EFEN Inès Gallala Claire gwinnett European Forensic Educational Network ERASMUS+ Strategic Partnerships project 2014-2017 EFEN Inès Gallala Claire gwinnett

The EFEN project Background Project Output international education partners

Background to Project Crime is increasingly becoming transnational with many crimes requiring cross-border collaboration The European Union has recently highlighted the need for a single ‘European Forensic Science Area’ (EFSA) Does not cover Forensic Science Education Need for mechanism to share best practice between countries

Background to EFEN In 2012, a Forensic Academic Network (FAN) was created by Avans College (NL) and Staffordshire University (UK) FAN contained 14 partners from across the EU, which included both industry and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) working within the criminal justice system. Six lead partners sought and were successful in obtaining funding for a 3 year project from the ERASMUS+ Strategic Partnership 2014 call

Project partners

Project Introduction Aims: To develop an inclusive European network for forensic science education institutions and industry partners to facilitate collaborative research; learning and teaching; EU agendas in forensic science and links between industry and HE. To gain an insight into the current state of forensic and crime science education in Europe To develop a series of fit-for purpose resources incl. a validated postgraduate program, 15 credit module and online open access material in international forensic science, criminal investigations and law. Grant agreement: € 329.501 Start date: 1-11-2014 End date: 1-11-2017 Benefits of EFEN Share best practice at European level Linking HE with industry across the EU Collaborative research Facilitate EU funding bids Increase staff and student mobilities

Areas for Collaborative Practice Forensic education and research police and practice CSI strategies Quality assurance in FS education – accreditation Policing science research – new investigative strategies Validation of new technologies Evidence interpretation …. Open to new partners  contact @ www.efen.nu

Physical Outputs

International Forensic and Crime Science Education Many institutions provide Forensic Science related education programmes Countries maturity Forensic Science Government funding Breadth of HE provision Content and ultimately quality variation differences across institutions How international are the extant FS programmes? CG to emphasise the CSI effect upon course development/numbers across Europe

Baseline Study Design & scope Methodology Results

Baseline study: design and scope Analysis of the current situation regarding forensic education in Europe, to identify the starting points for the EFEN program Forensic: any course relating to the use of scientific knowledge/methods for the solving of crime Education: full education programs and courses in higher educations institutions (HEI’s)  no police-integrated trainings etc. Europe: all 28 MS (UK?) I would suggest including the criteria that was used to search, the categories utilised for the different courses, i.e. how these were collated (UG and PG, course title etc), mechanisms for identifying content

Baseline study: methodology Identify all HEI’s in every concerned MS do a thorough on-line search for educations offered in forensics, specific attention to curriculum and BA/MA distinction  full programs  courses embedded in other educations: medicine law criminology dentistry physics psychology engineering biomedicine chemistry IT biology Contact national bureaus & institutes who are members of ENFSI for comments & additional information

Baseline study: results - HEI N° of HEI/country offering FS

Baseline study: results - topical Variation in content between countries

Identification of human parasites in forensic expertise Legal medicine Identification of human parasites in forensic expertise Micro methods in forensic analysis Forensic odontology Law and forensic sciences Digital forensics Forensic psychology/psychiatry Forensic sexology Forensic linguistics Chemical criminalistics Forensic methodology Forensic phonetics Biomedical criminalistics Forensic voice expert Sexual assault forensic examination Forensic sciences Forensic nursing Forensic engineering Forensic sciences & technology Pharmaceutical sciences in forensics Applied forensic science in mental health services Forensic identification techniques Forensic science and crime scene investigation Forensic genetics Forensic family studies Forensic chemistry Forensic lab work Forensic accounting and fraud investigation Handwriting analysis Forensic botany Forensic technologies for social media Forensic toxicology Forensic palynology Biological and forensic trace evidence analysis Forensic entomology Policing & criminal investigation Forensic social work Fire investigation Forensic anthropology Forensic photography … Forensic osteology All available topics across Europe Put in correct order/topics together

Baseline study: results - UG vs G/PG Edit colors to make more visible The NL & IE only ones with more attention to UG.

Baseline study: results – added value of EFEN >< Existing transnational forensic educations ~ Erasmus Mundus (SP) Open to all students & practitioners in different countries with possibility of long distance learning Focus on inter- & transnational investigations 1 year PG No set route followed (time & space) EFEN partners offers network

Next Steps….

Across Borders Education: Development of a Postgraduate Program in International FS Aim: to offer an insight into forensic science and policing practices across Europe and the rest of the world in order to create awareness of cross-border investigation protocols and provide professional development for individuals planning to work or already working in investigations that involve multiple countries

Postgraduate Program in International Forensic and Crime Science Content informed by practitioner partners, Government reports and student survey 124 UG students surveyed at partner HEIs Investigated preferred topics, skills and activities to be included in the program skills and knowledge they currently have including their aspirations of working in an international setting 72.6% would like to work at an international level within the criminal justice system 85.5% stated that they would need more specific skills 88% believe that having international FS knowledge/skills would make them more employable 75% of the students indicated that they would be interested in studying for the postgraduate International Forensic and Crime Science program

Proposed Modules International Crime Scene Management and Policing Investigations International and European (Forensic Criminal) Law International Forensic Examinations Practical Based Module including assessments of modules 1, 2 and 3

Thank you Inès Gallala inesgallala@vub.ac.be Claire Gwinnett C.Gwinnett@staffs.ac.uk Thank you www.efen.nu