Introducing 'NIBRT' in Korea..."Nurturing Pharmaceutical Bioprocess Professionals" 

-Ministry of Welfare and Ministry of Trade, Industry agree to invest 60 billion won over 6 years... to build GMP-level training facility for pharmaceuticals 

Korea will promote the cultivation of experts in the pharmaceutical bio field. This is the first time in Asia that Korea is expected to become a center for the training of pharmaceutical bio personnel in the Asia-Pacific region.

In particular, the Korean model of the world-renowned National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) will be introduced and operated in this regard. NIBRT is an Irish national educational institution that provides workforce training and research solutions utilizing advanced bioprocessing facilities.

In Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Park Yung-hoo) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Minister Sung Yun-mo) signed a business agreement on the joint promotion of bioprocessing manpower training projects at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on Thursday.

Through the agreement, the ministries plan to invest about 60 billion won over the next six years (2020 to 2025) to build a GMP-level training facility (MOTIE) and introduce and operate the NIBRT program, an advanced bioprocess education system (MOTIE).

At the signing ceremony, the two government ministries pledged to actively cooperate in the joint promotion and operation of bioprocess manpower training projects to resolve the imbalance in manpower supply and demand in the pharma-bio industry.

Representatives from six companies, including Hanmi Pharmaceutical, Celltrion, Samsung Biologics, and Apogen, attended the ceremony.

The signing ceremony was attended by the ministers of the two ministries, as well as representatives from major domestic pharmaceutical and biotech companies, associations, and organizations that will jointly participate in the project. In addition to Minister of Welfare Park Neung-hoo and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo, representatives from Hanmi Pharmaceutical Kwon Se-chang, Celltrion Ki-Woo-sung, Samsung Biologics Tae-han Kim, Alteogen Park Sun-jae, Apogen Jae-seop Kim, and Xcell Therapeutics Lee Yi-il attended the ceremony.

The government announced plans for the project last year, and the ministries of health and welfare and industry agreed to jointly promote the project after several consultations. Last month, a meeting was held to gather opinions from the industry and local governments for the project.

In addition, the Korea Health Industry Promotion Agency (KIPA), under the Ministry of Welfare, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the NIBRT of Ireland (CEO Darlene Morrissey) to cooperate in training bio-manpower on March 19.

◇ Expected to meet the demand for various professionals such as production, quality control, and R&D... "Center for training bio manpower in Asia"

The government and industry expect that the center will be able to meet various human resource needs, including production, quality control, and research and development (R&D), which are required by the industry, by building world-class facilities and operating various training courses, from customized courses for companies to degree programs.

"Through this project, we expect the industry to be able to supply the necessary manpower in a timely manner, and furthermore, Korea will be able to leap forward as a center for bio manpower training in the Asia-Pacific region," said Park Yung-hoo, Minister of Welfare.

MOTIE Minister Sung Yoon-mo said, "'The government will build a manpower training center that will function as a platform to connect companies, universities, and research institutes that have research capabilities as well as foster experts in the field, and attract investment from domestic and foreign companies to create high-quality jobs and contribute to the localization of equipment and materials."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Welfare and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy will select a consortium of 'local governments, production companies, and universities' as the operator in August. Once the operator is selected, a joint management committee will be formed that includes the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and local governments, and the project will begin in earnest.

Source: MediConsumer News (http://www.medisobizanews.com)