Students of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry at the University of Zagreb, members of the Croatian Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry Students’ Association (CPSA), joined forces at the end of October and organised a Europe-wide conference entitled "Quo vadis, pharmacy? Paving the way towards biological therapy”, held in the town of Poreč. The six-day event named the 16th EPSA Autumn Assembly, which is a project of the European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association, brought together top students of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences from 37 countries. A range of lectures and workshops that were part of the assembly provided a comprehensive overview of biological therapies and their challenges.
It was one of this year’s largest international student gatherings in Croatia, with 350 students and other attendees. As a general sponsor, JGL wanted to support the expertise and innovation of young pharmacists who demonstrated what can be achieved through hard work and effort. They also wanted to show that there were many uplifting stories in the Croatian education system that resonated across Europe.
The opening ceremony, which included an inspiring speech by JGL’s CEO Mislav Vučić, was followed by the main programme that consisted of lectures from renowned European and Croatian lecturers, such as Prof. Robert Likić, PhD, Chief Physician Siniša Varga, Prof. Helena Jenzer, PhD, Petra Wicklandt, PhD, and many others. They all presented the latest developments in the area of developing biopharmaceuticals, clinical applications of innovative therapies, and financial challenges faced by healthcare systems.
JGL’s general sponsorship included various activities and employee engagement. Among the activities that are particularly worth mentioning are a visit to the manufacturing facility at the Pharma Valley complex, the "Career Fair&Speed Date” that included a presentation of the company’s departments, and a comprehensive training in marketing and sales skills on the topic of Meralys and Nasoryl M, where the winning team was a group of students from Spain.
During the conference, JGL’s promotion booth was well-visited by students, which held a charitable initiative "Your drop helps, too...” for the Croatian Union of Societies "Naša djeca” (Our Children), prize contests, a photo session entitled "Be different, be visible with #jglfamily” (Budi drukčiji, budi vidljiv uz #jglobitelj), blue-coloured surprises celebrating the 20th anniversary of Aqua Maris, and eye-catching product promotions. There was plenty of excitement and enthusiasm regarding everything the students learned and experienced at JGL.