standards of the National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education of Serbia.

The Master’s Academic Programme in Bioinformatics is completed by the public defence of the Master’s thesis.

A Short Programme in Bioinformatics, carrying 30 ECTS credits, is also envisaged.

Entrance requirements

The Master’s Academic Programme in Bioinformatics is open to candidates who have previously completed either:

  • an undergraduate academic programme comprising at least 240 ECTS credits, or
  • an integrated academic programme comprising 360 ECTS credits.

Students enrol in the programme through the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade.

Study programme goals

The aim of this one-year study programme, entitled Master 4.0 Bioinformatics, is to educate highly qualified professionals capable of addressing complex challenges in the life sciences, healthcare, and biotechnology sectors.

The programme is designed for students from diverse academic backgrounds, including medical sciences, biochemistry, biology, computer science, mathematics, and engineering. It combines rigorous interdisciplinary training with practical experience in industry.

Flexible modules and elective courses enable each student to build on the strengths of their previous academic background while acquiring the core competencies required in bioinformatics.

Study outcome

Upon completing the study program ¼aster 4.0 Bioinformatics, the candidate is awarded the title "Master of Bioinformatics".

By completing the programme, students will acquire general competencies in the analysis, synthesis, and prediction of solutions and their implications in the field of bioinformatics. They will master relevant research methods, procedures, and processes and develop critical thinking skills, as well as the ability to apply acquired knowledge in practice.

The programme also focuses on the development of communication skills and collaboration within both local and international environments, including through the participation of visiting professors from abroad.

In addition to gaining in-depth knowledge and understanding of the disciplines covered by their selected courses, students will become familiar with bioethics, project management, communication skills, and entrepreneurship. They will be equipped to continuously follow and apply new developments in their profession and to integrate fundamental knowledge from different disciplines and apply it to complex problems.

By acquiring these competencies, graduates of the Master 4.0 Bioinformatics programme will broaden the range of professional fields in which they can seek employment and will be able to adapt more effectively and rapidly to contemporary working environments.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates will be able to perform the following activities and professional tasks in the field of bioinformatics:

  • apply knowledge and methods from computer science, biomedicine, biochemistry, and statistics to the analysis and interpretation of bioinformatics data;
  • identify user and system requirements for research projects and perform their analysis and conceptual modelling;
  • analyse problems and identify the computational resources required to address them;
  • design, implement, and evaluate software solutions, including algorithms, tools, systems, and workflows;
  • use modern techniques, skills, and tools required for bioinformatics analyses;
  • use bioinformatics databases and sequencing-generated data;
  • visualise and present data and research results;
  • provide consultancy and technical support;
  • undertake professional activities in higher education institutions; and
  • provide user training through courses and specialised schools.
Access to further studies

Graduates holding this degree are eligible to enrol in doctoral academic studies comprising 180 ECTS credits, subject to the admission requirements of the respective doctoral programme.

Professional qualifications

Graduates who successfully complete the Master 4.0 Bioinformatics study programme are qualified to perform the following activities and professional tasks in the field of bioinformatics:

  • apply knowledge and methods from computer science, biomedicine, biochemistry, and statistics to the analysis and interpretation of bioinformatics data;
  • identify user and system requirements for research projects and perform their analysis and conceptual modelling;
  • analyse problems and identify the computational resources required to address them;
  • design, implement, and evaluate software solutions, including algorithms, tools, systems, and workflows;
  • use modern techniques, skills, and tools required for bioinformatics analyses;
  • use bioinformatics databases and sequencing-generated data;
  • visualise and present data and research results;
  • provide consultancy and technical support;
  • undertake professional activities in higher education institutions; and
  • provide user training through courses and specialised schools.
Curriculum

Weekly number of classes for each course is shown as: lectures + practical classes + study research work or as: (active teaching + independent work).

Course Code ECTS Semester
Year   I 1 2
Two subjects are chosen with the aim of supplementing prior knowledge (10 ECTS) from the following group:
Introduction to Bioinformatics MF1UBIF 5
2+2+0
 
Biostatistics MF1BST 5
2+2+0
 
Structure of Biomolecules HF1BMOL 5
2+2+0
 
Basics of Sequencing MF1OSEK 5
2+2+0
 
Programming in Bioinformatics ETF1PROB 5
2+2+0
 
Artificial Intelligence in Bioinformatics ETF1VIB 5
2+2+0
 
Two subjects from the thematic core of bioinformatics (12 ECTS) are selected from the following group:
Bioinformatics Algorithms and Analyses ETF2BAA 6  
2+2+1
Advanced Machine Learning and Neural Networks ETF2NMU 6  
2+2+1
Big Data Engineering in Bioinformatics ETF2IBP 6  
2+2+1
Bioinformatics Tools and Databases HF2BAB 6  
2+2+1
One subject is chosen from the thematic core of biomedicine and applied bioinformatics (5 ECTS) from the following group:
Transcriptomics MF3TSK 5  
2+2+0
Clinical Big Databases MF3KVBP 5  
2+2+0
Proteomics with an Introduction to Metabolomics MF3PUMB 5  
2+2+0
Advanced Methods in Biostatistics MH3NMB 5  
2+2+0
Biomedical Image Informatics ETF3IBS 5  
2+2+0
One course in the field of professional and ethical aspects of bioinformatics (3 ECTS) is chosen from the following group:
Basics of Entrepreneurship and Scientific Communication MH4OPK 3
2+0+0
 
Project and Data Management MH4UPP 3
2+0+0
 
Ethical Principles in Bioinformatics MF4EPB 3
2+0+0
 
Data and System Protection in Bioinformatics ETF4ZPSB 3
2+0+0
 
Internship and master thesis:
Professional Practice (internship) MEH5SP 3
(0+6)
 
Final Thesis - research MEH5ZRI 14
(0+10)
(0+10)
Final Thesis - writing and defense MEH5ZRO 13  
(0+4)
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