PAREXEL and Meiji Pharmaceutical University (MPU), a private pharmacy and science university, have partnered on a new Joint Program for Clinical Research and Clinical Trial Management for undergraduate students. The academic program will offer MPU students an accredited, four-week course designed to prepare them for careers in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The collaboration combines PAREXEL’s global clinical research expertise with MPU’s pharmaceutical training and aims to meet growing demands of biopharmaceutical companies conducting clinical research both inside and outside of Japan. All classes will be conducted in English from PAREXEL Academy lecturers and are consistent with current global clinical trial standards and practices. Following a series of two-week pilot programs, the first official program will be offered in November 2019. In addition, select MPU students may be eligible for enrollment at the PAREXEL Academy in Berlin in the future.

“Pharmaceutical research and development expenditures in Japan have nearly doubled since 2000. With the number of Japanese students going overseas for education on the decline, this creates an opportunity for the younger generation to play an active role in clinical research,” said Shogo Nakamori, corporate vice president, Asia-Pacific and general manager, PAREXEL Japan. “This program will leverage PAREXEL’s expertise and MPU’s strong educational foundation to ensure students receive the necessary training to succeed in the global pharmaceutical industry of the future.”

“One of our educational goals is to cultivate internationally accepted pharmacists who are both well-trained and compassionate,” said Keitaro Ishii, President of Meiji Pharmaceutical University. “We go beyond preparing students for their required national exams to help them cultivate their interests in a variety of clinical fields. This program provides students the valuable opportunity to learn English while studying the practical operations needed for a career in clinical research.”

The PAREXEL Academy has designed and implemented a range of learning programs in clinical research for students in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. PAREXEL’s collaboration with MPU is the company’s second academic program in Japan. Since PAREXEL Academy’s inception, approximately 5,000 students have graduated from its programs.