HEalth and LIfe Sciences Academy - HELIS

The cross-border project HELIS Academy aims at optimizing the Life Sciences & Health (LSH) cluster in the Netherlands and Flanders.

(This project is financed by the European Fund for Regional Development. This project is co-financed by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Province of South Holland).

Increasing the industry readiness level

The main purpose of the project is to bridge the gap between the skills and knowledge of graduate students and the required competences in life sciences jobs. The project focusses on the development and alignment of teaching programs to increase the industry readiness level of the profiles required.

Programs for a better labor market entrance

In HELIS Academy, partners from academia and industry work closely together in providing six tailor-made programs to help postgraduates enter the labor market with the required knowledge and competences in specific LSH domains. Following the completion of the three-year project, it is expected that each year 160 students will be able to participate in teaching programs from HELIS Academy.

The HELIS programs cover the following topics:

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
Data Analysis & Stewardship
Business Development
Product & Process Design
Technology & Life Sciences
Evidence Based Testing

Orientation with screening instruments

Students are often unaware of the diverse possibilities for jobs in the life sciences. There is a need for new screening instruments that will enable students to map their own competencies and see which ones they need for a particular job. Furthermore, these tools will enable companies to optimize their screening policy for the skills of their current staff.

A sustainable HELIS Academy

By bringing together cluster organizations, knowledge & research institutions, industry and government, HELIS Academy will be able to provide a solution for the current skill gap that students face when transitioning to the labor market. This will be done by creating an efficient and sustainable training program.