• Course hosted by Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and WHO as part of the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing (GTH-B) initiative
• Two-week program aims help strengthen LMICs’ manufacturing capabilities to advance global vaccine equity

June 16, 2025, SEOUL, Republic of Korea — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is conducting the ‘2025 Introductory Course for Biologics Development and Manufacturing’ as part of the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing (GTH-B) program. The annual course will take place over two weeks, starting June 16, at Seoul National University’s Siheung Campus.

Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) of the Republic of Korea and the World Health Organization (WHO), GTH-B is a global training initiative aimed at strengthening biomanufacturing and vaccine production capacities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as in Korea, with the goal of promoting equitable access to vaccines worldwide.

This year’s course brings together 140 trainees from 40 countries, including professionals from vaccine manufacturers and public health organizations in LMICs. In addition, 19 participants from Korean biotech companies and graduate schools in the bio-health field are taking part.

Trainees were selected through a rigorous evaluation process led by MOHW and WHO. Travel support has been provided to 10 selected African participants by the East African Center of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management (EAC RCE VIHSCM) in Rwanda. Starting this year, trainees who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion jointly issued by MOHW and WHO.

The program offers comprehensive training through a blend of classroom instruction, interactive discussions, case studies, site visits to biotech companies and institutions, and structured networking sessions with industry experts. The course will be delivered by a faculty of over 35 experts representing more than 10 institutions. These include international organizations such as WHO and IVI, government agencies including Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Intellectual Property Office, and Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as well as academic institutions such as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and private-sector companies.

The training consists of two weeks of in-person instruction, preceded by 10 hours of preparatory online modules. The curriculum encompasses the entire vaccine and biomanufacturing value chain—from vaccine discovery and development to production and public health implementation. Key topics include immunology, vaccine technologies, product development and technology transfer, preclinical and clinical studies, intellectual property, and regulatory affairs. A ‘Mini Convention’ will also take place to foster trainees’ connections with Korean biotech companies, alongside field visits to the manufacturing facilities of leading companies and organizations.

Through this immersive training, IVI aims to ensure that all trainees graduate with a solid theoretical foundation and practical skills essential for operating a biomanufacturing facility.

GTH-B was established in February 2022 by MOHW and WHO to address the global vaccine inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and to build a more resilient world against infectious diseases. In addition to promoting equitable vaccine access in LMICs, GTH-B aims to strengthen Korea’s role as a global bio-health leader by nurturing biomedical talent through partnerships with international organizations, including WHO and regional development banks, while also supporting the global biologics and vaccine industry.

In 2022, IVI was designated by MOHW to operate GTH-B’s ‘Global Bio Intensive Training Courses.’ Since then, IVI has implemented two flagship courses, namely ‘Introductory Course for Biologics Development and Manufacturing’ and the ‘Introductory Course for Standard Practice (GxP Course)’ every year. It has also conducted on-site training and consulting in about 10 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

To date, IVI has provided in-person training to approximately 1,000 individuals and online instruction to over 2,100 participants through GTH-B and related courses over the past three years. In 2025, the institute plans to educate more than 300 individuals through a combination of didactic courses, hands-on workshops, and on-site training and consulting in LMICs in collaboration with the GTH-B Support Foundation and other partners.

Dr. Jerome H. Kim, Director General of IVI, said, “Since 2022, the GTH-B program has been leveraging, among other strengths, Korea’s outstanding bio infrastructure and IVI’s proven expertise to deliver high-quality training to over 1,000 professionals annually. This kind of systematic and sustained training is playing a vital role in narrowing the gap in global vaccine access by equipping LMICs with skilled and competent professionals.”

###

About the International Vaccine Institute

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an independent international organization originally established at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in 1997. Its mission is to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines—empowering vaccine equity, impact, and sustainability globally.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines in multiple stages of pre-clinical and clinical development targeting infectious diseases that significantly impact low- and middle-income countries, including cholera, typhoid fever, chikungunya, shigellosis, salmonellosis, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV- and group A strep-related diseases, and COVID-19. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine and a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine, both pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO).

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Country Office in Austria, and a Country and Project Office in Kenya. IVI additionally co-founded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute in Hong Kong and hosts Collaborating Centers in Ghana, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, and Bhutan. More than 40 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, Austria, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int.