Sheba Partners with U of London and the U of Nicosia to Launch International Medical Degree Program in Cyprus
TEL HASHOMER, Israel, December 14, 2010 - A major initiative for medical education in the eastern Mediterranean has been launched with the support of the Sheba Medical Center.
St. George's, University of London, one of the leading medical schools in the United Kingdom, has joined forces with the Sheba Medical Center (at Tel Hashomer in Israel) and the University of Nicosia (the largest private university in Cyprus), to offer an international medical program in Cyprus starting in September 2011.
The new medical degree program is expected to attract students from all EU countries, including Cyprus, Israel and Greece, as well as Russia, the United States and Canada.
Students successfully completing the 4-year graduate-entry MBBS (Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery) program will earn a medical degree from St George's that is recognised worldwide. They will follow the innovative curriculum developed by St. George's - an English-language program - and will have access to the e-learning medical education resources available to students in London. At the same time, they will enjoy the full privileges and state-of-the-art facilities and resources provided by the University of Nicosia and by Sheba.
The Sheba Medical Center is a full partner in this initiative. Sheba will provide teaching faculty for the pre-clinical study portion of the medical degree program, and clinical clerkships in Israel for the clinical portion.
The three institutions celebrated and announced their partnership at a meeting in Nicosia last week (Dec. 9, 2010).
From left: Prof. Shlomo Noy, VP for R&D at Sheba, Prof. Andreas Charalambous, Executive Dean of the new medical degree program at the University of Nicosia, and Prof. Zeev Rotstein, CEO of Sheba (Nicosia, Dec. 9, 2010)
"The Sheba Medical Center is delighted to be a partner in this project," says its CEO, Prof. Zeev Rotstein. "Sheba is an international centre of excellence for medical care, research and training, with long standing ties with Cyprus. Beyond excellent doctors, this program will produce caring and ethical professionals who will serve as ambassadors for cooperation and goodwill in their communities and beyond."
The new EU-wide program in Cyprus in which Sheba is involved is not Sheba's first international medical educational program. The Sheba Medical Center also teaches students from New York as part of the international medical program at Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine.
"This alliance combines the strengths of both universities," Professor Peter Kopelman, Principal of St. George's, explains. "St. George's is justifiably proud of its distinctiveness as a health sciences university in the United Kingdom that is recognised globally for its innovation and excellence in medical undergraduate training. We take great pride in working with the University of Nicosia and with Sheba in Israel to provide the first undergraduate medical training program in Cyprus."
Nicos Peristianis, President of the Council of the University of Nicosia, says: "This is a significant development for higher education in Cyprus - in line with the European Union's policy to encourage cooperation between European universities, but also in line with the Republic of Cyprus' policy of turning the country in an educational hub for the region."
Further details about the new program at the University of Nicosia can be found at www.nicosia.sgul.ac.cy
Contact:
- Prof. Shlomo Noy, VP for R&D and Academic Affairs, 052-666-6500
- Amir Marom, Spokesman, 052-666-6090
