MAKING STUDENTS STRONG AND FLEXIBLE FROM THE BEGINNING. THE CASE OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES. Annick Hayen*; Monique Maelstaf Hasselt University (Belgium) Aim In the competition for new students an explicit and clearly distinct profile is a necessity for all related curricula. The bachelor in Biomedical Sciences at Hasselt University is confronted with a double challenge. Background: In Belgium access to higher education is guaranteed without formal prerequisites or entrance exams (one exception: medical and dentistry studies) Free choice of university is the norm. Process Curriculum 1.Redefine and enrolling learning outcomes and learning paths of the bachelor program, checking out the different stakeholders during different phases in the process 2.Redesigning the educational organization of the curriculum with support of educational developers and a creating a new manual for curriculum design Basic assumption: multidisciplinary courses interdisciplinary courses and assessment Students 1.Implementation of a personal development plan for academic and employability skills in a domain specific core curriculum 2.Educational concept of monitored self study stimulates the development of personal competencies and self reflection in accordance with assessment, curriculum, student perspective, study skills, active learning, student diversity, institutional development Challenge -Vagueness of the profile -Uncertainty of the employment opportunities for a biomedical scientist -‘Attracts’ first year students with deficient learning competences and knowledge -Passage to medical sciences ‘students-in-waiting’ without genuine interest in biomedical sciences Consequences in the first year : - demotivated students - no stimulating learning climate - high dropout rate in the first period - low social and academic involvement Effects A more coherent curriculum. Students will experience their education as an holistic approach with concerns for the future. 1.Improve academic engagement 2.Making first year students strong and flexible from the beginning 3.Early feedback on students learning capacity and possible improvement due to early evaluation (after the first 10 weeks) Preparation time: 1 year, on short notice but also an opportunity because implementation and evaluation go hand in hand Discussion Keywords General: What are the conditions to make innovations worthwhile? How to persuade students to adopt the implementation of a personal development plan and become self-directed learners? Specific: What is most relevant and predicting to be measured by implementing a new approach in curriculumdesign? When do we need to measure? Is it necessary? Is staff development a crucial topic? Implications on student/staff ratio? Contact Universiteit Hasselt l Martelarenlaan 42 l 3500 Hasselt l References Fallows, R. & Steven, C. (2000). Building employability skills into the higher education curriculum: a university-wide initiative. Education + Training, 42 (2), 75–83. Biggs, J. (2005), Teaching for quality learning at university. Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press. Van Petegem, P. et al (2015). Pratijkboek Innoverend Hoger Onderwijs. Leuven: Lannoo Campus,