A report revealed that to deliver the best pharmaceutical services to the population, Malaysia ideally requires one pharmacist per 1,200 persons or one pharmacist for every three medical doctors. In support of the nation's efforts to increase the number of pharmacists to 15,760 by 2025, the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) is introducing a 4-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) degree programme, or BPharm for short.
The University of Nottingham, UK (UoN) Head of the School of Pharmacy, Professor Barrie Kellam said, "The University of Nottingham is committed to providing a stimulating, exciting and high-quality research-informed teaching environment that will educate and inspire the pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, and biomedical scientists of tomorrow." He added that the University hopes to nurture future industry experts who will one day discover and develop new medicines, technologies, and devices to contribute to patient-centred healthcare.
"UNM strives to produce global thinkers and changemakers. Our existing Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) programme, accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in Great Britain, has been very successful. We hope that the newly added BPharm programme will also help to further our mission to produce high-quality, competent pharmacists," shared Professor Kang Nee Ting, Head of the School of Pharmacy at UNM.
"Through this, we hope to advance the capabilities of our future pharmacists as well as the school's national and global reputation," she said.
As part of the curriculum, final-year students will have the unique opportunity to run their own pharmacies through a simulated pharmacy module on campus, further elevating their capabilities and professional know-how. Graduates will benefit from extended placements in Malaysia's pharmaceutical industry and its community pharmacies, allowing the development of a network providing prospects for their future careers. During the programme, they'll also have the opportunity to travel to the UK campus for their research projects.
"UNM's BPharm students will benefit from the best of UK and Malaysian pharmaceutical knowledge through integrated modules that combines scientific study themes with practice and professionalism," shared UNM BPharm Programme Director, School of Pharmacy, Associate Professor Dr Bee Yean Low.
An alumni event celebrating over a decade of UNM's Biomed-Pharm education excellence was held in Semenyih to announce the BPharm programme.
UNM's School of Pharmacy was established in 2005 and has since educated over 1000 students. As of 2022, the University ranks fifth in the world for pharmacy and pharmacology, according to the 2022 QS World Rankings.
The introduction of the BPharm programme follows the success of UNM's Master of Pharmacy (MPharm), Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, and Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences degree programmes. BPharm registration opens in September 2023 with applications now open.
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For media enquiries please contact: Kung Suan Lay, Marketing Director University of Nottingham Malaysia at SuanLay.Kung@nottingham.edu.my
Note to editors: The University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) offers a distinctly British education in an Asian setting with a legacy as the first overseas campus of a UK university to be established globally. UNM is recognised for its excellence in teaching and learning, as well as the outstanding student experience offered on its 118-acre campus just an hour south of the KL city-centre. UNM's extensive and diverse research community develops solutions that tackle key global challenges in the areas of food, health, the environment, sustainability, and socio-economic issues within the ASEAN region. The University of Nottingham is ranked 114th from over 1,500 institutions around the globe by theQS World University Rankings 2023 and is rated 5 Star (Excellent) in the SETARA rating system by the Government of Malaysia. Established in 2000, UNM has about 4,500 students from over 75 countries with 15,000 alumni working with the world’s top 100 global brands.
Posted on 16th February 2023