Biotechnology in Defence and Security: Medical Opportunities and Legal Challenges

This online course provides an interdisciplinary orientation at the intersections of security policy, biotechnology and medical research. The course has a general approach and is suitable for a wide group of students, whether you are completely new as a student or a PhD student in a related field. 

You will learn which technologies are considered to dominate a future geopolitical power struggle and even help a country win on the battlefield. The course also offers a deep-dive into how international conflicts affect healthcare and medical research, as well as how biomedical engineering has been misused in past conflicts, with examples ranging from disinformation to biological weapons. You will also get an overview of national and international laws and conventions that regulate the borderland between medical research and international conflict.

This is an X-course

By studying x-courses, you can supplement your education with new perspectives and knowledge. The courses are specially designed to suit those who are already studying by being:

• short
• flexible
• offered on campus, online or in a hybrid format.

Those who are enrolled at Lund University for the current semester have priority for course places, but everyone is welcome to apply.

Read more at lunduniversity.lu.se/x-courses

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

The course is given entirely online and in English, with activities planned during late afternoon to maximize accessibility. The course is designed to be flexible and accessible for those who wish to combine their studies with professional work or other education.

Teaching takes place through a mix of self-study, written assignments, guest lectures and interactive sessions. You are encouraged to participate actively and contribute to an inclusive learning environment. At least half of the time is spent analysing genuine or credible cases that revolve around technology, war, espionage and security work.

The course is designed to offer you an interdisciplinary understanding and prepare you to carry out a general and scientifically-based risk assessment – within a biomedical research area – from several relevant angles.  

After the course, you will have learned how to conduct basic risk analyses of biomedical research as well as how to identify warning signs that certain research is being misused. You will be able to reflect on ethical dilemmas that arise within healthcare and medical research during an interstate or intra-state conflict.

This knowledge is valuable for further studies in fields such as political science, intelligence analysis, law, human rights, military science, biotechnology, biochemistry, medicine, health sciences, and biomedicine. The interdisciplinary expertise you acquire may also open doors to research projects and academic collaborations aimed at developing new solutions to address the challenges that arise at the intersection of medical research and international conflict. 

Prerequisites

General requirements and studies equivalent to Swedish Upper Secondary School courses English 6/English level 2

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to the following: The general average (GPA) of your higher secondary school leaving certificate: 34 %, The Swedish national university aptitude test: 34 %, number of previous ECTS at application deadline (up to 165): 32 %. If students have equal credentials, seats are allocated based on their results on The Swedish National University Aptitude Test. If this too is equal, seats are allocated based on a draw.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 17,083
First payment: SEK 17,083

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.