Early Drug Discovery Education Track

The consortium of HAN University of Applied Sciences (HAN), Radboud University (RU) and training provider Elevate is developing the Early Drug Discovery Education Track project: a practice-oriented education programme designed to strengthen the knowledge and skills of professionals in Early Drug Discovery (EDD). With a €250,000 grant from PharmaNL, eight courses are being developed — four post-bachelor (post-HBO) and four post-master (post-WO) courses — tailored to the current needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

The programme combines the academic expertise of its partners with hands-on experience from the professional field and offers both on-site and online courses, enabling professionals to upskill or reskill in a flexible and efficient manner.

The project starts with a GAP analysis to map the existing training landscape in the Arnhem–Nijmegen–Oss region and to optimally align course themes and learning formats with industry demand. The curriculum covers topics ranging from NMR and Organic Synthesis to advanced subjects such as early cGMP, AI applications, iPSC technology and advanced organic synthesis. Pilot courses have already demonstrated their effectiveness and strong practical focus. The project aims to have all eight courses fully operational by the end of 2027, with both national and international appeal.

Objective

To strengthen the knowledge and skills of professionals in Early Drug Discovery, enabling them to develop directly applicable expertise and thereby contribute to the growth and innovation of the Dutch pharmaceutical sector.

As Adinda Diekstra, Programme Manager Post-Bachelor Courses & Training at the Academy of Applied Biosciences and Chemistry (ATBC) of HAN, summarises:

“With this project, we are directly addressing the growing demand for up-to-date, practice-oriented continuing education and strengthening pharmaceutical training provision with courses that are immediately applicable in the professional field.”

Read more