St George’s University, Grenada, In New Global Partnership To Target Developing Countries
January 13, 2007 – 9:31 pm | posted in Medical StudentsSt George’s University, based on the Caribbean island of Grenada, has launched a groundbreaking academic partnership to improve standards of healthcare in developing countries with Northumbria University in the UK. The two universities signed a memorandum of understanding at Northumbia University on Thursday, 11 January.
Under the new Global Scholars Programme, students will take the first year of the basic medical science phase of the St George’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at Northumbria.
The programme is targeted at students from developing countries or students who want to pursue a medical career in a developing country. A pilot programme involving 50 students will begin at Northumbria this month. It is expected that, by the autumn term, there will be 100-150 students per intake.
Dr Charles R. Modica, Chancellor of St George’s University, says: “This agreement is designed to enhance our commitment to international health delivery. We see this new programme as being particularly attractive to students who wish to be involved in improving standards of healthcare in developing countries. Northumbria University is an ideal partner in this important mission.”
A number of special bursaries will be awarded by St George’s to allow students to take up this opportunity, which will see students enrolled at both St George’s and in the School of Applied Sciences at Northumbria.
Professor Kel Fidler, Vice Chancellor of Northumbria University, says: “We are delighted to have signed this major agreement with St George’s which will see students taking their first medical science year at Northumbria.
“The students will continue their studies in Grenada or at another St George’s campus before clinical training at affiliated hospitals and clinical centres in the US, UK or the Caribbean and we believe this collaborative approach will enrich the experience for all the students.”
This new programme follows an agreement signed in 2005, under which students can be awarded a Certificate in Biomedical Science from Northumbria before moving on to complete an MD degree at St George’s. It is anticipated that many students who have completed this premedical year at Northumbria will move on to the Global Scholars Programme.
In recent months, St George’s has been looking to develop stronger ties with developing countries through the Commonwealth. In June 2006, a new Commonwealth Grenada St George’s University Scholarship Programme was announced to coincide with the 30th anniversary celebrations of St George’s, taking place this month. Seventy-five students from developing countries and small states within the Commonwealth can apply to have their tuition fees covered while studying for MBAs, MPHs (Masters of Public Health), Arts & Sciences courses, and in the Veterinary School and School of Medicine at St George’s. Over 6,400 students from 86 countries have graduated from St George’s University School of Medicine since it was founded in 1977.
Northumbria University has a long record in teaching Biomedical Sciences and is recognised by professional bodies as being one of the principal innovators in the field.
A joint affiliation committee will be established to work on future developments between the two universities.
The year at Northumbria will consist of the following St George’s Doctor of Medicine degree courses: anatomy, cell biology and histology, embryology, biochemistry, neuroscience, physiology, genetics, immunology, parasitology and clinical skills.
St George’s will work with Northumbria to develop an academic support programme at Northumbria identical to that in Grenada. The student support division at St George’s is one of the strengths of the St George’s programme.
St George’s University was founded as an independent school of medicine 30 years ago in Grenada. The University offers advanced degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine and arts and sciences and includes students and educators from more than 85 countries - many of these being Commonwealth countries. To date nearly 6,400 physicians have graduated from St George’s University School of Medicine alone. In the current academic year, more than 3,700 students are studying at the University - with enrolment last year showing a 52 per cent increase over 2001. St George’s is the only independent University in the Caribbean with an internationally recognised research foundation which allows the University to grant postgraduate masters degrees.
– St George’s University
– Northumbria University
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