Course in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence
Online 300 h course in ethics and governance in biological intelligence. 6 modules with the Biological Weapons Convention (1972), International Health Regulations (2005) and NVivo. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
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Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the international framework of biotechnology and biosecurity.
Analyse governance models for dual-use research.
Apply criteria for responsible publication and dissemination.
Evaluate access controls across the biological supply chain.
Assess the risks and opportunities of AI in the life sciences.
Propose institutional policies for biorisk management.
Develop an integrative project on biosecurity governance.
Who it's for
- Biosafety officer looking to specialise in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence.
- Member of an institutional biosafety committee looking to specialise in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence.
- Biotechnology policy analyst looking to specialise in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence.
- Research ethics adviser looking to specialise in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence.
- Export control technician looking to specialise in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence.
- Researcher in science governance looking to specialise in Ethics and Governance in Biological Intelligence.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter biotechnology.
What you'll work with
- Biological Weapons Convention (1972)
- International Health Regulations (2005)
- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
- Directive 2000/54/EC (biological agents at work)
- ISO 35001 (biorisk management in laboratories)
- Australia Group (control lists)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Modern biotechnology and its applications1.2Difference between biosecurity and biocustody1.3Dual-use research and its definition1.4Dual-use research of concern1.5Biological Weapons Convention and its limits1.6International Health Regulations1.7International bodies involved1.8Vocabulary and acronyms in the field1.9International reference documents1.10Exercise: classifying projects by level of concern
2.1Institutional biosafety committees2.2Ethical and risk review prior to the project2.3Criteria for approval, modification and rejection2.4Assessment of foreseeable misuse2.5Responsibility of the principal investigator2.6Mandatory training and culture of responsibility2.7Consultation and objection channels2.8Oversight by the funder2.9Transparency of decisions2.10Practice: committee opinion on a project
3.1Freedom of publication and its limits3.2Historical debates on sensitive articles3.3Role of editors and reviewers3.4Partial publication and withholding of details3.5Data, code and open repositories3.6Preprints and subsequent review3.7Communication with the media and risk of sensationalism3.8International collaborations and asymmetries3.9Reproducibility versus containment3.10Debate: publishing or withholding a sensitive result
4.1Access control for materials and facilities4.2Materials registration and inventory4.3Screening in nucleic acid synthesis4.4Responsible suppliers and their verification4.5Export control of equipment and technology4.6Material transfer and associated agreements4.7Nagoya Protocol and access to genetic resources4.8Biobanks and collection governance4.9Traceability and auditing4.10Practice: order screening procedure
5.1Models applied to biology and their usefulness5.2Capability risks and expanded access5.3Risk assessment of computational tools5.4Access and use controls for models5.5Evaluations and dangerous capability testing5.6Responsibility of the tool developer5.7Public-private sector cooperation5.8Emerging standards and regulatory proposals5.9Risk horizon and monitoring5.10Practice: governance assessment of a tool
6.1Choosing the institution or programme6.2Inventory of activities and dual-use risks6.3Applicable legal and institutional framework6.4Committee design and procedure6.5Responsible publication policy6.6Access and screening procedures6.7Training and culture of responsibility plan6.8Indicators and audit plan6.9Report on the institutional policy6.10Defence of the work
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which allows them to combine it with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is NVivo, Zotero, advanced Excel, IBBIS Common Mechanism (sequence screening), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical sessions are built around real procedures: case studies of dual-use research of concern, simulation of biosafety committees, and review of responsible publication policies. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the international framework of biotechnology and biosecurity.
Analyse governance models for dual-use research.
Apply criteria for responsible publication and dissemination.
Evaluate access controls across the biological supply chain.
Assess the risks and opportunities of AI in the life sciences.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish-language proficiency to follow technical regulatory reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with full-time work.
Work is carried out with NVivo, Zotero, advanced Excel, IBBIS Common Mechanism (sequence screening). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM in-house diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a Course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Consult the recognition policy when you enrol.
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