University of Manchester
Consortium lead, responsible for overall coordination and financial management of the grant.
About the programme
A Pan-African consortium for pharmaceutical product development training
PACoPPDeT — the Pan-Africa Consortium on Pharmaceutical Product Development Training — is co-funded by the European Union through Global Health EDCTP3. The University of Manchester leads the consortium. Strathmore University provides scientific leadership, hosts the programme and awards the degree.
Programme identity
At a glance
- Full name
- Pan-Africa Consortium on Pharmaceutical Product Development Training
- Funding
- Co-funded by the European Union through Global Health EDCTP3
- Consortium lead
- University of Manchester, including financial management
- Scientific host
- Strathmore University, through the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (SIMS) and the Centre for Research in Therapeutic Sciences (CREATES)
- Degree awarded by
- Strathmore University
- Flagship programme
- 24-month Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Product Development (MPPD), 82 credit hours
- Scale under this grant
- Two Master's cohorts, 30 funded fellows, and 100 short-course places
- Geography
- Fellows from all five Africa CDC regions
Why the programme exists
Manufacturing ambition requires scientific capability
Africa's drive for local pharmaceutical manufacturing cannot rest on factories alone. It has to be preceded by investment in research and development, and in the scientists who can take a product from discovery through to regulation and use.
Clinical-trial capability has grown, yet protocol development, bioanalytics, statistics and data analysis still often take place outside the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa has too few researchers in pharmacometrics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics — the analytical core of modern product development. Closing that gap is why PACoPPDeT exists.
Sustainable local manufacturing depends on scientists who can work the full value chain — from discovery and quantitative science through pre-clinical and clinical development to regulation and deployment.
How the consortium is organised
Leadership, host institution and partner roles
PACoPPDeT is a Global Health EDCTP3 training programme. It brings together African and European universities, research organisations and specialist partners to develop scientists who can contribute to pharmaceutical and vaccine R&D in Africa.
Strathmore University
Scientific leadership, programme host, and the institution that awards the MPPD, through SIMS and CREATES.
Partner institutions
Universities, research organisations and specialist partners across Africa and Europe share teaching, mentoring and experiential placements.
The MPPD
A Master's grounded in immersion and interdisciplinary practice
The MPPD is a 24-month postgraduate degree covering the research and development value chain for pharmaceuticals and vaccines, from discovery to regulation and deployment. Fellows gain a grounding in holistic R&D, specialise in their own field, and train with faculty drawn from academia, industry and regulatory bodies. The long-term aim is a curriculum that African universities can adopt.
Technical expertise
Build capability in drug discovery, pharmacometrics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, clinical trials, regulatory science, pre-clinical testing, pharmacogenomics and data analysis.
Experiential learning
Integrate academic modules with placements, boot camps and collaborative projects in research, industry and policy settings.
Leadership and ethics
Complement scientific training with management, communication, ethics, bio-entrepreneurship and intellectual property.
Networks that last
Strengthen south-to-south collaboration through alumni, cross-institutional partnerships and a faculty that spans the value chain.
How training is delivered
Faculty, coursework and experience, taught as one programme
Delivery is blended: campus teaching, online sessions, case studies, seminars, guest lectures and boot-camp workshops. Selected boot camps may be linked to gatherings such as the EDCTP Forum and the Africa CDC Conference on Public Health in Africa. Sessions are recorded for review.
Faculty and fellows
Mid-career scientists study with academics, policy specialists and industry experts. Each fellow is assigned a mentor for the Master's and into alumni networking, so graduates remain connected across discovery, development, regulation and manufacturing.
Coursework
Modules follow the product-development chain, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pharmacometrics, drug discovery, pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, regulatory science, pharmacogenomics, biostatistics, ethics and leadership. The taught programme, placement and dissertation together comprise 82 credit hours.
Experiential learning
Year 2 includes a work placement, dissertation seminars and an independent research project intended for peer-reviewed publication. The model allows leave of absence for fellows in employment who need to travel for immersion training.
Who it is for
Mid-career scientists who will use what they learn
The Master's is designed for mid-career scientists who can apply their learning while they study. Fellows are recruited from the five Africa CDC regions, typically from regulatory agencies, research centres and organisations with a track record in pharmaceutical product development. Relevant academic backgrounds include pharmacy, medicine, biomedical sciences, mathematics, engineering and related disciplines.
Geographic mandate
Representation across all five Africa CDC regions
The programme is designed to bring together fellows from across Africa, connecting regional perspectives with specialist institutional expertise and international collaboration.
Shorter certificate pathways extend that reach to scientists who are not enrolled on the full Master's, so institutions can build capacity even where a two-year fellowship is not the right path.
The consortium
Universities, research organisations and specialist partners
The University of Manchester leads the consortium. Strathmore University hosts the programme and awards the degree. Teaching, mentoring and placements are shared with universities, research organisations and specialist partners in Africa and Europe.
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 KingdomContinue exploring
Review admission requirements, browse frequently asked questions, or contact the programme team.