Date: 27-28 May 2025

Location: Formación Profesional Colegio Tres Olivos, Madrid, Spain

The PharmTech Mobility Project reached an important milestone with its second in-person transnational meeting, held in the vibrant city of Madrid, Spain. This pivotal event was generously hosted by our Spanish project partner, Formación Profesional Colegio Tres Olivos, and brought together project representatives from Ireland, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal.

Day 1 – Collaboration and Reflection

The first day focused on reviewing the interim results of the project and facilitating rich discussions across the international partnership. One of the most insightful dialogues centred around the varied landscape of pharmacy technician education and professional practice across partner countries.

Participants shared national pathways ranging from vocational training programmes to four-year honours degree routes, as well as professional responsibilities spanning technical dispensing roles to direct clinical engagement such as vaccination support. These differences underline the broader European challenge of fragmentation in pharmacy technician training and highlight the pressing need for harmonisation of educational standards across member states.

Of particular note was the shared recognition of the urgent need for statutory recognition of pharmacy technicians in Ireland, aligning with developments in other EU nations.

We extend our sincere thanks to our hosts, Isabel Elguero Claramunt, M. Jesús Aparicio Cabezas, and the wider team at Tres Olivos, for their exceptional hospitality and warm welcome.

Day 2 – Advancing Curriculum Development

The second day was dedicated to progressing one of the project's central objectives: the development of a Common Pharmacy Technician Education Curriculum. The team engaged in in-depth discussions to refine the draft curriculum, with careful consideration of both core EU-level competencies and the value of preserving national and institutional best practices.

The group also enjoyed a guided tour of Colegio Tres Olivos’ state-of-the-art teaching facilities, including the mock pharmacy dispensary, simulated hospital wards, and modern classrooms. Meeting with their dedicated vocational education and training (VET) students was a particular highlight, showcasing the centre’s strong commitment to inclusive, practice-based learning.

We were honoured to meet Adoración Sánchez, Principal of the Centre, and to learn more about the inspiring ethos and educational mission that drives the Colegio Tres Olivos community.

Looking Ahead

The PharmTech Mobility Project continues to build momentum towards its final transnational meeting in Belgium in early 2026. As we work towards a more unified and professionally recognised framework for pharmacy technician education in Europe, the spirit of collaboration and shared ambition across our partnership remains strong.

Stay tuned as we shape the future of pharmacy technician mobility and training together.