Pieter Medendorp is a professor in Sensorimotor Neuroscience at the Faculty of Social Sciences. He has furthermore been working at the Donders Centre for Cognition, one of the centres of the Donders Institute, for quite some time. Richard van Wezel is a professor in Visual Neuroscience at the Donders Institute for the Faculty of Science. Both of them will teach in the new Bachelor’s programme.
The origins of the programme
Pieter: “Over the years, my colleagues and I noticed that many of our graduates were missing a certain set of STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) needed to conduct research in Human Neuroscience. This eventually led to a conversation with Richard, and from there onwards the ideas for this Bachelor’s programme developed.” Richard explains that there is a need for this programme. “You notice a need both in student enrolment and in graduation. In terms of enrolment, it is common for women who are fully capable of studying exact sciences to opt for alternative multidisciplinary programmes. It is in the interest of our students that we are able to offer them a good science programme. After graduation, students are trained in programming, modelling, AI and data science, making them versatile contributors to societal problems. It is a programme that teaches students proper STEM skills. As technology becomes increasingly embedded in daily life, there is a growing need for experts who understand both the human brain and advanced technologies like machine learning and neurotechnology” Pieter: “Society is increasingly focused on neuronal processes: the brain’s perspective is applied more and more to a wide range of areas. To answer questions thoroughly, you need good training in the brain and STEM skills. That wasn’t there before, but it is something we’re offering.” Before setting-up this programme, the founders studied the interests for such a programme by talking to school pupils, businesses, institutions, and authorities, but also with students currently studying at Radboud University. “Based on our research, we believe this programme will be very popular. It gives us a positive prospect and confirms that this programme is something that society wants,” says Pieter.
The programme
The Bachelor’s programme Human Neuroscience offers students an extensive foundation in terms of knowledge about the brain, cognition, behaviour, neurotechnology, and data science. Pieter: “You could call this programme a sigma programme: it contains all aspects: alpha, beta, and gamma. The unique thing about this programme is that it is very focussed on the workings of the brain and the development of STEM skills.” Students of this programme can make an impact in a wide range of fields, as it provides insights into various kinds of societal issues. “You can think of neurological disorders, like dementia and Parkinson’s disease, that are present in our society and for which there are no clear-cut solutions as of today,” explains Richard. Pieter adds: “Not only that, but this programme can also be beneficial for education, justice, sports, and nutrition. There are so many aspects of society in which the brain plays a crucial role. Neuroscience is essential in our time because of its broad applicability.”
The target group
The mission of the Bachelor’s programme Human Neuroscience is to train students to use interdisciplinary, innovative approaches for brain research and to apply their findings to technology, health, and society. Pieter: “We are looking for students who are interested in the brain, but also in technology and behaviour. What are the underlying mechanisms behind certain behaviour? Can we use technology to create a way to measure, stimulate, analyse, or control the brain? We look for answers to those questions in this new Bachelor’s programme.”
The new bachelor will be launched in the academic year of 2026-2027.