First postgraduate degree in perfumes in Spain, by the Beauty Cluster and IQS

Beauty Cluster and IQS launch the first postgraduate course in perfumes in Spain to be certified with an official university degree

Redacción
Editorial
05 of April of 2023
First university degree of perfumery in Spain

Beauty Cluster and IQS Executive Education launch the first recognised postgraduate course with an official university qualification linked to the perfumery world. The 'Postgraduate in Perfumes and Fragrances, Market and Applications' is a pioneer in that it is the only programme taught in Spanish and stands out from the rest of the training courses because it is the first of its kind to be offered over a long period of time.

This course responds to the great and growing demand from professionals to have access to perfumery training also in Spanish, since the most relevant studies and those that delve deeper into the field of perfumery are taught in France, and therefore in French. For this reason, the postgraduate course is especially aimed at technical staff in perfumery companies or in the fragrance sector; professionals who want to train and deepen their knowledge in perfumery; recent graduates in university degrees or training cycles in chemistry, biochemistry or pharmacy; and also professionals in the areas of marketing, sales or purchasing managers in perfumery companies.

The course will be taught in person, on Friday afternoons, at IQS campus in Barcelona. It will consist of 120 hours over a period of 9 months, which will begin on 6 October this year and will run until 7 June 2024. The reason for the presence is to promote, encourage and prioritise direct contact with the professionals who will give the training, as well as with colleagues, guaranteeing a horizontal flow of communication and opinions between teachers and students. Another reason why the face-to-face format is ideal for this training is because the programme includes visits to companies in the sector, with the aim of connecting with the reality of the industry. Furthermore, 10% of the 120 hours will be spent in the laboratory as a space for experimenting with what has been learnt in the classroom and for olfactory practice.

The main objective of this postgraduate course is to contribute to the training of present and future professionals in the Spanish perfume industry. The function is that these studies serve to acquire a knowledge base and serve as a boost and enhance their career. The postgraduate course also offers a 360º vision of the Spanish perfumery sector and industry, as well as an insight into its tradition and Spain's links in the field of perfumery, as it is the second largest exporter of perfumes in the world. Students will be able to obtain a complete x-ray of the current situation of the sector and have access to a series of tools that will allow them to anticipate certain scenarios.

The training programme has been co-created together with companies that are part of the Beauty Cluster and the teachers are professionals from the sector, who will provide students with real cases, experiences and will provide them with all the necessary knowledge for the field of perfumery. The competencies and skills that students will acquire once they have completed the 'Postgraduate in Perfumes and Fragrances' will be:

· Identify and select the different raw materials necessaries to the creation of perfumes, essences and fragrances.

· Know and mastering the standards and norms, the technicians of control of quality, the control organoleptic  and the chromatographic, as well as technical of authenticity.

· Make decisions as part of the technical team attendant of the development of a perfume.

· Be able to evaluate olfactorily a product of market and his performance into use of agreement to methods standardised of the industry.

· Participate in the process creative with orientation to the scents, from beginning to end.

· Collaborate with departments involved in the manufacture of scents: marketing, communication, sustainability and regulatory affairs.

· Explore the applications of the scents.

· Discover and express the wishes of the consumers.

· Anticipate the evolution of the market and keep updated in question of new trends, key players and operative professional profiles in the industry.

Once finalised and surpassed the course and purchased the previously appointed competitions, IQS will concede the 'Certificate of participation in the Postgraduate in Perfumes and Fragrances, Market and Applications', once the corresponding fees have been paid.

In addition, during the 9 months of the course, students will develop a final postgraduate project in which they will have to design a perfume. This project thus becomes the backbone of the programme and is an excellent pedagogical tool (learning by doing). Once evaluated by the programme's academic team, and if it meets the competition rules, the student will be given the opportunity to participate in the 'Moullette d'Argent International Contest' co-organised by Beauty Cluster and Ainea Parfums.