Strides Arcolab Limited announced the launch of STEP (Strides Training and Education Plan) after entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani to offer a two-year post graduation degree course- MS in Pharma Operations and Management for its employees to enable them ‘learn as they earn’ and put into practice the theoretical concepts in their daily work.

The off-campus collaborative learning programme is scheduled to start in July this year. Thirty full time employees of Strides will be selected based on their academic and work performance. Eventually the candidates could also proceed for doctoral studies. BITS has designed the curriculum around contemporary needs of industry and is flexible in terms of content and delivery via distance learning.

For BITS, the novel academia-industry project referred to as ‘Practise School Interaction’ is the first effort with a pharmaceutical company in Karnataka Although there are a handful of companies in the country like Central Drugs Research Institute, Dr. Reddys and Novartis which have signed up with BITS for an continuing education collaboration in research at various levels. Such partnerships allow upgrading the technical competencies of employees in the industry, Dr. S. Venkateswaran, vice chancellor, BITS told Pharmabiz.com

Plans are also underway by Strides to set up a dedicated study laboratory within a year in association with BITS where research in drug design and formulation development would be the key focus areas.