All three Slovenian public universities and the Biotech Hills institute join forces to develop the biotech and pharmaceutical ecosystem
Foto: Nebojša Tejić/STA
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The rectors of the universities of Ljubljana, Maribor and Primorska today signed a strategic agreement on cooperation in the pharmaceutical and biotech field with the management of the Biotech Hills institute. At the signing ceremony, which was also attended by higher education, science and innovation minister Dr Igor Papič and deputy director-general of the Directorate for Industry, Enterprise and Internationalisation at the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport Matej Skočir, the signatories committed themselves to strengthening the Slovenian biotech and pharmaceutical ecosystem over the long term, and to encouraging suitably educated personnel to play a key role in development and competitiveness and to ensuring high added value. This event represents an important step towards integrating the research and academic spheres more closely with industry, and to securing greater strategic investments in the sector.
The agreement will strengthen links between stakeholders and bolster the flow of key information in order to speed up the establishment of a supportive R&D environment, and encourage enterprise initiatives and development solutions, the systematic building and enhancement of human resource and infrastructural capacities and the internationalisation of Slovenian knowledge. The aim is for stakeholders in this system to jointly position Slovenia as one of the leading European destinations for biotech innovation, advanced manufacturing and development in pharmaceuticals. The Biotech Hills institute is at the final stage of drawing up a national strategy involving all strategic players, including universities. The strategy, with its clear set of practical proposals for changes to legislation, will be adopted soon.
“Cooperation with all three public universities in Slovenia is a further key step towards perfecting the biotech ecosystem, one in which large pharmaceutical companies, supported by small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as biotech startups, research institutes, educational institutions, ministries and agencies, can work together in a coherent and regular way on developing and positioning the sector,” said Biotech Hills director Nik Prebil.
Prof. Dr Gregor Majdič, rector of the University of Ljubljana, the largest of the three public universities, added: “Biotechnology, including the pharmaceutical industry, is today one of the most important and most advanced business sectors in Slovenia, with exceptional potential for the future. The Biotech Hills initiative is therefore an extremely welcome one, as it will make a vital contribution to transferring research achievements and innovations more quickly into our daily lives – to the benefit of the individual and of society as a whole. Biotechnology also has a key role to play in resolving the climate crisis and realising the goals of the green transition. The initiative will bring together academic institutions, startups and established industry, and create an environment for further breakthroughs in the field in Slovenia. Bringing all these stakeholders together will also undoubtedly help to improve the conditions of study for our students. I believe that the consortium will achieve important results that benefit the whole of society.”
Prof. Dr Zdravko Kačič, University of Maribor rector, pointed out: “The University of Maribor is aware that these types of collaboration have to be strengthened if excellence in scientific and academic research is to be developed to its fullest extent. We regard this joining of forces to develop the biotech and pharmaceutical ecosystem at the University of Maribor as an excellent opportunity to engage in collaboration in the fields of both academic research and education. This is particularly important for the development of content in the field of chemistry and the new Pharmacy study programme, which is to be launched this year by two member faculties of the University of Maribor: the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology.”
University of Primorska rector Prof. Dr Klavdija Kutnar, who also chairs the Rectors’ Conference, believes that “durable results and sustainable progress can only be made by bringing different players together, which is why the University of Primorska is joining initiatives that generate new creative ecosystems to open up new opportunities for business and society. By bringing researchers from academic institutions and industry together, we are generating new momentum in the interdisciplinary integration of different types of knowledge, ensuring that Society 5.0 can become a practical reality. Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology are important building blocks for the technological advance of Slovenian society, and bring high added value. At the same time, we cannot neglect human values and sustainable development. The University of Primorska stands above all for strategic intersectoral and interdisciplinary integration and cooperation, which is why we are only too happy to be part of the agreement with Biotech Hills.”
