MSc in Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise

Business School for Bioscientists: a novel integrated curriculum that teaches the parts of business and management that are most relevant for applying science to real-world problems.

Programme structure

The UCL Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise MSc is run jointly by UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, UCL School of Management and UCL School of Pharmacy. You’ll learn from each of these world-leading departments about how scientific knowledge can be turned into new social and economic value, to make a real-world difference. This is one of the first degrees of its kind worldwide to offer business education specifically for scientists.

Turning science into useful innovation means that scientists need to understand the language of business, such that they can interrogate the science for potential value and translate that potential into the valuation frameworks used by industry and global institutions. Bioscience innovation is often a long journey. It needs patient funding, from a wide spectrum of public sector and commercial funders. It often gets implemented in dynamic market sectors, complex health systems and under strong regulatory controls.

From the start, you will be taught by translational scientists and business people who have successfully navigated the science-business interface to create new value from ideas. UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology, the home department for this degree, is linked to Moorfields Eye Hospital. This is ranked as the leading university-research collaboration in a speciality area.

Eye scientists study everything from cell biology, genetics, digital health, artificial intelligence, and imaging, to global health and are renowned for their innovation and translational expertise. UCL School of Management is a fast-growing business school department with specialities in innovation, entrepreneurship and analytics. UCL School of Pharmacy has a long-established reputation for industry partnering and spinouts.

You’ll find yourself amongst like-minded students with a science background who share a purpose to drive innovation into a successful enterprise. Our students come from a variety of countries, and from many different scientific and medical backgrounds, but they all share ideals of how business education can empower scientists.

Using UCL’s network and reputation is also a starting point to access London’s entrepreneurial bioscience ecosystem. UCL Innovation & Enterprise runs events, incubation facilities and training programmes for emerging entrepreneurs. The university is closely connected to the Crick Institute, the clinical excellence of Moorfields Eye Hospital, the Wellcome Trust and MedCity in London.

Why study at UCL?

• In biomedical and health sciences, UCL is 1st in Europe for papers in the top 5% of their field by citation rate (2015-2018, CWTS Leiden Ranking 2020).
• UCL is ranked 8th in the world (QS 2023).
• The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is ranked the best place in the world to study ophthalmology (CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017).
• UCL hosts more UKRI Future Leader Fellowships than any other UK university, with three academics at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology receiving the prestigious fellowships over the last three years.
• Our longstanding partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital represents the largest co-located site for eye research, education and care in the world.
• As a student, you will have access to innovative facilities, connections to a growing network of peers, and support from highly experienced and professional tutors.

The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is world-leading for research and teaching in ophthalmology and biomedical science. We deliver advanced ophthalmic research and education in partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital.

At the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO), we have a long-standing partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital. Together, we represent the largest co-located site for eye research, education and care in the world.

We offer a range of programs and short courses designed to help you advance your career in eye care, as well as a Bioscience Entrepreneurship MSc aimed at life science graduates looking to learn about the business of biotech.

Our Mission

To deliver research and education in vision and eye disease to benefit sight and society in the UK and worldwide.

Our mission is to promote and expand the unique eye research and education that we provide, and to take that from our labs to patients and the rest of society. We aim to establish collaborative networks across England to harness the strength of the knowledge and research base across the country. Our close partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital means that we can realise this vision, ‘from bench to bedside’ in a seamless way, where the research is also aimed at clinical applications and where clinical requirements shape the research. Thanks to this strategic partnership, we offer a number of joint degree programs. For our students, this means access to innovative facilities, connection to a growing network of peers, and support from highly experienced and professional tutors.

Our Vision

We work to bring out our translational research to generate better therapies, diagnostics and knowledge of eye care.

We do this by:

• Leading globally in Fundamental Research
• Producing high-impact research for society and patients
• Fostering inclusivity, enterprise and innovation
• Equipping students with knowledge, skills and boldness to succeed

Our Core Values

• Collaboration
• Inspiration
• Integrity
• Support
• Opportunity

Why study with us?

The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology offers a research and teaching environment ranked as world-leading and is home to the largest co-located site for eye research, education and care in the world.

Academic excellence

• The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is ranked the best place in the world to study ophthalmology (CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017)
• In biomedical and health sciences, UCL is 1st in Europe for papers in the top 5% of their field by citation rate (2017-2020, CWTS Leiden Ranking 2022)
• UCL hosts more UKRI Future Leader Fellowships than any other UK university, with three academics at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology receiving the prestigious fellowships over the last three years