Quebec International partners with BioWin to offer a training program specifically geared towards life science entrepreneurs.

Quebec International is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement in principle with BioWin, the healthcare competitiveness cluster based in Wallonia, Belgium. The agreement covers licensing rights under BioWin’s BioPharE program. For BioWin, this is the first time that rights have been licensed under this high-level program. As part of its role in the partnership, the Continuing Education Department at Sainte-Foy CEGEP will administer training activities during the implementation of the program, which is specifically geared towards life science entrepreneurs.

Coming as a direct consequence of Quebec International’s most recent mission to the BIO International Convention in Chicago in April 2013, the announcement was officially made today [December 4] to coincide with the seventh annual Quebec City Healthcare Industry Forum, a Quebec International initiative attended by more than 200 key actors from the health sector.

Under the agreement between Quebec International and BioWin, training content will be offered and adapted to meet the needs of Quebec-based entrepreneurs in the life sciences sector. Developed by BioWin, the BioPharE training program has a modular structure and is divided into six separate sub-programs designed to achieve the desired skill levels in all areas of specific interest to biotechnology and medical technology companies.

The three partners will be launching the pilot project for the Quebec program in the winter of 2014. Quebec International will begin by conducting a survey to determine regional entrepreneurs’ training needs. Based on the results, certain modules of the BioPharE program will be selected and offered to the target companies.

“We are very proud of this partnership with Quebec International and BioWin, which attests to our institution’s expertise in the areas of healthcare and biotechnology training,” said Paul Thériault, Director of Continuing Education at Sainte-Foy CEGEP.

“This new initiative is in keeping with two of our organization’s most important mandates, i.e. supporting high-tech entrepreneurship and developing regional clusters of excellence. Our life sciences cluster, for example, is thriving. Over the past few months, numerous announcements have paid tribute to the success of leading companies from across the region and to various important investment projects. Thanks to the growing number of major events being held here, including Healthcare Innovation Week, in addition to the signing of the partnership with BioWin, it is safe to say that the Quebec City region has become a major innovation hub in the life sciences sector,” said Carl Viel, President and CEO of Quebec International.