Building skills for the 
pharmaceutical sector in Rwanda

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted new and pressing challenges to the supply of vaccines on the African continent. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, regional demand for vaccines exceeds US$ 1 billion annually. Despite this high demand, Africa’s vaccine industry is still nascent, supplying approximately 0.1 per cent of the global demand. In response to this gap, the African Union has set the ambitious goal to develop, produce, and supply more than 60 per cent of the vaccine doses required on the continent by 2040.

Rwanda has recognised the significant growth potential of the pharmaceutical sector, which is projected to reach US$ 5.6 billion by 2040 across different products and regions in Africa. However, one of the main obstacles to the development of local pharmaceutical production remains the shortage of a qualified workforce posing a significant barrier to future investments. In partnership with the Rwandan Ministry of Education as well as German, Italian and Rwandan institutes of higher education, Invest for Jobs launched the BioMex Certificate Study Programme for Advanced Biomedical Expertise in May 2024. This programme offers flexible learning and upskilling opportunities for students with an academic background in life science subjects. It is helping to bridge the skills gap and support the growth of Rwanda’s pharmaceutical and biotechnological sector.

The BioMex Certificate Programme offers specialised training for young scientists in Rwanda seeking to excel in the dynamic biotechnology sector. It is being implemented by a consortium of institutions of higher education in Rwanda, Germany and Italy with financial and technical support provided by Invest for Jobs. BioMex serves as an exchange programme between the three countries. Led by expert lecturers from various universities such as Koblenz University of Applied Science, the University of Parma or the University of Rwanda, the programme opens doors to diverse career opportunities in medicine, healthcare, industrial production, and agriculture.

Students benefit from a tailored learning experience, allowing them to shape their academic journey according to their interests and career goals. The programme emphasises blended learning, combining interactive digital learning with hands-on experience in state-of-the-art laboratories at the University of Rwanda in Kigali. Students can choose from a portfolio of over 20 modules within four competence clusters:

• Biotechnology and Biomedicine
• Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology
• Innovation Management and Intercultural Cooperation
• Facility, Energy and Environmental Management

Upon completion, students receive dually accredited micro-degrees and credit points aligned with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) as well as the Rwandan system. This allows students to continue their education at European universities as they receive an internationally recognised certificate.

As the field of biotechnology evolves, the programme continuously expands its offerings to ensure participants are equipped with future-ready education. Through extensive partnerships with companies in the sector, graduates have access to diverse career pathways, opening doors to biotechnological laboratories and opportunities within pharmaceutical production.

As of April 2025, more than 100 students are enrolled in the BioMex programme with the support of Invest for Jobs. They are being trained in various science fields such as biotechnology, chemistry, and pharmaceutical science. In addition, the students receive targeted mentoring services providing career orientation and opportunities to improve their soft skills in intercultural communication and project management.

In the future, the programme aims to establish partnerships with national and international companies from the field of pharmaceutical production and biotechnology. As these companies invest in Rwanda and recruit from the local market, the BioMex programme will play a pivotal role in developing the right talent for these companies.

The BioMex Certificate Programme is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH within the framework of the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)