Biocon to Induct Manipal International University Graduates for Industrial Training and Potential Employment

Petaling Jaya, September 14, 2012 – Manipal Education Malaysia (MEM) and Biocon Sdn Bhd, Malaysia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Biocon Ltd, India, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate for  the development of human capital for the Biotechnology industry in Malaysia.

MEM provides a suite of education facilities and services. Its flagship project is the Manipal International University (MIU). MIU’s interim campus is in Kelana Jaya whilst its 140 acre campus, costing over RM650 million is being developed in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan. The Nilai campus will be operational by the end of this year.

Biocon, India's largest biotechnology company, is a fully-integrated, innovation-driven healthcare enterprise with strategic focus on biopharmaceuticals and research services. Biocon is developing its manufacturing and R&D facility in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor with an investment of over RM500 million, which will be operational in 2014. Together with its team of over 6000 employees Biocon delivers affordable solutions to partners and customers in over 75 countries across the globe.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed and exchanged by Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, Managing Director and CEO of Manipal Education Malaysia, and Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Biocon, during a ceremony held at MIU’s Kelana Jaya campus today.

The MoU outlines the creation of an Internship Programme and Graduate Employment Programme for the admission of MIU’s students and graduates to Biocon’s Malaysia facility for training and employment. Through the MoU, MIU and Biocon will also be collaborating in the development of specialised training and skills enhancement to ensure that graduates from relevant disciplines are equipped and ready for entry into Biocon Malaysia.

The MoU further provides for MEM to conduct employee training programmes at Biocon Malaysia facility.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Datuk Iskandar said, "Universities cannot operate in isolation. Industry linkages are crucial to ensure continuous relevance between syllabus with industry development and latest R&D. Industry linkages also provide our students with industrial training and employment opportunities, thus, it is our aim to forge linkages with global industry leaders, like Biocon."

“Our collaboration with Biocon will not only see MIU’s students being trained and potentially employed in Biocon Malaysia’s upcoming facility in Johor, but we will also be leveraging on Biocon’s strength and industry insight for curriculum development and industrial training,” said Datuk Iskandar.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman & Managing Director, Biocon said, "We are pleased to collaborate with Manipal International University as we believe Industry Academia partnership is essential for finishing schools for Industry ready graduates who can make a meaningful contribution to the organisation they serve. As we expand our footprint into Malaysia, we want to ensure that we play our part in the development of the Malaysian Human Resource for the biopharmaceutical industry. Our biopharma facility in Bio-XCell, Iskandar Malaysia will be a fully-integrated manufacturing and R&D facility which will require many talented graduates, not just in biotechnology, but also in other management disciplines. We would like to hire a large number of good local talent and nurture them further to shape up into fine biotech professionals."

Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is no stranger to Malaysia’s biotechnology industry. She was a member of Malaysia’s International Advisory Panel on Biotechnology and together with Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, formerly CEO of Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation, was involved in the conceptualization of Malaysia’s National Biotechnology Policy in 2005 and further development of the industry.

Together, their experience and knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses and demands of the international biotechnology space is translated into relevant programmes to upscale the human capital capabilities in biotech specifically and other disciplines in general.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon in 1978 and over the years has transformed it to become India’s largest biopharma enterprise and a well-recognized global brand. She has received various accolades for her exceptional entrepreneurial success, some of these are:  Featured on the Forbes ‘50 Power Businesswomen List 2012’, the Financial Times 2011 ‘Top 50 Women in Business’ and is widely regarded as one of the ’25 Most Influential People in Biopharma Business’.

Under her leadership, Biocon is fast emerging as a leading global biopharma enterprise, committed to deliver affordable products and services for patients, partners and healthcare systems across the world.  Biocon has pioneered in Pichia-based fermentation technology and has delivered the most affordable recombinant human Insulin, INSUGEN® and insulin analog, Glargine. The Company’s well balanced business model comprising strategic growth drivers of small molecules, biosimilars, branded formulations, novel molecules and research services is propelling the Company towards new growth horizons.

MIU offers Bachelor Degree Programmes in Biotechnology and also Engineering and Business Programmes in various disciplines.

“Industry linkages is a key element in the education ecosystem. A holistic ecosystem is what we are creating at MIU. An effective ecosystem will ensure our students and graduates are innovative, confident and industry ready,” said Datuk Iskandar. 

About Manipal Education Malaysia
Manipal Education Malaysia (MEM) provides a suite of education facilities and services. It is the parent company of Manipal International University (MIU). MEM is committed to providing innovative solutions for the supply and enhancement of skilled human capital to drive Malaysia’s new economy to realize the nation’s aspirations of being a high-wealth nation by the year 2020.In 2011, MEM founded MIU to spearhead this endeavour, investing more than RM 650 million in the development of the MIU campus.

About Manipal International University (MIU)
MIU is a Malaysian university and is part of Manipal Group, India’s largest private institute of higher learning. MIU offers multidisciplinary courses with nationally accredited foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Focusing on the disciplines of Engineering, Life Sciences, Business and Management, the university fosters excellence, a passion for innovation, a sense of civic and social responsibility and the quest for life-long learning. The university currently operates from its temporary campus in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya whilst its new 140 acre campus in Nilai, Seremban is being developed and will be operative by end 2012. For more information on MIU, log on to www.miu.edu.my.

About Biocon
Biocon Limited (BSE code: 532523, NSE Id: BIOCON, ISIN Id: INE376G01013) is India’s premier biotechnology company with a strategic focus on biopharmaceuticals and research services. Established in 1978 by Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the Group is an integrated, innovation-driven  healthcare enterprise with offerings that traverse the entire drug development value chain. Balancing its novel molecule research pipeline with a diversified biopharma product portfolio, Biocon delivers affordable solutions to partners and customers in over 75 countries across the globe. Many of these products have USFDA and EMA acceptance. Biocon’s robust product offering  includes the world’s first Pichia-based recombinant human Insulin, INSUGEN® and Glargine, BASALOG® coupled with a state of the art Insulin delivery device, INSUPen® and India’s first indigenously produced monoclonal antibody BioMAb-EGFR® for head and neck cancer. Biocon Sdn Malaysia, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Biocon Ltd, which is currently setting up a state of the art biopharma manufacturing and R&D facility in Malaysia.  archive.biocon.com