We Prepare Students for Careers in the Pharmaceutical Industry, says Principal CU Institute of Pharma Sciences

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Vimal Arora, Professor & Principal University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University talks about the curriculum structure of all the programs and advanced teaching pedagogies are adept to inculcate skills.

Vimal Arora is currently working as a Professor and Principal at the University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University. He has been working in the arena of Education and Research pertaining to Pharmaceutical Sciences, for the last seventeen years with a specialization in Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance (Analytical Method Development & Documentation)

Q1. What kind of specialized areas of study are available in the Pharma department?

We are offering programs at all three levels viz:

• Undergraduate: B. Pharmacy [Both Regular (after 10 2) and Lateral Entry (admission directly to second year after D. Pharm.)]
• Postgraduate: M. Pharmacy (In four specializations: Pharmaceutics, Industrial Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Chemistry)
• Doctorate: Pharm.D. [Both Regular (after 10 2) and Post Baccalaureate (admission directly to fourth year after B. Pharm.)]

Further, it is important to know that the world is transforming very fast, especially in healthcare and we must be adaptive to this change to be globally competent. The curriculum structure of all the programs and advanced teaching pedagogies are adept to inculcate skills like critical thinking, and complex problem solving through specially designed assignments, capstone projects and peer learning groups. The strategies to offer platforms for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects is helping the students to utilize their capabilities in crafting solutions for various challenges faced by society as well as the pharmaceutical industry.

Q2. How does the curriculum integrate practical experiences and prepare students for careers in the pharmaceutical industry?

To encourage practical experience and prepare students for careers in the pharmaceutical industry we offer the following facilities:

• Industrial collaborations to offer industrial exposure to the candidates.
• Interactions with industry experts via guest lectures, expert lectures, and curriculum content delivery by Professor of Practice.
• Experiential learning via internships and training in industry.
• Hands-on training & workshops on pilot-scale equipment and sophisticated instruments used in the industry.
• Projects based on industry-defined problems.
• Aligning the curriculum with the industrial needs via active participation of industry experts in design and development of curriculum.
• Certification courses in collaboration with the industry (both online and offline) via Value Added Courses and MOOCs.
• Industry visits (in every semester)

Q3. What kind of internship opportunities internships be for pharma students, and how does the university assist in securing these internships?

Based on the interest and aspirations of the student, a candidate may choose to go for internship/training either in hospital or industry. The university is assisting the students in fetching such opportunities via industrial tie-ups and a specialized department named Corporate Resource Centre (CRC). The institutional industry tie-ups play a very crucial role in offering experiential learning through internships in the industry. As per the curriculum notified by the Pharmacy Council of India, there is the mandatory internship for the students for a fixed time duration to give them a real time exposure to the industry/hospital atmosphere, where they can learn various skills like teamwork, leadership and analytical thinking.

Q4. How does the university assist pharma students in securing job placements upon graduation?

The Corporate Resource Centre (CRC), a dedicated department emphasizing up on the student career pathway assists them to prepare them to crack the job placement interviews in conjunction with inputs from the DCPD (Department of Career Planning & Development). Based on the industry expectations and the job descriptions for various job profiles, we extend various training sessions related to technical skills, communication skills, and interpersonal skills. Personality development etc.; which are duly supported by mock drills/interviews to check their preparations/performance and

Q5. What kind of extracurricular activities and student organizations are available for pharma students?

For the overall development and to inculcate global competence capabilities amongst students, there is a provision for monthly activities like seminars, workshop, training, and various other competitions at both institutional and university level. The students are motivated to participate in inter-institutional (at state, national and international level) events like conferences and competitions to learn-beyond-curriculum. The students are also encouraged to be associated with various professional bodies to keep themselves updated and sharpen their competencies.

For the overall development of the students and to explore their hidden potential various club activities are organized from time to time (at both institutional and University level). Moreover, students are also encouraged to explore career opportunities via interdisciplinary learning through Value-Added Courses, Open Electives and General proficiency Courses.

Q6. How does the pharma department collaborate with industry partners to stay current and relevant in the field?

Institute of Pharma Sciences at Chandigarh University has adopted various approaches to keep up with the recent industrial trends and technological advancements, ensuring that its programs are relevant and up-to-date. We do have a unique approach for industrial collaborations for pitching current and relevant information about the industry across the globe via:

• Corporate Advisory Board.
• Industrial tie-ups for training, internships, workshops, expert lectures etc.
• Participation of industry experts in Board of Studies for curriculum development.
• Interactive sessions with industry experts and alma matter working in industry.

Such initiatives provide an altogether a different experience that helps them to connect with the professionals, learn new things and keep them current in their field. Networking is proven to be an essential ingredient of the “composition for success”.

Q7. What kind of career paths do pharma graduates typically pursue after completing their degrees at Chandigarh University?

Pharmaceutical Sciences is a very diversified field offering various career opportunities to aspirants. The pharma graduates can explore the followings verticals for their career:

• Govt Jobs (Drug Controller Officer, Pharmacist, Analyst)
• Industry Jobs (Production Chemist, Quality Control Chemist, Bench Analyst, Pharmaceutical Marketing Manager, Regulatory Executive, Pharmacovigilance Expert)
• CROs (Clinical Data Expert)
• Hospitals (Pharmacist and Healthcare Assistant)
• Entrepreneurship (Own industry, Wholesale/retail business)
• Academics (Lecturer in Diploma Institute/Teaching Assistant)

Q8. How does the pharma department engage with the broader community to promote health and wellness?

• Regularly organizes community outreach programs offering health awareness, free health screening camps, free medicine distribution camps and other health-related services like free sanitizer distribution during covid.
• Collaborations with Community Partners like NGOs, State Agencies, Industry Partners and other private agencies.
• Social media campaigns focusing on good health & hygiene habits.
• Social internship programs for students to inculcate societal values.
• Various other societal initiatives under the umbrella of NSS, NID etc.

Q9. What kind of research opportunities are available for students in the pharma department?

We are having the state-of-the-art infrastructure to support and initiate with efficient research in the following areas:

• Preclinical investigations related to neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and various other metabolic disorders.
• Pharmaceutical formulation design and product development.
• Nanotechnology-based drug delivery and targeting systems.
• Screening of synthetic and natural constituents for their druggable potential.
• AI-based solutions for pharmaceutical product development.
• Industry-sponsored research projects with partner industries.

Q10. Can you tell us about any recent advancements or research projects that have been undertaken by the pharma department at Chandigarh University?

The following are few of the research projects completed successfully in the past few years:

• Transdermal drug delivery system for thiocholchicosides (DST funded project).
• Natural component-based mosquito-repellent product (UCRD funded project).
• AI-assisted formulation design solution for BCS Class-II drugs.
• Microneedle based drug delivery system.
• Various other research projects under the mentorship of industry experts.