The graduate of the study programme Biotechnology: ● has cross-sectional knowledge in the fields of general and inorganic, physical, organic and analytical chemistry, mathematics, physics with a focus on their application use corresponding to the current state of knowledge, ● has fundamental knowledge of the courses of biological ground – biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, xenobiochemistry, enzymology and enzymological engineering, biocatalysis, genetics and genetics manipulations, inevitable for application biological specification of biotechnology, ● has sufficient knowledge on the level of synthesis about information in the study field including key-terms and categories in natural and technical sciences, ● understands physico-chemical and biological nature of biochemical processes of living organisms and mechanism of their regulation, ● masters the principles of biochemical technologies, biosynthesis and transformation of biotechnological products, classical fermentation technologies and modern biotechnologies, applied biotechnology, food biotechnology, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and environmental biotechnologies and has an overview of the current trends in biotechnological productions, ● knows how to use bioanalytical methods and apply them in biotechnological practice, ● understands material and energy balances of chemical technology and biotechnology processes and masters chemical engineering calculations, ● knows principles of food safety, system of identifying and managing food safety, principles of hygiene and toxicology, ● has knowledge of environmental protection, manipulation with wastes and their utilisation, and of energy management, ● masters the basics of informatics and bioinformatics, ● masters the basics of technical and professional English, ● masters the basics of economics and business management, ● has basic knowledge of civil, business and commercial law.
The graduate of the study programme Biotechnology: ● has basic practical skills acquired in chemical, physical, biological, biochemical and microbiological laboratories, ● has basic skills from recombinant technologies and bioanalytical methods, ● can use methods of cultivation of microorganisms for the purpose of preparing economically important products and services with higher performance parameters for their special applications, ● controls the way microorganisms are used in the procedures necessary for the treatment and processing of raw materials, preparation of products usable in industry, agriculture, medicine, environment, and energy, ● can use methods and techniques of isolation, separation, purification and analysis of biologically active substances and biotechnology products ● participates in research activities, solve practical tasks in the field of biotechnology, applied biochemists, and microbiology using the usual research and development procedures ● has basic practical skills acquired in computer science and bioinformatics ● can actively gather information and use it to solve practical tasks from wide areas in the field of biotechnology ● is able to carry out inspections in laboratories and participate in quality evaluation of products of biotechnology and food production using modern physico-chemical and microbiological methods ● can cooperate in the field of quality and marketing evaluation ● can process and evaluate the analytical data obtained and draw the relevant conclusions from them ● is able to process the results of its work in the form of technical reports and presentations ● can process and evaluate measured data, create documents in computer office packages ● has organisational, economic, social, moral and ecological awareness and is able to prepare documents, reports and documentation in accordance with the professional, ethical and legal framework in force in the field of biotechnology ● can combine the latest knowledge in chemistry, natural sciences and applied biotechnology to solve the problem ● is able to quickly adapt and communicate with technicians and engineers in the operation of biotechnological production ● can communicate in English or other world language
The graduate of the study programme Biotechnology: ● masters methods of cultivation of microorganisms, preparation, isolation and analysis of metabolites, ● masters basic principles and techniques of work in various types of chemical, microbiological, biochemical, genetic, environmental and bioanalytical laboratories, ● is independent in solving professional tasks, ● is characterized by the ability to present its own opinions and acquired knowledge in the field of biotechnology, both professionally and professionally, to the general professional as well as the lay public, ● can correctly apply specific scientific methods of basic research and applied research, ● can apply knowledge of biotechnology and its related disciplines when solving specific professional problems, ● is able to cooperate with managers of production organizations and specialists of other professions in the field of innovation of technological processes and products, as well as in the field of evaluation of quality and marketing quality parameters, ● is ready to work effectively in the team, cooperate and motivate people, take responsibility for team results, ● is able to manage the work team, ● is responsible, can plan his own education, organize his work and independently acquire new knowledge, ● can set a timetable for the solution of research in such a way as to minimize the cost component and follow the employer's timetable by applying modern approaches to working time planning also with respect to other members of the work team, ● is characterized by the ability to identify, quantify and evaluate the impacts of problem solving on the social and environmental spheres, ● can appropriately and professionally present his/her own opinions and technical solutions to different types of audiences at different levels of management
The study programme of the bachelor’s degree In Biotechnology provides knowledge in the field of basic natural sciences – chemistry, mathematics, physics and biology in combination with applied natural sciences. This allows the graduate to combine science knowledge and skills with chemical technology and to apply them creatively to solve specific problems and challenges in the field of various biotechnological productions, such as classical biotechnology (production of wine, beer, alcoholic and soft drinks, antibiotics) and modern biotechnology (pharmaceutical, agrochemical, environmental). He/she is well applied both in the field of research and as a manager of biotechnology projects, as he/she is characterized by a deep knowledge of the course and kinetics of chemical reactions taking place in biotechnology, chemical and food technology processes, as well as their impacts on the environment. The graduate masters different ways of measuring physical quantities, can process, analyse and evaluate them. The graduate is able to apply the latest theoretical knowledge to solve practical problems, and he/she can independently assess the different possibilities of the solution and choose from them the most effective one, which takes into account the benefit as well as the cost component.
The graduate of the first level of the study programme Biotechnology has the appropriate qualifications and knowledge necessary for studying the second level of higher education in subsequent study programmes or for employment in the wide field of industry, research and marketing in jobs requiring a first-level higher education. Although the Faculty is an important customer of successful graduates of bachelor's studies, who are the main source of applicants for engineering study programmes, the graduate of the Bachelor study programme can also study at other higher education institutions and find employment in practice in positions corresponding to the degree of study (SKKR 6) and others. The graduate of the first level of the study programme Biotechnology: ● can directly continue his studies in subsequent engineering and master study programmes focused on biotechnology, food industry, applied biochemistry, microbiology and genetics, medical chemistry, process management of biotechnological productions, chemical engineering or related study programmes at Slovak or foreign universities and universities. ● according to the System of Occupations at “sustavapovolani.sk” is capable of employment as: Production planning specialist, Control technician in food production, Operator of equipment in biochemical production, Management operator for the production of soft drinks, Management operator for the production of spirit drinks, Control operator for wine production, Food production technologist, Master in food production, Food inspection technician, Food production control manager, Inspection, hygiene, quality and safety specialist in the food industry, Food Inspection Inspector, Food Production Research and Development Specialist, Pharmaceutical Machinery and Equipment Operator, Chemical Production Remote Control Operator, Chemical Manufacturing Process Technician, Dispatcher in chemical industry, Quality control technician in chemical production, Chemical technician in industrial production, Plastics processing technician, Chemical technician in industrial production, Application technician in chemical production, Dispatcher in chemical industry. ● based on the knowledge gained during the study, he/she can also be employed in the chemical, biotechnological, fermentation, pharmaceutical, environmental, food and beverage industries or research in jobs requiring a university degree. ● can also be employed in the development, production, analysis, storage and sale of various chemical preparations and materials, food, beverages and biofuels, as well as in the field of waste recycling and the use of renewable resources, in the production of new products for cosmetics and pharmacy, ● thanks to an understanding of the physical principles of various analytical and diagnostic techniques, it is also applied to the position of operator of clinical devices in health care, ● thanks to his knowledge of technical terminology, he can also find his application in sectors dealing with product certification, environmental monitoring, hygiene and metrology, ● thanks to knowledge of technical terminology and professional language training, it will also be applied when translating professional technical texts.
The first graduates of the current study programme Biotechnology completed their first degree only in the school year 2018/2019, and with one exception continue their studies in the second stage of study at the FCHPT. Also, graduates of the previous study programme focused on biotechnology (Biotechnology and Food Technology, specialisation Biotechnology) continued their studies in the second stage of study at FCHPT or other higher education institutions in Slovakia or abroad. Study programme Biotechnology (previously named Biochemistry and Biotechnology, specialisation Biotechnology; Fermentation chemistry and biological engineering; Fermentation chemistry and technology) during the years of its existence educated many successful graduates of the second and third degrees, who were employed in the commercial and academic spheres. For example, in a commercial sphere the following graduates can be mentioned: Ing. Ján Baráth (year of master study graduation: 1999) – Director and Ing. Valentína Kafková (2019) – specialist, Centre of Research and Development, s.r.o., Envien Group; Ing. Petra Ondrejíčková (née Cibíková, Ing. 2006, PhD. 2016) – Research & Development, ENVIRAL, a.s.; Ing. Dušan Bachár (2012) – Head of Quality, Brewery Zlatý bažant, Heineken Slovakia, a.s.; Ing. Andrea Cseri (née Slamenková, 1999) – Beer production Manager, Brewery Zlatý bažant, Heineken Slovakia, a.s.; Ing. Peter Ruml (1983) – Head of production, Brewery Urpiner, later Banská Bystrica Brewery, a.s.; Ing. Jozef Macháč (1998) – Production Director at Lycos – Trnava Malting Plant; Ing. Igor Richtárik (1995) – Production manager, Good Beer, s.r.o., Bratislava; Ing. Juraj Dřevojánek (1988) – long-time Head of production (currently Head of fermentation at Midwest Lysine, Blair, USA), Ing. Jozef Grego, PhD (Ing. 1988, PhD. 1994) – Senior technologist, Ing. Jaroslav Sochor (1995) – Head of fermentation, Ing. Eduard Suchovský (1992) – Senior technologist, Ing. Miroslav Gdovin (2005) – Production technologist, Ing. Michal Hnojčík (2014) – Process engineer, Ing. Ivana Šatníková (2017) and Ing. Nikola Homolová (2019) – all eight persons work at Evonik Fermas, s.r.o., Slovenská Ľupča, Ing. Marek Dlhoš (2004) – Specialist technologist, Biotika, a.s. Slovenská Ľupča; Ing. Ľubica Mutňanová (née Mikulová, 2004) – Production Director, Ing. Zuzana Macúrová (née Babiaková, 1982) – Logistics Manager, Old Herold, s.r.o.; Ing. Martin Tomáška, PhD (Ing. 1990, PhD. 1995) – Deputy Director, VÚ Dairy, Žilina; Ing. Miloš Ševčík (1982) – Production Director, Topoľčianky wineries; Ing. Jaroslava Kaňachová Pátková, PhD. (Ing. 1997, PhD. 2000) – Executive Director of the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of the Slovak Republic; Ing. Ingrid Vajcziková, PhD (Ing. 2000, PhD. 2007) – Chief oenologist, Hubert J. E. Sereď; Klimko Juraj (2001) – Klimko Wine, Modra; Ing. Rastislav Šiška (2001) – Production Manager and Ing. Marek Sorát (2016) – Technologist, Slovak distilleries and liqueurs, a.s.; Ing. Erik Niszler (1995) – Plant Director, McCarter, a.s.; Ing. Silvia Hercegová, PhD. (née Firáková, Ing. 2003, PhD. 2008) – Saneca Pharma, Hlohovec; Ing. Radoslav Selecký, PhD. (Ing. 2003, PhD. 2008) – Senior technologist of production, Cloetta Slovakia, s.r.o.; Ing. Hana Horváthová, PhD (Ing. 2016, PhD 2019) – Centre of Environmental Services, s.r.o., Bratislava; Ing. Tomáš Lobpreis, PhD. (Ing. 2006, PhD 2009) – Slovak Power Plants, Environm; Ing. Martin Minárik (1983) – Director, Axxence Slovakia s.r.o.; Ing. Petra Bafrncová, PhD (Ing. 1991, PhD. 2000) – Biomedica Slovakia; Ing. Marta Brlejová, PhD. (Ing. 2008, PhD. 2012) – Manager, Ing. Ján Bujnovský (2017) – Chemical market regulation specialist, Ing. Marek Jašurek (2018) – International market analyst, Ing. Hana Gajdošíková (2019) – International market analyst, Henkel Slovakia. Many graduates are employed as recognised professionals in customs and financial administration laboratories, but their names and functions cannot be given. The following graduates were successfully employed in foreign companies: Ing. Viktor Horňák, PhD. (Ing. 1993, PhD. 1998) – Director at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Ing. Marián Navrátil, PhD (Ing. 1998, PhD. 2001) – SVS, Research and Development at HGH Molecular Diagnostics, Tucson, USA; Ing. Barbora Malecová (1998) – Associate Director at Avidity Biosciences, San Diego, USA; Ing. Juraj Švitel, PhD (Ing. 1988, PhD. 1995) – Director at NGM Biopharmaceuticals, San Francisco, USA; Ing. Igor Voštiar, PhD (Ing. 2000, PhD. 2004) – Senior Investigator, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland; Ing. Jana Wenger, PhD. (née Zigová, Ing. 1995, PhD. 1998) – Administrator of Lonza cell bank, Bern Switzerland; Ing. Igor Dolejš, PhD (Ing. 2010, PhD. 2014), Ing. Michal Plž, PhD. (Ing. 2016, PhD. 2020) and Ing. Monika Líšková (2015) – Lonza AG, Visp, Switzerland; Ing. Tibor Czabany, PhD. (2005) – Scientist, BIOMIN, Herzogenburg, Austria; Ing. Róbert Németh (2005) – Head of Quality Control, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria; Ing. Alena Adamcová (1998) – Head of production, Heineken Italia; Ing. Miroslava Špaňová, PhD. (2007) – IMBA Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria; Ing. Petra Durkac (née Zajkoška, Ing. 2010, PhD. 2015) – Lonza Kourim, Czech Republic and many others. Graduates in the academic and research spheres, such as Ing. Ján Tkáč, DrSc. (Ing. 1995, PhD. 2000) – Head of the Department of Glycobiotechnology and Ing. Vladimír Mastihuba, PhD. (1987) – Chairman of the Scientific Council, Chemical Institute of sass are very successful; Prof. Ing. Štefan Janeček, DrSc. (1989) – UCM Trnava, Head of the laboratory of protein evolution, ÚMB SAS and UCM Trnava; Ing. Marta Šoltésová, PhD. (née Prnová, Ing. 2011, PhD. 2015) – Centre of Experimental Medicine SAS; Ing. Jana Štefániková, PhD. (née Lakatošová, Ing. 2010, PhD. 2014) – Agrobiotech Research Centre, SPU, Nitra; Ing. Hana Schuster, PhD. (née Dudášová, Ing 2008, PhD 2012) – Collection of Microorganisms, SAS; Ing. Zuzana Nouzovská (1987) – Director-General, National Agricultural and Food Centre; Ing. Zuzana Ciesarová, PhD (Ing. 1987, PhD. 1996) – Independent scientist of the NPPC, Food Research Institute. Abroad, our graduates are also successful in academia, e.g., Prof. Jarka Glassey, PhD. (1990) – School of Engineering, Newcastle University, UK; Prof. Dr. Ľuboš Borsík (Ing. 1991) – Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Zurich; Assoc. Prof. Ing. Roman Tandlich, PhD. (Ing. 1998, PhD. 2008) – Rhodes University, Grahamstown, JAR; Assoc. Prof. Branislav Vrana, PhD (Ing. 1994, PhD. 1998) – Head of PF Masaryk University, Brno; Prof. Ing. Josef Package, Ph.D. (1991) – Head of the Institute, Agronomic Faculty of Mendel University, Brno, Czech Republic. In addition to these graduates, our former graduates Assoc. Prof. Erich Minárik, DrSc., distinguished scientist in microbiology and biochemistry of wine and yeast ecology, author of monographs on yeast, member of international commissions and world wine organization OIV, long-time Head of technology department of the Research Institute of Viticulture and Wine in Bratislava; Ing. Gabriela Vojteková, PhD. (née Belayová), a long-time oenologist at Rača winery, currently Head of the oenological laboratory at Wine Matyšák; Ing. Karol Tomášek, PhD. and Ing. Karol Svozil, internationally recognized experts in the field of brewing; Prof. Ing. Fedor Malík, DrSc., oenologist and internationally recognized wine tasting expert, now Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU in Bratislava, as well as current professors and associate professors who are successfully established at the Institute of Biotechnology, at the Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava.
Employers do not have extensive experience with graduates of the first level of the study programme Biotechnology, because, with very few exceptions, they continue their studies. Graduates of the second level are evaluated positively, in particular their ability to creatively apply theoretical knowledge to solve specific technical problems and challenges in the field of classical biotechnology (production of wine, beer, alcoholic and soft drinks, antibiotics), modern biotechnology (pharmaceutical, agrochemical, environmental), and also in the field of science and research (SAS, research institutes), highlighting the uniqueness of the study programme, which allows the graduate to combine knowledge and skills with chemical technology and engineering. A deep understanding of chemical and biological phenomena taking place in operations is a prerequisite for achieving economically efficient and at the same time safe operation. The quality of the study programme is undoubtedly enhanced by the close cooperation between the faculty and industrial partners and research institutions aimed at confronting students already during their studies with the challenges they will face in future employment. In this respect, an important partner of the FCHPT, which regularly, usually twice a year, provides feedback from employers, is the FCHPT Industrial Council (Priemyselná rada: https://www.fchpt.stuba.sk/sk/fakulta/priemyselna-rada.html?page_id=3070) and its individual members representing the most important industrial partners in the chemical and food industries. For the area of the above-mentioned study programme are: Ing. Ján Durec, PhD., Director of Research and Development, Mc Carter a.s., Bratislava; Ing. Dušan Janíček, Director of External Relations, Slovak sugar refineries s.r.o., Sereď; Ing. Peter Novoroľník, Production Director, RAJO a.s., Bratislava; RNDr. Richard Hercek, Head of API Plant, Saneca Pharmaceuticals a.s., Hlohovec; Ing. Branislav Brežný, Director General, Research Institute of Chemical Technologies a.s., Bratislava; Alžbeta Grácová, Director of human resources department, Slovnaft a.s. and Ing. Peter Plekanec, Executive Vice President, Association of Industrial Ecology in Slovakia, Trenčín. On the part of employers, quality preparation in the field of laboratory skills, the ability of graduates to be able to face up to various technical problems and find suitable solutions, the ability to work independently, but also teamworking are highlighted. The education of graduates also in the field of soft skills, the acquisition of which is part of several compulsory and compulsory optional subjects, is welcome.This is not the case of regulated professions.
