Mainz University of Applied Sciences offers new management qualification for life sciences, contributing to skilled workforce development in Rhineland-Palatinate
Mainz University of Applied Sciences is launching the new certificate program “Certificate in Strategic Forecasting Practice in Pharma” (CFP) in the 2025/2026 winter semester, offering it free of charge to students at Mainz University of Applied Sciences. This program is made possible through a partnership with the Mainz Life Science Hub biomindz, which has been secured as a sponsor for the program. The certification of Mainz University of Applied Sciences by the renowned International Institute of Forecasters (IIF) underscores the quality of the CFP program. The CFP aims to make a sustainable contribution to the regional skilled workforce development, aligning line with Rhineland-Palatinate’s biotechnology strategy.
“For us, the integration of science, practice, and regional development is not just rhetoric, but a lived reality at the university,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Christian Schäfer, Academic Director of the program and Professor of Business Administration with a focus on Management in Life Sciences at Mainz University of Applied Sciences. The new certificate addresses a previously overlooked gap in academic education by teaching business forecasting, evaluation, and marketing skills specifically for the biopharmaceutical industry—a sector experiencing particularly dynamic growth in Mainz and the surrounding region.
Certified, networked, and practical—three strengths, one objective: regional benefits
The CFP program targets business administration students, in both full-time and dual degree programs, teaching strategic forecast development, market analysis, investment evaluation, and decision-making in pharmaceutical development processes. Graduates will be able to make well-founded assessments of the market potential of new active ingredients, evaluate risks, and design strategic project pathways. The CFP certificate provides a clear competitive advantage when starting a career in the pharmaceutical industry, increasing opportunities for attractive entry-level positions while offering practical skills in a highly relevant future sector. Mainz University of Applied Sciences and its partner biomindz are responding to the growing regional demand for qualified junior managers in the life sciences industry.
“The life sciences sector has the potential to play a key role in the economic and scientific future of the city and surrounding region while making a significant contribution to the global research and innovation landscape,” says Felix Wälder, Managing Director at biomindz. “In addition to established companies such as BioNTech, Novo Nordisk, and Schott Pharma, the number of young, innovative start-ups like ActiTrexx, Mainz Biomed, and Ligni Labs is also growing. Strategic development of qualified specialists is essential to position Mainz as a future hub for science and management. Mainz has evolved into a dynamic hotspot for life sciences and biotechnology, and the CFP program collaboration supports the development of specialists in the region.”
Thanks to biomindz’s sponsorship, the program is fee-free for students. The close collaboration with the Life Science Hub emphasizes the program’s role as a bridge between the degree program and the job market. “The collaboration with biomindz exemplifies how networking creates real added value—for companies, students, and the entire region,” says Prof. Dr. Schäfer. The response from the business community has been consistently positive. “In numerous discussions with life sciences industry stakeholders, the new curriculum of the CFP program and the inclusion of the business perspective of biotechnological R&D projects are viewed as an interesting, forward-looking strategic positioning for Mainz University of Applied Sciences.”
From a gap to a strategic location advantage
With its new CFP program, Mainz University of Applied Sciences is strategically establishing a complementary qualification program for management in life sciences—addressing an area that has been neither comprehensively taught nor sufficiently covered to date. This initiative not only aligns with Rhineland-Palatinate’s biotechnology strategy but also enhances Mainz’s attractiveness as an educational and economic hub, consistently pursuing the goal of combining scientific excellence with regional benefits.
You can find further information on the certificate program here:
Who to contact:
Prof. Dr. Christian Schäfer
Mainz University of Applied Sciences – Chair of Business Administration, Management in Life Sciences
christian.schaefer (at) hs-mainz.de
