News Centre

New partnership strengthens international links

02 March 2009

Dr Grant presented Dato’ Hassan with a commemorative plaque following the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement

The University has signed a Memorandum of Agreement which will help address a growing demand for pharmacists in Malaysia.

The new agreement between the Welsh School of Pharmacy and Taylor’s University College, Malaysia’s leading private college of higher education, will lead to the collaborative provision of pharmacy degree programmes based on the Cardiff curriculum.

Subject to seeking and securing approval from the relevant professional bodies, the first two years of the programme will be taught at Taylor’s. The final two years will see students either remain in Malaysia and graduate with an award from Taylor’s (Bachelor of Pharmacy, BPharm) or transfer to Wales and graduate with a Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) award from the University.

The BPharm students will follow a pathway based on the Cardiff programme but modified in the final two years to meet the requirements of the Malaysian Pharmacy Board. This timely collaboration addresses the need for more pharmacists in Malaysia as the country’s pharmacy practice is expanding at a rate which will require double the current number of pharmacists by 2010.

Vice-Chancellor Dr David Grant and Taylor University College’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Dato’ Dr Hassan Said sign the Memorandum of Agreement

In front of colleagues from both Universities this week, Vice-Chancellor Dr David Grant and Taylor’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Dato’ Dr Hassan Said formally signed the agreement.

Dr David Grant said: "This new partnership programme, drawing on Cardiff’s expertise, will provide a new generation of pharmacists who can help meet a growing demand for their profession in Malaysia."

Dato’ Hassan said: "At Taylor’s University College we place paramount importance on knowledge-sharing and so we look forward to facilitating an exchange of ideas and expertise with Cardiff University. This partnership will ensure that our pharmacy students receive qualifications that are internationally recognised."

Cardiff is a popular choice for Malaysian students with more than 300 students currently represented across a range of subjects including engineering, business, law, pharmacy, medicine, architecture and biosciences.

Professor Stephen Denyer, Head of the Welsh School of Pharmacy, said: "The Welsh School of Pharmacy is ranked at the top of the UK league tables for Pharmacy education. For many years the Cardiff degree has attracted well-qualified international students who, as graduates, go on to make major contributions to pharmacy in their home countries. We look forward to the development of a lasting partnership with Taylor’s for pharmacy education in Malaysia."