It’s all about learning across disciplines and translating knowledge into practice

Last week, Reykjavik University hosted the Summer School of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback: Translating Evidence into Practice. This is the first blended intensive programme (BIP) that the university has hosted and did so in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet and Radboud University, in the framework of NeurotechEU. 

Reykjavík University welcomed in total 26 participants from across NeurotechEU partner universities. Through the NeurotechEU alliance, students and staff gain opportunities to collaborate across institutions and take part in international learning experiences such as this summer course. 

Blended intensive programmes are short courses that combine online learning with in-person mobility in Erasmus+ participating countries. As the university’s first BIP, the course was a significant step in broadening international learning opportunities at Reykjavík University. 

“The number of participants in our first intensive course exceeded our highest expectations. The entire event ran smoothly, and the whole team involved did an excellent job. We look forward to welcoming more students in the future through Blended Intensive Programmes” said Guðlaug Matthildur Jakobsdóttir, Director of the International Office. 

The course was designed for Master’s and Doctoral students in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Health Technology or Biomedical Engineering. It introduces applied psychophysiology with a strong focus on heart rate variability (HRV) self-regulation and biofeedback. 

"Working with the group on-site was truly amazing. Having organised the course around teams from the start meant that students arrived in Reykjavik already knowing each other, and that made all the difference. Seeing them end the week by designing, running and analysing their own experiments, integrating knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, and engineering was a perfect reflection of what this programme is all about: learning across disciplines and translating knowledge into practice" said Dr. Sigrún Þóra Sveinsdóttir from the Department of Psychology. 

The programme began online in mid-May with orientation, foundational concepts, team formation and interactive group teaching, followed by an on-site week dedicated to HRV laboratory work, a collaborative team experiment and expert guest sessions on neurofeedback and practical applications. The final online phase, which will take place in the following days, centres on data analysis, report writing and presentations, culminating in an integration session to consolidate learning outcomes.