Bengaluru: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bengaluru, and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), New Delhi, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish what is being described as India’s first pharmacy skill lab at the university’s Bheemanakuppe Research Centre.

The proposed facility is aimed at strengthening practical and competency-based learning for pharmacy students, teachers and practising professionals. It will provide opportunities for learners to gain hands-on experience through simulations, practical exercises and competency assessments, helping them apply theoretical knowledge to real-world pharmacy practice.

As part of the agreement, RGUHS will also house a Southern Zonal Centre for Faculty Development in Pharmacy Education and a Skill Lab for Advanced Pharmacy Education, Research and Innovation. The centres are expected to support faculty training, continuing pharmacy education, curriculum development, assessment methods, educational technology and professional development.

The proposed infrastructure will include simulated dispensing laboratories and facilities using augmented reality and virtual reality for learning. Advanced instrumentation, quality assurance and quality control training facilities, along with drug testing and research units, are also planned.

The initiative will have a wider focus on strengthening pharmacy research and innovation. Areas such as research methodology, student and faculty projects, educational research and professional skill development are expected to form part of the activities at the centres.

Under the MoU, the PCI will provide academic, policy and financial support for the initiative. RGUHS, meanwhile, will be responsible for providing the required infrastructure, laboratories, classrooms, administrative assistance and other institutional facilities.

A joint governing council comprising representatives from RGUHS, PCI and experts in pharmacy education will oversee the functioning of the centres.

The initiative is expected to provide pharmacy learners with greater exposure to practical training while creating a platform for faculty development, research and innovation. It also seeks to strengthen the connection between classroom-based pharmacy education and the skills required in professional practice.