Through SeerPharma’s partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the Master of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) program, our focus is on developing graduates who can enter regulated industries with a strong foundation, adapt quickly to professional roles, and begin adding value sooner.
The aim is to build capability across three interconnected areas:
Strong GMP and technical knowledge
Critical thinking and professional judgement
Practical experience working through realistic industry scenarios and digital systems
This approach is particularly important as pharmaceutical, medical device and life sciences organisations continue to face workforce and specialist capability pressures, while expectations of new employees continue to increase. Our objective is therefore not simply to provide foundational GMP knowledge, but to develop graduates with the technical understanding, professional judgement, critical thinking and adaptability required to integrate into a role and begin contributing effectively sooner.
To achieve this, students are immersed in a simulated GxP company that they engage with throughout the program. Students take on different professional roles and work through interconnected quality, manufacturing, validation, and compliance activities.
Rather than learning individual concepts in isolation, students repeatedly encounter realistic scenarios, operational challenges and quality decisions that require them to interpret information, evaluate evidence, consider risk and determine an appropriate course of action.
For example, in the subject focused on Auditing, students take on the role of Quality Compliance Officers within the simulated GxP company. Using an AI chatbot assessor, KompetencyAI, students evaluate the outcomes of internal and external audits. They are required to interrogate evidence, identify compliance findings, assess the quality of the audit process and justify the final audit disposition.
In our unit addressing Computer System Validation, students assume the role of Validation Officers responsible for implementing a new computerised system. Using an AI-enabled large language model, AnythingLLM, they interrogate project and system information to establish intended use, scope and potential GxP impact. They develop requirements, assess risk and prepare validation documentation before configuring digital quality workflows within an electronic pharmaceutical quality management system, MasterControl.
Other student teams then test these configured workflows against predefined requirements, generate objective evidence, establish traceability, and determine whether the system is suitable for use within a regulated environment.
Within our subject focused on Aseptic Manufacturing, students take on the role of a Sterility Assurance Specialist. They select a sterile product, develop its Contamination Control Strategy, and map the manufacturing process.
They determine appropriate cleanroom classifications, facility zoning, environmental conditions and controls, as well as the personnel, material and product flows required to maintain aseptic processing and assure sterility.
Students are also introduced to sterile manufacturing environments through immersive VR training experiences created using technology from Uptale, providing an additional practical dimension to their learning.
Taken together, this training approach develops three complementary capabilities.
1. Strong foundational GMP knowledge
Students build knowledge across multiple technical areas, including quality systems, validation, contamination control, sterile manufacturing, and digital GxP systems.
2. Applied critical thinking and professional judgement
Students are expected to analyse real-world situations, appraise evidence, evaluate risk, challenge assumptions, and make technically competent and defensible decisions.
This provides an important foundation for future human-in-the-loop responsibilities, where professionals must critically evaluate technology-generated information and recommendations rather than simply accept them.
3. Practical digital fluency
Students gain direct exposure to commercially available technologies, including artificial intelligence, large language models, chatbot-based assessment tools, and electronic GxP systems such as electronic quality management platforms.
As a result, graduates enter industry not only understanding regulatory concepts, but also with practical experience interacting with the types of digital technologies increasingly being used to execute regulated work.
Moving beyond procedural style learning, the SeerPharma and UTS team operate as senior management within the simulated organisation, challenging students to defend recommendations, escalate concerns, justify dispositions and explain the basis for their decisions.
This further shifts the learning experience away from simple procedural completion and towards accountability, critical thinking, and professional judgement.
In combination, these elements mean graduates gain more than just academic knowledge. They also get to experience working across different professional roles, confronting realistic problems, navigating operational and quality workflows, using contemporary digital systems, and making decisions within a regulated organisational context.
Company-specific training will always remain essential. However, the objective of our postgraduate program is to combine strong theoretical knowledge with immersive, practical experiences that expose students to a variety of realistic industry situations.
Ultimately, the goal is to shorten the distance between graduation, role competence and meaningful contribution, while developing GMP professionals who are equipped to adapt to the evolving needs of the regulated life sciences industry.
Learn more about the Postgraduate GMP Program at the University of Technology Sydney
Learn more about our AI Chatbot assessment platform - KompetencyAI
Learn more about creating immersive VR training experiences with Uptale
If you would like to learn more about adopting similar technologies and approaches within your organisation’s training programs, please contact us.