
Representatives from five organizations, including IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim (second from left), pose for a commemorative photo as they exchange an MOU on the development of human resources and vaccine technology and industry at Andong National University in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Korea on July 31.
July 31, SEOUL, South Korea. IVI has exchanged a memorandum of understanding with four Korean partners – Andong National University (ANU), Andong City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and SK bioscience, to nurture human resources critical to vaccine industry development. IVI Director General, Dr. Jerome Kim attended an MOU signing ceremony at ANU on July 31, which brought together the representatives of the four partners.
Under the MOU, the five organizations agreed to seek mutual cooperation in: operating training programs for professionals in vaccine technology development, organizing and supporting joint programs for research and development of new vaccine technology, establishing and supporting on-site training programs such as on-the-job training and internships, and supporting training programs for workers at industrial sites.
Andong, located in Gyeongsangbuk-do (Gyeongbuk) is one of Korea’s two largest vaccine industry hubs; the other one being Hwasun in Jeollanam Province, and Andong National University has launched the nation’s very first bio and vaccine engineering department. IVI now has a branch laboratory at the Andong Vaccine Industry Cluster, which is also home to the Gyeongbuk Institute for Bioindustry and the Animal Cell Culture Substantiation Center (slated for completion in 2021), while SK bioscience has a large-scale vaccine manufacturing plant in the city.
“IVI is pleased to be a member of this partnership – dedicated to the development of vaccine technology and industry, and nurturing of essential human resources in the vaccine sector, which will in turn contribute to creating jobs,” IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim said. “We will continue to expand our partnerships to advance vaccine technology and industry in Korea and around the world, and thereby accelerate development and production of vaccines critical to global public health.”

Key participants at the MOU signing ceremony