BIOMATERIALS EDUCATION - A CHALLENGE FOR MEDICINE AND INDUSTRY IN THELATE 1990S

To treat diseases or disabilities, medicine and surgery use drugs and/ or biomaterials. Devices used in the biomedical sector are often class ified as a single sector (biomedical devices) which in reality compris es different market niches requiring appropriate R&D approaches. Throu ghout Europe, many biomaterials experts participate in formal or infor mal networks and existing protocols in research. The networks were rei nforced by the creation of national and European Meetings, the support of the EC in projects such as Brite Euram. The interdisciplinary natu re of the teaching is critical; permanent education and in-job trainin g are imperatives. University researchers in materials science should spin off ideas into campus companies or small industries. A proposal w as made for a European Advanced Course on Biomaterials, leading to the degree of Master of Science. A cooperative effort must be chartered, in which leaders in business help the educational system produce the t echnically literate person that the 21st century will demand.