The first graduating class of Master's Degree in management of Pharma-Biotech Companies celebrated last December 11 its graduation ceremony at Campus in Madrid of the University of Navarra. Twenty-seven students completed the program after a academic year of classes and internships.

"Circumstances like these help us to grow," said IESE Associate Dean María Coello during the closing session, acknowledging the students' efforts in a particularly complicated and uncertain period: "You have the challenge of joining a society that is undergoing the greatest process of change in recent decades. Precisely for this reason, and to guarantee the prevention measures established for the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was broadcast live, which made it possible for family and friends to participate.

During his speech, Coello highlighted the importance of skills developed during the program such as integrity, "leading by example", "initiative and entrepreneurship", humility and "generating a positive impact on society".

For his part, Juan Manuel Irache, director of Master's Degree, sent a message to all graduates: "Do not be in a hurry and spend time at training". He also apologized for any mistakes made and thanked all the academic staff for their involvement with project. 

The dean of the School Pharmacy and Nutrition Department, María Javier Ramírez, and the course delegates, María José Palomeque and Julen Madurga, also took part in the event, congratulating their classmates in a tour of the anecdotes and moments that define the graduating class. Thus, the delegate pointed out the "ability to adapt to change" demonstrated by the students, in addition to "the good training, curiosity, desire to learn and generosity": "We have discovered the importance of being clear about goal and enjoy what we do," she said.

The research and the training

The graduation was held on Friday, December 11, after the defense of the Final Projects Master's Degree. Among them, the impact of the coronavirus on the cosmetics industry market; the irruption of artificial intelligence and the science of the data in society, medicine and oncology; vaccination as a right or duty; and new trends in the processes of access to the market for new drugs were analyzed.

The students combined the research of the work Fin de Master's Degree, where they tackled theoretical, practical and business case projects, with professional internships at Abbvie, Ascendo, Astrazeneca, Axispharma, BMS, Bioinnova, Cantabria Labs, Cinfa, Cofares, GSK, IQVIA, Janssen, Novordisk, OC Vigilance, Shionogi, Striker and 3P Biopharmaceuticals.

In the internship, students have worked in different Departments: consultancy service, Pharmacovigilance, training and development, Market Access, Marketing, Medical Affairs and Patient Advocacy.