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Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) - Learning, Teaching, and Training Activity (LTTA)
July 07, 2025
Hosted by the University of Granada
The Transnational Project Meetings (TPM) and Learning, Teaching, and Training Activities (LTTA) will be held in Granada, Spain. It is planned to provide participants with a comprehensive and in-depth learning experience on the fundamental technical aspects of biosafety practices. Along with experiencing good practices for ensuring biosecurity in laboratory environments, it will facilitate comprehensive collaboration among partner organizations and encourage the exchange of innovative ideas and strategies.
The activity was held from July 7-10, 2025, hosted by the University of Granada. Under the coordination of our association, the "Development of a Biosafety Training Program for Preparedness for Future Disasters and Enhancement of Professional Skills of Microbiology Laboratory Health Professionals" titled Erasmus+ KA220 Vocational Education project included the 2nd Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) and the 1st Learning, Teaching, Training Activity (LTTA), which were successfully conducted in Granada, Spain, hosted by the University of Granada (UGR). On behalf of our association, the project coordinator Prof. Dr. H. Nevgün ÖZEN, project researchers Prof. Dr. Ayşegül TAYLAN ÖZKAN, Prof. Dr. Banu SANCAK, Prof. Dr. Emrah RUH, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taylan BOZOK, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ilvana ÇAKLOVICA KÜÇÜKKAYA, and technical staff Nazife ÖZTÜRK, Ph.D., participated.
The TPM sessions began with official opening and welcome speeches from representatives of UGR and project partners. This was followed by a series of academic and institutional presentations focusing on the importance of biosafety and biosecurity, particularly in the context of health and research laboratories. Speakers from Spain and Turkey presented their national approaches and institutional protocols in the field of microbiological safety.
During the TPM, partners reviewed the project's aims and objectives, examined the timeline and activities, and discussed the framework of the training program as a project output. Special emphasis was placed on planning biosafety training modules, including task distribution among partners. These sessions also included detailed discussions on the development of the project website, awareness strategies for laboratory professionals, and the design of an online resource center.
Interwoven with the TPM sessions, the LTTA activities provided participants with a rich learning experience through a combination of lectures, field visits, and interactive discussions. Participants visited state-of-the-art laboratories such as the P3 Laboratory and the CIBM Biomedical Research Center. These visits provided in-depth knowledge about biosecurity measures applied in high-isolation environments and allowed participants to observe best practices directly from field experts.
Throughout the training, participants engaged in discussions on the methodology of upcoming biosafety training modules, expected learning outcomes, and evaluation criteria. The sessions also addressed pre-disaster, during-disaster, and post-disaster learning scenarios, focusing on how they could be integrated into a modular and scenario-based training framework. Trainers and coordinators laid the groundwork for the next phase of content development by sharing initial drafts and responsibilities.
The event concluded with a final session focused on project evaluation, collecting feedback from participants, and planning the next meeting in Portugal. A certificate ceremony was held, and the week ended with a cultural event that provided participants with an informal opportunity to review and evaluate the knowledge gained throughout the program.
Overall, the TPM and LTTA in Granada significantly contributed to strengthening collaboration among partners, developing mutual understanding of project objectives, and promoting high-quality preparations for the training materials to be developed. The host and project partner, Universidad de Granada, provided participants with excellent hospitality in a productive and inspiring environment.