The award was presented to the winner during a special session of the Senate of Medical University of Gdańsk, chaired by the University Rector, Professor Marcin Gruchała. The laudation speech was delivered by the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Professor Michał Markuszewski. He emphasized that it is thanks to the vision and engagement of Jerzy Starak that Polpharma Group has evolved into one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as an innovation leader and the largest Polish investor in the biotechnology sector. The company offers a number of collaboration opportunities to Polish scientists and attractive conditions for development for graduates of study programmes such as pharmacy and biotechnology.
The long-term partnership between Polpharma and the Medical University of Gdańsk is an example of successful collaboration between the world of business and science, as well as of effective research and development cooperation. Many of the company’s employees are graduates of the Gdańsk-based university. Polpharma works hand in hand with GUMed in the field of technology development. In 2017, the two partners jointly established a unique study programme in Poland. The Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics Industry studies offer practical training for graduates enabling them to face real industry challenges. The university and the pharmaceutical company also contribute jointly to the implementation doctorate programme initiated by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Jarosław Gowin.