Graduate Level
STAIR Program
The STAIR program is RAMP-UP’s flagship graduate-level training initiative. It directly addresses the urgent need for highly qualified personnel (HQP) in Canada’s biomanufacturing sector, which is projected to require over 15,000 new professionals by 2029.
STAIR offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary learning experience that prepares students to thrive in academic, industrial, and governmental biomanufacturing environments.
The STAIR Program is aimed at Master’s and Ph.D. students interested in broadening their experience and acquiring cross-disciplinary skills. The program will enable them to explore topics such as:
- Interdisciplinary collaboration,
- Teamwork skills and group dynamics,
- Real-world societal and scientific challenges,
- Good Manufacturing Practices,
- Regulatory processes
- Research ethics and proposal writing
- Drug development and IP management
Students enrolled in the program will also have to complete a selection of courses delivered by one of the three partner universities (Université Laval, Université de Montréal or Polytechnique Montréal). A series of mandatory activities and training are also part of the program.
Program Details and Requirements
- The STAIR program is open to all students being supervised or co-supervised by a RAMP-UP researcher or collaborator in a M.Sc. or Ph.D. program.
- Applicants to the program will be evaluated according to the quality of their responses in the application form.
- The STAIR scholarship program is a co-funding program. STAIR will provide a grant of $10,000/year for up to two (2) years for a master’s student (M.Sc.) and up to three (3) years for a doctoral student (Ph.D.)
- STAIR awards are conditional upon successful completion of nine (9) course credits and participation in ALL mandatory STAIRS activities. Applicants must ensure that they will be available for these activities, which will be offered each year between the end of May and the end of June. These activities will require the equivalent of 2 weeks of availability per year, spread over two years.
- Young parents may benefit from financial accommodations upon request and approval, including reimbursement of daycare expenses, through the “Parent-Thesis” program.
- STAIR in-person activities will alternate annually between Montreal and Quebec City. Accommodation and travel will be covered by the STAIR program.
Training activities and courses
Spring- Summer 2025
- Types of teams, conditions for effectiveness, and individual mindset
- Team leadership and collective emotional intelligence
- Resource mapping and interdisciplinary coordination
- Practical implementation and structuring of self-managed scientific teams
- Ethics Bowl Canada
- Immersive simulation: The invisible epidemic
More information on future courses will be available soon!
How to enrol
Please identify a member of our team to contact, fill in the form and send it to them via email. You can contact us at info@ramp-up.ca if you have any questions.
Undergraduate Program: UP-STAIR
The UP-STAIR program is a biomanufacturing concentration (30 credits / 1,350 hours) integrated into the final two years of the B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. It ensures a seamless transition into the STAIR graduate program and the broader biomanufacturing workforce.
Key Features:
- 270 hours of hands-on lab training in biomanufacturing
- Semester-long internship in industry or government labs
- Courses on bioethics, social impact, and the role of engineers in health innovation
- Access to SWEEP modules and competitive stipends for top-performing students
Participating Institutions:
- Polytechnique Montréal (https://www.polymtl.ca/gch/fr/programmes-d%C3%A9tudes/baccalaur%C3%A9at)
- Université Laval (https://www.ulaval.ca/en/ulaval-experience)
- Université de Montréal (https://www.umontreal.ca/en/)
- HEC Montréal (https://www.hec.ca/en/index.html)
- Simon Fraser University (https://www.sfu.ca/)
- Ethics Bowl Canada (je ne trouve pas de lien)
- BRIDGE Research Consortium (https://bridgerc.ca/)
How to enrol (https://www.polymtl.ca/futur/bac/admission)
College Program: STAIR-CASE
The STAIR-CASE (Collaboration Across Sectors of the Ecosystem) program is a 12-week, hands-on training initiative led by CERASP. It prepares college students for careers in biomanufacturing and supports the STAIR and UP-STAIR pipelines by delivering essential Good Manufacturing Practices workflows and technical training.
Key features:
- Real-world exposure to production line operations
- Training in Quality by Design (QbD), regulatory affairs, and drug development
- Inclusive outreach through partnerships with John Abbott College and Kiuna College to engage Indigenous students
Participating Institutions:
- CERASP
- Gérald-Godin College
- John Abbott College
- Kiuna College
How to enrol
Our students
A few students profiles:
RUP’s training programs attract a diverse and talented cohort of students from across Canada. These individuals bring a wide range of academic backgrounds, professional aspirations, and personal motivations to the field of biomanufacturing. Through STAIR, UP-STAIR, and STAIR-CASE, they gain hands-on experience, interdisciplinary skills, and industry-relevant knowledge that prepare them to contribute meaningfully to Canada’s biomanufacturing ecosystem.
Student 1 – name, photo and short bio
Students 2 – name, photo and short bio