Broadening Pharmaceutical Training Footprint in Europe
Pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals from around the world will soon be able to choose between three locations for professional training and skills development. St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Dublin, Ireland, have joined Tampa, Florida, as brick-and-mortar ISPE pharmaceutical training locations; this makes training even more accessible for the pharmaceutical industry.
ISPE and the Institute of Technology Management at the University of St. Gallen (ITEM-HSG) signed a contract on 7 March 2016, in Frankfurt, Germany, during the ISPE European Annual Conference. ITEM-HSG focuses predominantly on the development of problem-and-application research. It maintains close ties to industry through intense collaboration with European and global organizations, such as ISPE, through major research and consulting projects, the results of which flow directly into courses. Dr. Thomas Zimmer, ISPE’s Vice President of European operations, is thrilled with the news. "The ITEM-HSG has a fantastic cross-functional database of operational excellence benchmarks in various branches of the process industry, which can be leveraged by the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry," he said. Operational excellence, a complex management concept that can be difficult to teach, is one of ITEM-HSG’s key areas of research and consulting. "Combining ITEM-HSG’s management training in operational excellence with ISPE’s technical training in pharmaceutical manufacturing means pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals have a European learning base, in particular to know the levers that make manufacturing processes more efficient, agile, and in compliance," Dr. Zimmer added. Designed to ensure the safety of the world’s supply of medicines, ISPE pharmaceutical training uses a body of knowledge viewed as the leading resource by manufacturing professionals and regulators around the world. Classroom training gives participants two to three days of topic-specific, in-depth learning and skill building. Courses include lectures, group exercises, and case studies that provide participants with practical information they can apply immediately to their job.
ISPE has also signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), in Dublin, Ireland, for a similar collaboration. NIBRT is a world-class institute that provides training and research solutions for the bioprocessing industry. Its mission is "to support the bioprocessing industry by providing a unique learning experience for trainees in an environment that replicates the most modern industrial bioprocessing facility." Ali Montes, ISPE’s Senior Director of Training, said this is all part of ISPE’s plan to increase the organization’s training reach. "In 2017, we have two six-course training events in Europe," she noted, "in addition to the courses we plan to hold at the NIBRT and ITEM-HSG". "Now, with a base in continental Europe and one in Ireland in addition to the Tampa Training Institute in the United States, ISPE is solidifying its global training footprint, and in so doing, is making it easier for members to reach us." Pictured above is ISPE CEO and President John Bournas (left) and NIBRT CEO Dominic Carolan (right). Learn more about the ISPE Pharmaceutical Training locations:
- ISPE Training Institute in Tampa, Florida
- Institute of Technology Management at the University of St. Gallen (ITEM-HSG) in St. Gallen, Switzerland
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) in Dublin, Ireland
