Incheon National University is launching a dual master’s degree program in public health in partnership with the University of Siena of Italy and the International Vaccine Institute, the school announced Thursday.

To help address the growing demand for experts in biotechnology and clinical development, the school will offer a joint executive master’s course in public health, with an initial enrollment of around 20 this year, it said. 

“The courses will be taught by esteemed key experts from around the world and be organized by five different instructional modules with a total of 360 hours of lectures and seminars with professors from academic institutions including Oxford University, Yale University, Johns Hopkins Institute and Imperial College and the University of Siena,” professor Ahn Soon-kil of the College of Life and Sciences and Bioengineering at INU, who is leading the joint program, said during a press conference in Songdo, Incheon. INU is located in Songdo, which is emerging as a biotechnology hub.

The course will cover biotechnology, and pharmaceutical, vaccine and clinical development in five modules, along with practical global regulatory matters, the school explained.

Students will attend classes in the INU campus in the winter and spring and in the University of Siena in Italy in the fall. Upon graduation, students will receive dual master’s degrees, respectively in vaccinology and pharmaceutical clinical development.

In addition to regular courses, students of the program are also required to complete a six-month industry internship and thesis independent study under the supervision of the faculty.

“Students are asked not to limit themselves with scientific and practical knowhow in specific regions, but to expand their area of interest throughout the world as public health issues no longer are local issues,” said INU president Cho Dong-sung.

When asked how the joint program would better prepare students to apply knowledge in the ever-changing pharmaceutical and biotechnology market here, president Cho said students would be equipped with new skills in biologics and vaccinology research and manufacturing “on a global basis.”

In fact, the courses are expanded further to include regulatory, safety and ethical considerations designed to make significant contributions throughout the world and allow to better engage businesses and corporations both abroad and at home.

Cho said he hopes to see countries outside of Asia soon offering the international exchange program in biotechnology and clinical development in partnership with Incheon and Siena.

“Students will have a great network of people all over the world, who are as enthusiastic and passionate as they are in this field of biotechnology, and will be ready to lead its growth in South Korea and play a key role to strengthen public health beyond home,” Cho added.

Present at Thursday’s briefing were Italy’s ambassador Marco Della Seta, University of Siena’s president Francesco Frati, International Vaccine Institute’s researcher Ralf Clemens and Celltrion board member Lee Soo-young.

“It’s a peer-to-peer partnership which can support a younger generation of scientists both here and Italy. The two institutions share lots in common in terms of great interest in life science,” President Francesco Frati of the University of Siena added.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)