Science education
Part of the challenge at Novartis, beyond creating next-generation medicines, is to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists - building the talent pool not only for Novartis, but for the entire healthcare industry.
Education programs are a strong emblem of our commitment to associates and the communities in which they work and live.
“In our neighborhood schools today are the scientists of tomorrow, but many find the field irrelevant. The palpable and evident impact of science on drug discovery means we can help to engage students in a most gripping manner.”
Dr. Mark Fishman, President, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
Our research arm, the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has integrated many educational outreach programs into its corporate citizenship initiative.
Visit the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) website
Mentoring elementary and high school students
Now in its fifth year, the Novartis NetPals program pairs up twenty to thirty NIBR scientists from Cambridge with 12-13 year old students from Cambridgeport Elementary School for a five-month mentoring program.
The students and scientists meet several times - at NIBR and at school - and correspond weekly via email on various science-related topics including the design of experiments for the citywide Science Expo, and on a project focused on the structure and function of cells.
In East Hanover, NIBR and Pharma associates participate in a weekly after-school mentoring program for inner-city youth. The program, in its sixth year, pairs 16 employee volunteers with 10-11 year-old children from a nearby public school for an hour of one-on-one time at the company's site. Together, they review homework, tackle literacy and math projects, practice journal writing and experience enrichment activities.
Offering apprenticeship opportunities
In Horsham, through its Science Apprenticeship Scheme, NIBR provides an opportunity for local 18-19 year-old students to train in its research center and pursue a career in science. Currently, there are 10 students progressing through the scheme to graduation. Each year NIBR recruits one biologist and one chemist through this program.
Helping teachers advance
Each spring, the renowned Boston Museum of Science holds a symposium to highlight best practices in high school science teaching. For the past five years, NIBR has been the symposium's lead sponsor.
NIBR also partners with the Museum in running an international exchange program for high school science teachers.
The program's aim is to improve biotechnology-related curricula in Europe and the US. Teachers from NIBR’s two major research hubs, Massachusetts and Switzerland, work together throughout the year –sharing ideas for developing innovative educational materials and approaches for teaching biotechnology at the high school level.
In addition, the teachers spend a week in each others' classrooms, meeting with students, and getting first hand experience and insights into how science is taught in the US and Switzerland.
Collaborating with the academic community
Since 2005, scientists at NIBR in Cambridge partnered with faculty at Harvard University to teach a first-of-its kind course in pharmaceutical science: Principles of drug discovery and development.
In Basel, Novartis is an educational partner of the University of Basel where over 300 students per year complete work rotations at Novartis as a part of their diploma programs. Novartis also supports the Biozentrum at the University by sponsoring lectures and funding a chair. In Vienna, the Summer Internship Program allows students from scientific schools and universities to participate in various research projects. Full-time internships with duration between one and three months are offered at the Institute.
