Monash medical and pharmacy courses to be taught in UAE

21 December 2004

The prestigious Sharjah University in the United Arab Emirates will collaborate with Monash University to develop medicine and pharmacy degrees in Sharjah.

Monash University Dean of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Professor Edward Byrne and Dean of Pharmacy Professor Colin Chapman will sign the Memorandum of Understanding in Sharjah tomorrow during the official opening ceremony of the university's new medical facility.

The Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi approached Monash University to collaborate in the development of a Sharjah curriculum in pharmacy and medicine and to help establish the degrees in time for current pre-medicine students to begin studies in September next year.

As part of the agreement Monash will provide its medicine and pharmacy curriculum and course material for use in the medical and pharmacy colleges at Sharjah and will help recruit senior staff and design and staff a new teaching hospital.

Professor Byrne said Monash was delighted to be entering into a partnership with Sharjah University, particularly as the Ruler aimed to make Sharjah the leading state in the Gulf in cultural and educational activity.

"This is an opportunity for Monash to be a part of an exciting project which will help build a significant relationship between Australia and a stable, moderate and friendly part of the Middle East," he said.

"It will also help to increase Monash's profile throughout the Middle East."

Sharjah is the third largest of the seven emirates in the UAE and prides itself on being the educational and cultural capital. The University of Sharjah, established in 1997, is a not-for-profit university with about 5000 undergraduate students in eight colleges.

For further information, contact Diane Squires in the Media Communications office on (03) 9905 5828.