Kuala Lumpur, 20 September 2018 – The International Medical University (IMU) today signed a historical Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) whereby IMU’s Foundation in Science (FiS) will now be recognised at NUI Galway. This allows FiS students who have successfully completed their programme in IMU to be admitted as students in NUI Galway for the completion of their undergraduate programme leading to relevant degree or qualification by the Irish institution. This Academic Cooperation Agreement is IMU’s first formal link with an international university to accept IMU students directly into their undergraduate programmes. Aside from the academic cooperation, the MoU will broaden the scope of academic relationship between IMU and NUI Galway in addition to developing potential research and development links. Ranked among the top one per cent of universities in the world, NUI Galway has been an IMU partner in the medical programme since 1992.
Today’s MoU was signed by Prof Peter Pook, IMU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, and Anna Cunningham, Director, International Affairs Office of NUI Galway. It was witnessed by Richard Bruton, Ireland’s Minister for Education and Skills, Eamon Hickey, Irish Ambassador to Malaysia, Prof Toh Chooi Gait, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategic Development & International, and Dr James Edward Walsh, Head, Centre of Pre-University Studies, IMU.
“The signing of this MoU with NUI Galway will greatly enhance the academic pathways available to IMU Foundation in Science students and provide us with the first official partner recognition of the programme for direct entry to international undergraduate courses,” says Dr James Edward Walsh, Head, Centre of Pre-University Studies, IMU.
“NUI Galway is delighted to deepen its long-standing partnership with IMU. For over 25 years, we have enrolled high-calibre students from IMU onto our Medical programme and this MoU provides us with scope to expand our offering to IMU’s Science students,” says Anna Cunningham, Director, International Affairs Office at NUI Galway. In total, there are nine academic health sciences programmes available at NUI Galway for IMU’s students – Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Biopharmaceutical Chemistry, Bachelor of Biotechnology, Bachelor of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Bachelor of Environmental Health and Safety, Bachelor of Environmental Science, Bachelor of Marine Science, and Bachelor of Science (Physics Options). A minimum CGPA of 3.8 is required to be accepted into any of these NUI Galway’s academic programmes.
The agreement now expands the range of healthcare and other courses available to IMU’s FiS students, particularly in academic areas that are currently not in IMU. Students under this special agreement will also benefit in terms of work experience upon graduation. Healthcare jobs are highly in demand in Ireland and Europe, particularly those related to the nine health sciences programmes IMU’s students can apply for at NUI Galway. Graduates from these programmes will be allowed to continue their stay in Ireland and work as part of their student visa eligibility. In addition to that, industrial placement forms part of selected NUI Galway courses. With numerous pathways to opportunities for employment available for IMU’s students, they will not only gain valuable work experience in Ireland’s first-class healthcare industry but also develop the essential skills to be more work-ready, which will prove to be an advantage when they return to Malaysia as truly qualified global healthcare professionals.
“The advent of this MoU provides IMU Foundation students with direct access to international undergraduate programmes that have industry-based placements followed by an over 90 per cent success rate in direct employment in relevant sectors, in line with IMU’s mission to develop work-ready talent in healthcare,” says Dr Walsh.
The international academic partnership with NUI Galway also adds tremendous value to IMU’s FiS programme – students enrolled in the programme now have additional international undergraduate pathways to choose from and can apply for admission to NUI Galway directly, making the process easier. Along with similar existing partnerships with other international institutions, this agreement further confirms the superior education that students get from IMU’s internationally recognised FiS curriculum, demonstrating the defining quality behind the IMU brand. It is IMU’s commitment as a leading private medical and healthcare university to have a hand in shaping the nation’s future of human capital development for the healthcare industry. Through this partnership and with more to come, IMU continues to nurture world-class talent who will receive the best of healthcare education right at the beginning of their journey with IMU. Close international partnerships like this one also ensure that IMU stays relevant with important healthcare trends and issues.
