The iEd Hub Celebrates Inaugural Conferring Ceremony at UCC

The iEd Hub, an educational initiative formed between UCC and MTU, celebrated its inaugural conferring ceremony on Friday (25th October) as the first cohort graduated from its MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, Operations & Management at the University College Cork.

The Master’s programme, co-created with iEd’s industry partners, addresses a crucial challenge for Ireland’s global life sciences organisations – the need for industry-ready graduates who can make an immediate impact. iEd develops the next generation of life sciences leaders by combining critical transferable skills with technical expertise tailored to industry needs. What sets iEd apart is its team of professionals with extensive industry experience, providing a unique blend of academic rigour and practical insights.

This Master’s combines industry-focused teaching with a unique curriculum: one-third technical expertise, one-third operations, and one-third management, complemented by an eight-month internship and practitioner-led, competency-based teaching. Learning through experience is central to the course, and is made possible through iEd’s state-of-the-art facilities, which are designed to foster innovation and excellence. The facilities include pilot tabletting and aseptic suites, 3D printing labs, VR and podcasting spaces, simulation rooms, and a 360° immersive environment. 

Professor Helen Whelton, Head of College of Medicine and Health, UCC and Co-Lead of the iEd Hub Project said: “I am thrilled to congratulate our IPSOM graduates as they embark on the next step of their journey. Addressing the needs of the life sciences industry is a strategic priority for the College of Medicine and Health as we build a high-quality Academic Health Sciences System, founded on partnerships between the University, Health Service, and Life Sciences Industry. This collaboration ensures the best service for our population. Today also marks a milestone for the iEd Hub team, shaping the next generation of life sciences leaders through this inaugural conferring.”

Professor Mark Tangney, Head of the iEd Hub, said: “This conferring ceremony is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of our graduates who are rightly proud to receive their parchments today. By developing professionals with both technical prowess and essential transferable skills, these graduates represent the future leaders of the life sciences industry, supporting a key component of the Irish economy. Our holistic approach, bringing together multiple academic disciplines with industry expertise, has positioned the iEd Hub as a go-to partner for solving skills challenges in the life sciences sector.”

Ryan Scannell, an IPSOM graduate from Ballineen, outlined how the iEd Hub played a significant role in preparing him for the workplace: “The strong relations the iEd Hub has developed with its industry partners ensured that every module and topic covered during the IPSOM programme was tailored to the life sciences workplace. This played a major factor in helping me quickly settle into my role and be able to contribute effectively from my first day.”

Sarah O’Donovan, an IPSOM graduate from Kinsale, pointed to the opportunities to engage with industry as a major positive of learning at the iEd Hub: “The engagement with the life sciences industry offered to us during the IPSOM programme was a big highlight for me. These included a tour of the Recordati site in Ringaskiddy and guest speakers from companies like Novartis, Eli Lilly, MSD and Hovione, affording us the chance to get to know and ask questions of industry experts, to learn from their career journeys and to gain insight into the fantastic opportunities for life sciences graduates in Cork.”

Ross Fitzgerald, an IPSOM graduate from Skibbereen, praised the iEd’s Hub facilities for preparing students for the workplace: “The state-of-the-art facilities created an environment that was perfectly suited to learning and collaboration, offering access to advanced labs, equipment, and digital tools that mirror the life sciences workplace.”

“I also really enjoyed our lab sessions, which challenged us to compare and contrast analytical techniques used in the pharmaceutical lifecycle, ensuring we fully grasped the methods to assess product and process quality. The innovative use of VR headsets was another highlight, serving as an immersive introduction to cleanroom environments and an engaging way of training us for our future roles”, he said.

Tom Bolger, an IPSOM graduate from Kilkenny, believes the programme is uniquely suited to preparing students for success in their careers: “What truly sets the IPSOM programme apart is its one-of-a-kind, holistic approach to preparing students for the workforce from day one. The programme seamlessly integrates both technical and management skills, ensuring graduates are not only knowledgeable in pharmaceutical science but also equipped to lead and make strategic decisions. This balance between management and technical training strengthens students’ overall competence, making them versatile and highly sought after in the industry”.

Since completing the IPSOM programme, Ryan, Sarah, Ross and Tom have progressed to roles at Gilead, Pfizer, Recordati and VLE Therapeutics, respectively.