Strategic Plan for the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Vision and Mission
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPS) will be and remain a center of excellence in pharmaceutical sciences, renowned for high-quality education, innovation in research, and contributions to public health.
The mission of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPS) is to provide cutting-edge education and research opportunities to prepare the next generation pharmacists, researchers, and healthcare leaders while contributing to the advancement of pharmaceutical knowledge and health outcomes nationally, regionally, and globally.
- Core Values
- Excellence: Commitment to the highest standards in teaching, research, and professional practice.
- Innovation: Foster a culture of research and innovation in pharmaceutical sciences and clinical practice.
- Integrity: Promote ethical practices in all aspects of pharmacy education, research, and healthcare delivery.
- Diversity: Encourage diversity in students, faculty, and curriculum to reflect the needs of a globalized healthcare system.
- Community Engagement: Commitment to improving public health through active participation in community-based initiatives.
- Collaboration: Building partnerships with industry, healthcare providers, and academic institutions.
- Strategic Priorities
A. Academic Excellence and Curriculum Development
- Goal: Enhance the curriculum to reflect the latest advances in pharmaceutical sciences, clinical pharmacy, and patient care.
- Integrate emerging fields like advanced drug delivery systems (e.g.- Nano drug delivery systems), precision medicine, pharmacogenomics, and computational data analytics into the curriculum.
- Expand interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives to foster collaboration between pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, and community pharmacies.
- Promote interdisciplinary education (workshop, seminar, etc.) by collaborating with other health science programs such as medicine, and public health
- Incorporate experiential learning through partnerships with local hospitals, pharmacies, and research labs.
B. Research and Innovation
- Goal: Strengthen the department’s research capacity and output.
- Secure funding for research by increasing grant applications to national agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and international organizations.
- Develop research clusters focused on key areas such as advanced drug delivery systems, computational drug design, pharmacology, phytochemistry, hospital pharmacy, and pharmaceutical analysis.
- Foster collaborative research with other departments, universities, and industry
- Invest in advanced research infrastructure (e.g., laboratories, equipment) to establish cutting-edge pharmaceutical research centers such as Nano and advanced drug delivery institute, neuropharmacology, cardiac & vascular pharmacology, and computational drug design and modeling lab.
C. Industry and Community Engagement
- Goal: Build strategic partnerships with the pharmaceutical industry and local healthcare organizations.
- Collaborate with pharmaceutical companies for internships, funding opportunities, and research collaborations.
- Offer consultancy services to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries on drug formulation development, ex-vivo cell lines, and in-vivo animal model studies.
- Engage with community health organizations to promote public health initiatives, such as vaccination campaigns and chronic disease management programs.
- Develop an advisory board composed of leaders from the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare, and academia to guide the department’s strategic direction.
D. Global Engagement
- Goal: Position the department as a global leader in pharmaceutical education and research.
- Strategies:
- Establish international research collaborations with universities and pharmaceutical companies.
- Create exchange programs with foreign institutions for students and faculty to gain global experience.
- Participate in international conferences, workshops, and symposia to raise the department’s profile.
- Develop online courses and programs to reach a global audience.
E. Faculty and Staff Development
- Goal: Attract, develop, and retain high-quality faculty and staff.
- Strategies:
- Implement a robust faculty development program that supports professional growth, teaching excellence, and research productivity.
- Recruit and retain diverse faculty members with expertise in cutting-edge pharmacy fields
- Create mentorship programs for junior faculty and researchers.
- Foster a supportive and inclusive work environment that encourages collaboration and innovation.
F. Student Success and Experience
- Goal: Enhance the student experience and ensure academic and professional success.
- Strategies:
- Expand scholarships and financial support for students.
- Strengthen academic advising, mentorship, and career counseling services.
- Provide leadership and research opportunities for students, such as student-run research projects and participation in academic conferences, seminars, and workshops.
- Implement wellness programs to support student mental health and well-being.
- Timeline and Implementation
- Short-Term (1-2 Years):
- Begin curriculum revisions and initiate industry partnerships.
- Secure initial funding for priority research areas.
- Establish an advisory board.
- Medium-Term (3-5 Years):
- Implement new curriculum components and launch continuing education programs.
- Expand faculty development initiatives.
- Deepen industry and global partnerships.
- Long-Term (5+ Years):
- Achieve global recognition for research and education excellence.
- Sustain a high level of student success and community impact.
- Infrastructure and Resources
- Invest in state-of-the-art laboratory and computational simulation facilities to support education and research.
- Expand digital infrastructure to support online learning, telehealth, and data-driven research.
- Develop a financial plan that ensures long-term sustainability through diversified funding streams, including tuition, grants, donations, and industry collaborations.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
Evaluation will be performed based on the key performance indicators (KPIs) which are -
- Student Outcomes: Graduation rates, job placement rates, student satisfaction.
- Research Output: Number of publications, patents, and external funding secured.
- Industry Engagement: Number of industry partnerships, internships, and collaborative projects.
- Global Impact: Participation in international research collaborations, student exchange programs.
- Faculty Development: Number of professional development programs, faculty research awards, and teaching excellence recognition.
By focusing on these key areas, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences can strengthen its role as a leader in pharmaceutical education and research, contributing to advancements in healthcare locally and globally.