The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Raebareli (NIPER-R), to strengthen outcome-driven pharmaceutical research and support young scientific talent in India.

As part of the partnership, OPPI will introduce gold and silver scholarships for two meritorious research scholars currently in their third or fourth year at NIPER-R. The scholarships will be awarded as research grants to support ongoing projects that show strong potential to address real-world healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes.

The scholars will be selected by an expert panel, which will assess applications based on research quality, relevance and translational impact. The initiative is aimed at encouraging scientific excellence while promoting research that can deliver practical and meaningful healthcare solutions.

The collaboration also seeks to deepen industry-academia engagement in India’s pharmaceutical sector. As part of the initiative, OPPI will support the development of a ‘Professor of Practice’ framework at NIPER-R, enabling experienced professionals from OPPI member companies to work directly with students and researchers.

Under this framework, subject matter experts from the pharmaceutical industry will conduct knowledge sessions, workshops and mentorship programmes. These engagements are expected to provide students with practical industry insights, improve the relevance of academic research and help bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and commercial healthcare applications.

OPPI said the partnership reflects the increasing need for collaborative efforts to build a future-ready pharmaceutical ecosystem in India. The initiative is also aligned with the government’s broader push to strengthen pharmaceutical education and research infrastructure, including plans to establish new NIPER institutes and upgrade existing ones.

NIPER-Raebareli said the partnership would enhance the quality and impact of research at the institute while helping prepare the next generation of scientists to address evolving healthcare challenges in India and globally.