Department of Genetics and Bioengineering
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Decipher the Genetic Code; Understand the world at a molecular level

Career oriented courses that will give you broad knowledge and skills in the field
The curriculum is designed according to the world’s best ranked universities. Lectures are followed by practical laboratory work where students get to experimentally apply all the gained knowledge.

"Genes are like the story and DNA is the language that the story is written in."
Sam Kean
Interactive work of students with their professors and assistants
The main aim of the GBE staff members is to get to know each student and find their specific talent and field of interest which that student will excel in later in their career.

Microbiology Research
Laboratory
- 1 Microbiology Research Laboratory IBU
- 2 Microbiology Research Laboratory IBU
- 3 Microbiology Research Laboratory
Microbiology, Chemistry and
Bioengineering Laboratory
- 1 Microbiology Chemistry and Bioengineering IBU
- 2 Microbiology Chemistry and Bioengineering IBU
- 3 Microbiology Chemistry and Bioengineering IBU
Molecular Biology and
Genetics Laboratory
- 1 Molecular Biology and Genetics IBU
- 2 Molecular Biology and Genetics IBU
- 3 Molecular Biology and Genetics IBU
Scientific Research Laboratory
- 1 Scientific Research Laboratory IBU
- 2 Scientific Research Laboratory IBU
- 3 Scientific Research Laboratory IBU
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Current Students
Course descriptions
The curriculum of the Undergraduate Program of 2019/2020 Bosnian language
The curriculum of the Master Program of 2019/2020 Bosnian language
The curriculum of the PhD Program of 2019/2020 Bosnian language
Procedures and Regulations
Internships for academic credit add a significant workplace experience to students’ education as they permit students to interact with professionals in the fields of work in which they may one day decide to pursue their career goals. Students earn a total of 5 ECTS of academic credit for their internships and gain valuable “on the job” work experience. Students must complete a 30-working-day (6 weeks) summer practice in a company working in the field of genetics and bioengineering on a part-time basis (4 hours per day). If the company accepts a student for a total of 30 days, the student must work for at least 6 hours per day, so that at the end of the internship period, students will have completed at least 120 hours of work. Observations from internship must be documented and presented in the form of a clear and concise technical report (Internship Notebook), which the student brings to the Internship Committee for evaluation. Student’s mentor from the company fills in the Company’s Evaluation of the Student form and gives is to student in a sealed envelope. Both of these documents serve as proofs of conducted internship and count towards the final course grade.
Students enroll in the Internship course, “GBE 303 Internship”, in the 5th semester. We advise students to do the internship during the summer break between the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 5th semester for several reasons:
- After the completion of the first two semesters, students usually do not have enough technical knowledge for doing the internship. Completing the internship in this period will not have the desired outcome for the student.
- Postponing the internship to the summer break after the 6th semester means that the student can graduate in as early as September which may affect their plans for seeking appropriate job positions or pursing a Master program.
- Doing the internship before the beginning of the 5th semester gives the Internship Committee enough time to appropriately judge and mark the internship report.
International Burch University helps students find the internship opportunity they will enjoy and from which they will learn the most.The Department also facilitates the process of getting the internship opportunities in domestic companies while it at the same time guides the students so that they find one of their own interest that they feel suits them best. Our students are urged to apply to one of several local companies the University has partnered with (NALAZ, Verlab, BioSave, and P3 Lab, among others). However, they are also urged to seek out national or international companies that interest them.
Internship coordinators for GBE are:
Assistant Professor Dr. Adna Ašić.
Contact info:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 033/944-463
Office: 107
Contact info:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 033/944-482
Office: 428
The aim of mentoring is to foster intellectual independence and a sense of curiosity in our students within a unique studying experience. The institution therefore takes pride in the one-on-one mentoring system it has developed.
For undergraduates, we look at academic performance and other cultural indicators of their capacity for success, such as essays, obstacles overcome, and extracurricular activities and work. For graduate students, we include research experience, test scores, letters, essays, working experience, scientific publication record, and a range of other variables to assess students’ potential to succeed.
You will soon find that our professors and assistants are truly available to their students. (However, to make sure you make the most of their time, we ask you to make an appointment if you seek to meet them outside of office hours). Our ultimate aim is to enable our students to study not only before the exams, but throughout the entire semester, via coursework, lab work, projects, and seminars. In order to achieve excellence, professors and students work together in an intellectually stimulating atmosphere and, in doing so, students are prepared for their future endeavors, be they academic or professional. Finally, students are given a chance to choose mentors for their GBE projects during the third year of undergraduate studies and pursue their careers in a specific direction in the future.
Apart from mentors, students have academic advisors available to them. Academic advisors are there to help and guide students in different aspects of their studies. This may include the registration process, finding internship opportunities, finding the most suitable field for their further development, but it may also include any other needs the student may have. During the upcoming academic year, the following staff are appointed as academic advisors:
Assistant Professor Dr. Adna Ašić for the third year students
Email: [email protected]
Office: 107
Phone: 033/944-463
Teaching assistant Sabina Halilović for the first year students
Email: [email protected]
Office: GBE Corridor
Phone: 033/944-492
Larisa Bešić for the second year students
Email: [email protected]
Office: 107
Phone: 033/944-416
The GBE Project is a requirement for undergraduates in their last year of BSc studies who wish to graduate. (We highly recommend thinking about the project before the third year.)
GBE Project coordinator Sabina Halilović
Email: [email protected]
Office: GBE Corridor
Phone: 033/944-492
We designed the student guide to be students' source of information regarding any and all frequent questions they may have. In it you can find administrative information such as our attendance policy as well as information regarding current ongoing research projects and many other helpful and exciting information about the Genetics & Bioengineering department. It was designed with much love and care to be a helpful resource - read it often and refer to it as much as possible.
Download Student Guide BookAcademic success is closely related to students’ presence and involvement in lectures, which is why attendance is strictly upheld. Should a student’s attendance drop below 70% in any course, and their absence remains unexcused, they are not permitted to enter the final exam for that course. Consequently, the student is expected to re-take the course in the following academic year. (Laboratory attendance is not regulated by this rule, but can be considered on a case-to-case basis if needed.)
Policy on Medically Excused AbsencesAbsences due to illness may be excused medically. It is the student’s obligation to submit a medical excuse with a valid letterhead by the health institutions and that is signed and stamped by a medical doctor no later than a week (five working days) after the first day of the student’s return after her or his absence. Medical excuses that are received later than five business days are not accepted. Students are expected to strictly abide by the policy on medically excused absences, and a lack thereof will be subject to academic evaluation by the Department Head. Absences from academic exercises, for whatever reason, including representing the University in extracurricular and athletic activities, do not excuse nor relieve a student from responsibility for any part of the work in the course required during the period of absence. Upon her or his return, the student is expected to make up any and all missed work in an appropriate time frame to ensure success in the course.
RegistrationRegistration is open, and students may register, through the end of the second week of lectures. In the case of a missed deadline, the Office of the University Rector will be notified. The aforementioned rules also apply to transfer students who transferred before the end of the second week of the semester.
Transfer StudentsTransfer students may apply for transfer and start attending the lectures at any time before the mid-term exam week. However, it is advisable to transfer as early as possible in the semester as mid-terms are obligatory. Transfer requests may be submitted to the Faculty secretary, after which the Head of the Department appoints a committee that determines course equivalence and makes a decision.
Grade Cancellation of Final ExamsStudents may cancel up to two grades during one academic year. Please note that grade cancellation refers to the cancellation of the final exam grade, which the student has a chance to retake. We understand that students are not always ready to take the exam on the scheduled exam date. If that is the case, and you plan on not taking the final exam and instead plan to take the make-up, you must notify the professor of that course and go through an appeal process with the Head of the Department, as well as the Faculty secretary. Once your appeal is approved, and you take the make up exam instead of the final exam, please be aware that this counts as a final exam grade cancellation.
Grading StructureGrading structure at the International Burch University is organized as follows:
10 (A) – outstanding performance without errors or with minor errors, carries 95-100 points
9 (B) – above average, with few errors, carries 85-94 points
8 (C) – average, with notable errors, carries 75-84 points
7 (D) – generally good, but with significant shortcomings, carries 65-74 points
6 (E) – meets minimum criteria, carries 55-64 points
5 (F) – performance does not meet minimum criteria, less than 55 points.
Additional ClassesA minimum of five students is needed in order for the Department to open an additional course during the summer school. Any one student may take a maximum of three additional courses, should they have taken them during that semester and failed. Additional classes last seven weeks, during which intensive lectures are organized twice a week. During additional classes, students are given a chance to improve their attendance, term paper and mid-term exam points, while final exam from the course is taken in September.
International Burch University Identification CardsAll students receive an International Burch University identification card that is the property of the University and is intended for University purposes only. The card is required for entrance onto the University campus, and, in addition to serving as an ID, helps maintain student safety as well as campus security. When the first term students arrive on campus, they must bring government issued identifications to facilitate photo and identity validation before they can receive their International Burch University ID cards. Every student will keep their ID card while they are enrolled at IBU and is responsible for his or her ID card and the consequences of its misuse. ID cards are not transferable; a student may not allow any other person to use his or her ID card for any purpose. A student who alters or falsifies his or her ID card or produces or distributes false identification cards of any kind is subject to disciplinary action. Lost cards should be reported immediately. A replacement fee is associated with the loss of an ID card, and it will be determined by University administration.