Global Health EDCTP3 training programme
PACoPPDeT is a Pan-African consortium developing the scientific expertise, practical skills and collaborative networks needed to advance pharmaceutical product development across Africa.
At its centre is the 24-month Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Product Development (MPPD) curriculum, awarded by Strathmore University and taught with an international consortium — alongside short courses, research collaboration and experiential learning.
The capability gap
Africa's drive for local pharmaceutical manufacturing cannot rest on factories alone. It has to be matched by research, development and the people who can take a medicine or vaccine from discovery through to regulation and use.
Clinical-trial activity has grown, yet protocol development, bioanalytics, statistics and data analysis still often take place outside the continent. PACoPPDeT exists to close that gap.
Local manufacturing needs scientists who can work the full value chain, not production sites alone.
Protocol development, sample analysis and data analysis still frequently take place outside Africa.
Too few researchers work in pharmacometrics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics — the analytical core of modern product development.
What the programme offers
Under this grant PACoPPDeT supports a full postgraduate degree, shorter certificate pathways, and experiential placements with consortium partners.
A 24-month, 82-credit-hour degree awarded by Strathmore University, covering the research and development value chain for pharmaceuticals and vaccines — from discovery to regulation and deployment.
Certificate pathways drawn from the curriculum, reaching up to 100 scientists who are not enrolled on the full Master's, so institutions can build capacity beyond the funded fellowships.
Year-2 experiential learning with consortium partners in research, industry and policy settings, joined to an independent research project intended for peer-reviewed publication.
Programme Partners
PACoPPDeT brings together universities and specialist research organisations across Africa and Europe, combining documented expertise along the pharmaceutical product-development value chain.
The University of ManchesterUnited Kingdom
H3D Foundation NPCSouth Africa
Strathmore UniversityKenyaSAIRCSAIRC Research NetworkKenya
Swiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteSwitzerlandAIBSTAfrican Institute of Biomedical Science and TechnologyZimbabweSAHPRASouth African Health Products Regulatory AuthoritySouth Africa
University of Cape TownSouth Africa
Pharmacometrics Africa NPCSouth AfricaKIPREKenya Institute of Primate ResearchKenya
University College LondonUnited KingdomNews & events
Official news, events and announcements will appear here as PACoPPDeT activities commence.
Programme news and events will appear as activities are approved and published.
Explore the programme, its curriculum admission requirements, or contact the PACoPPDeT secretariat team.
