Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland opens its new Medical University of Bahrain

The MUB is targeted at providing medical education to students from within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is hoped to extend the intake to one hundred as the university develops and opens to applicants from outside the GCC region.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Kevin O'Malley, Founding President MUB said, " RCSI is honoured to be involved in this exciting new development, which serves to further enhance the 20- year-old relationship between the Government of Bahrain and the College. The establishment of MUB is the result of a very kind invitation by the Government of Bahrain to the RCSI to set up a centre for international medical education and training in the Kingdom."

The recently appointed Minister for Health, H.E.Dr. Nada Haffadh, who also spoke at the ceremony, congratulated RCSI and stressed the benefits that will accrue to the region through the establishment of the Medical University in Bahrain.

The multi-million dollar university campus will be purpose built on a site provided by the Government of Bahrain. The state of the art facility will be constructed immediately adjacent to the planned new King Hamed General Hospital, which is to be the university's main teaching hospital.

Professor Kevin O'Malley, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer of the RCSI in Dublin and Founding President of the MUB will head the new initiative.

Welcoming the challenge Prof O'Malley said, "The juxtaposition of the MUB beside the hospital will maximise the learning experience and provide for an excellent interaction between both facilities. The students will also have access to the various hospitals and health centres run by the Bahraini Ministry of Health due to the support and encouragement we have received from the Prime Minister and his Ministries of Health and Education".

As a constituent university of the RCSI, the MUB will be owned and run by the RCSI and will initially offer a six year degree programme in Medicine with additional courses such as Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Nursing and other health related professions to be added as the project develops.

The University will be included in the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s Directory of Medical Schools and its graduates will be conferred with a world recognised Medical Degree. The school curriculum has been developed by the RCSI, a world-renowned medical college with over 200 years of experience in training doctors, and will be delivered to the standards of the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME).

As Founding President Prof O'Malley said it was very important for the RCSI to make a success of the project. "We have an obligation to the Government of Bahrain and indeed to the local community to make it a success and are committed to doing so. We hope to make a significant contribution to healthcare delivery in the GCC region and beyond through education and training and are looking forward to the challenge with the help of the Government of Bahrain and the RCSI."