The first international forum of the Adam Smith Institute "Innovative Drug Research & Development in Russia" was held in Moscow on 17 - 18 November 2010. The meeting discussed the problem of shortage of skilled personnel in the pharmaceutical industry. Director-General of the Association of Russian Pharmaceutical Manufactures Victor Dmitriev noted the need to meet the standards of training students with the requirements of the employer. “Universities understand that the dynamic pharmaceutical market requires changes in the curriculum, however, this issue can be resolved only by the Russian Ministry of Education by revision of standards” said Vicator Dmitriev. He also spoke about the educational programs that help to identify the best future professionals for the pharmaceutical industry. “ All-Russian Student Pharmaceutical Olympics gives a chance to talented students from all over Russia to declare themselves to potential employers. Thus, the last Olympics has helped winners to find a job in member companies of ARPH” mentioned Mr. Dmitriev. Irina Nadelyaeva, a Deputy director of the Scientific Research Centre of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University said the Olympics a platform for future communication of specialists of pharmaceutical industry. “..First of all, this event is aimed to help students who are willing to work with innovation. We see the interest of universities and pharmaceutical companies that support the conduct of The Olympics” said Irina Nadelyaeva.
Head of student project "Pharm-Start” Elena Lifanova noted that managers of pharmaceutical companies not yet able to attract future professionals to their work. “Today, we have the greatest shortage of personnel in the fields of research, production, and in quality control. However, companies do not build a policy that would be attractive for students. The Olympics will help to identify not only the interested students, but also interested pharmaceutical companies” noted Elena Lifanova.
Chief editor of "Farmpersonal" of weekly magazine "Farmvestnik Natalia Maskina noted that, the demand for specialists in the pharmaceutical industry has doubled over the last years. “Our joint investigation with HeadHunter showed that in the segment for pharmaceutical production of vacancies increased by 17% per month. According to the experts who prepared the strategy of "Pharma 2020" in the near future Russia will need about 3500 highly skilled workers, trained at the international level, to work in pharmaceutical production” said Natalia Maskina. Participants agreed that The All-Russian Student Pharmaceutical Olympics would help to solve the problem of lack of future staff.
“Undoubtedly, the 2010-2011 school year is rich on important events for students of medical and pharmaceutical universities, and for the entire pharmaceutical industry. We are planing to mark 5 years of the scholarship program “Nycomed - Gold medical personnel” and to support the initiative of the Yaroslavl Administration and our colleagues to held the All-Russian Student pharmaceutical Olympics in Yaroslavl. For us, the Olympics is a very important event, because in couple years, we are planing to build a factory and to invite the best experts with knowledge of pharmaceutical production to work on it” commented President “Nycomed Russia and CIS” Jostein Davidsen.
The All-Russian Student Pharmaceutical Olympics will be held January 27-29, 2011 at the Yaroslavl farmklaster. The Olympics id supported by ARPH, the Government of the Yaroslavl region, and sponsored ZAO P-Pharm, Nizhpharm (holding STADA CIS), the educational sponsor is “Nycomed - Gold medical personnel” and the sponsor company «Servier».
