The highly-specialized “Project Management for Life Sciences” certificate program focuses on the application of project management best practices to life science organizations that produce pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other biomedical products.
“In order for Orange County’s life science companies to continue to lead the way with cutting-edge innovations and technologies, improvements to the product development process will be vital,” says Marty Wartenberg, lead instructor and academic coordinator at UC Irvine Extension. “As demonstrated by the aerospace and software industries, applying project management principles has proven to be the most effective way to complete projects on time and on budget.”
Adoption of project management concepts and practices is crucial if practitioners in the life sciences industries wish to remain competitive in the marketplace and find ways to reduce the costs of product development. Product managers and research directors responsible for moving new product concepts through the development, regulatory approval, and marketing processes will experience tangible benefits from this program almost immediately.
Students will learn how to apply project management best practices, use facilitative leadership skills to improve project management effectiveness, develop and lead teams of diverse individuals, and apply project management practices to the regulatory approval process for pharmaceutical and medical device products. For companies that desire curriculum that reflects a particular specialty, coursework can be customized to meet an organization’s specific needs.
“While some in the life sciences field remain skeptical of how project management concepts can be applied to the industry, this new program can help companies realize that the application of project management can lead to higher productivity levels and achievements in shorter times to market, better-designed products and smoother regulatory approvals,” notes Wartenberg. “Since life science companies are major players in the healthcare business, when applied successfully, project management principles can help improve delivery and help drive down medical costs for all.”
Project Management for Life Sciences Certificate Program Page 2
The certificate program is available starting fall 2008. For more information, contact Brian Breen at 949-824-1847 or visit www.extension.uci.edu.
About the University of California, Irvine Extension: As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu.
About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,400 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
