On 6 December 2024, the Master's certificates for the continuing education Master's degree course in Drug Regulatory Affairs (MDRA) were awarded as part of the graduation ceremony for pharmacy students at the University of Bonn. The event provided a worthy setting to honour the 45 graduates of MDRA courses 17 to 24.

24 graduates attended the ceremony in person, many accompanied by their families, and travelled from all over Germany to attend. Prof. Dr Ulrich Jaehde, Chairman of the Examination Board of the MDRA programme, presented the graduates with their Master's certificates. Eight lecturers from the programme were also present to honour the graduates and celebrate their success together.

Dr Vera Schipper and Dr Thilo Nölke, who completed their studies with an outstanding grade of 1.1 and were honoured as the best graduate, received special awards.

The ceremony was followed by a dinner at the DelikArt restaurant. There, Dr Peter Bachmann, DGRA board member and lecturer on the course, welcomed the 61 guests. In his speech, he recognised the achievements of the graduates and concluded his speech with words of appreciation and best wishes for their future.

The MDRA degree programme at the University of Bonn has established itself as an important platform for training highly qualified specialists in the field of drug approval and regulation. With their successful completion of the programme, this year's graduates are making a valuable contribution to the further development of this forward-looking field.

General information on the degree programme:

Since 1999, 1,241 students have been admitted to the M.D.R.A. programme. Around 93% of those admitted successfully complete the programme with a Master's degree. The low drop-out rate of 7.3% on average underlines the attractiveness and practical relevance of this part-time degree programme. Graduates usually complete two to three years of study, which pays off professionally in the long term despite the challenges of balancing their private and professional lives. Valuable personal networks are also created during the interdisciplinary programme, which enrich future work in the field of drug approval. 

The University of Bonn and the German Society for Regulatory Affairs (DGRA) have been offering the Drug Regulatory Affairs degree programme for over 25 years as the leading academic further education course in the field of drug approval in Germany. With the degree ‘Master of Drug Regulatory Affairs’ (M.D.R.A.), participants acquire a highly valued qualification that has established itself as a recognised ‘brand’.

The Master's students come to Bonn about once a month to acquire a broad and well-founded range of knowledge. More than 110 lecturers from German and European regulatory authorities, the university and the pharmaceutical industry guarantee the high quality of the programme through their specialist knowledge and practical experience. The practice-oriented postgraduate course provides comprehensive knowledge of the chemical, pharmaceutical, toxicological and clinical aspects of marketing authorisation documentation and its evaluation. It also covers topics such as information management, drug development, quality assurance and management, pharmaceutical law in Europe and other important markets worldwide and authorisation strategies.

Further information on the continuing education Master's programme ‘Drug Regulatory Affairs’, which will start again in September 2025, can be obtained from DGRA e.V., Adenauerallee 15, 53111 Bonn, Tel.: 0228-368 2646.