In a major development the Reliance Life Sciences (RLS), a group company of Mukesh Ambani, has decided to foray into the educational sector by setting up a school for life sciences, Reliance School of Life Sciences, to promote competency in the biotech industry.

The institute will come up at the RLS campus in next July with two diploma courses, one in clinical research and the other in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. In the initial period the institute will make use of the facilities at RLS and later will move to its own campus. The separate campus is likely to come up in Maharashtra, Gujarat or Andhra Pradesh and the company has commenced discussions with these state governments. However, investment for the separate campus is yet to be decided.

Talking to Pharmabiz K V Subramaniam, president, Reliance Life Sciences, said, "The biotech industry of the country is facing shortage of manpower and the Reliance's move is in line to meet this problem. The company is in discussions with state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat to set up the institute. The institute will elevate into university status in the course of time and faculty for the same will form scientists of RLS and guest faculties from native and foreign institutes."

Both courses, clinical research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, will accommodate 30 to 50 students and they will be selected on the basis of all India entrance test and interview. With a view to venture into educational arena the company has started various competency programmes in engineering, clinical research, quality management and one for the young scientists, last year. The company will trigger programmes in medico marketing and clinical data management this year and all these programmes are practices oriented, he said.

The medico-marketing programme will conduct in association with IIT Bangalore and the biopharmaceutical-manufacturing programme with IIT Bombay. The company has already tied up with Bombay University to start programmes in other areas also. Once the separate campus is ready all the programmes will conduct under its umbrella, Subramaniam added.