Cooperation Between TNMU and the International Pharmaceutical Corporation “Acino, part of Arcera” Continues

For the second consecutive year, the international pharmaceutical corporation “Acino, part of Arcera”, as a socially responsible company, not only manufactures essential medicines but also implements joint social initiatives, including those carried out in partnership with Ternopil National Medical University. In the 2024/2025 academic year, based on the results of a competitive selection, 10 students of the Faculty of Pharmacy received scholarships from September 2024 to June 2025 within the Acino Scholarship Program to support talented students of the faculty and motivate them toward professional growth.
In November 2024, the scholarship recipients, together with Dean of the Faculty Dmytro Korobko and Head of the Department of General Chemistry Hryhorii Zahrychuk, had the opportunity to visit and observe the production facilities of Acino’s Pharma Start manufacturing site.

In the 2025/2026 academic year, the scholarship program was continued, and new scholarship recipients were selected. Particular attention was given to academic performance during the selection process. Priority was given to applicants whose parents, or one parent, are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

At the end of November, representatives of Acino, part of Arcera, visited TNMU and held an engaging and informative meeting with students and instructors of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Pharmacy (formerly the Faculty of Pharmacy).

Iryna Lebed, Global HR Business Partner at Acino, presented the company’s history, its main areas of activity, and its international presence. Alla Kotyk, Regional Development Manager of the Western Region, along with Medical Affairs specialists Iryna Romaniuk and Nataliia Kutsenko, shared their professional experiences, the requirements for pharmaceutical company managers, and the specifics of working as a medical representative in modern conditions.

As part of her visit, Iryna Lebed also reviewed the material and technical base of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Pharmacy. She highly praised the level of equipment at the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (pharmaceutical and analytical tracks), the Department of Pharmacy Management and Economics with Drug Technology (technological and managerial profiles), and the Department of Pharmacognosy with Medical Botany. She also reviewed the Pharmacy Educational and Professional Program, noting its relevance, structure, and logical sequence of educational components. She offered several recommendations for strengthening certain competencies necessary for future specialists who choose careers in pharmaceutical companies or as medical representatives.

Future cooperation and expansion of partnership directions will focus on student and faculty participation in career and educational programs, internship opportunities, the involvement of company experts in practice-oriented learning, and the engagement of university representatives in Acino’s scientific developments. Potential joint projects may include work with the R&D department and collaboration in pharmaceutical sciences, particularly in the area of pharmacovigilance.

It is gratifying to note that two participants of the previous scholarship program — Khrystyna Monastyrska and Karyna Savych — were employed in Acino’s R&D department, which highlights the high level of professional training provided by the Pharmacy program at TNMU.