University of Sydney selected to boost Saudi health sciences

20 June 2005

The government of Saudi Arabia has chosen the University of Sydney to train the next generation of Saudi doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals.


The University of Sydney has concluded a high level agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia in which Saudi students will be selected to come to Sydney specifically to study in the Health Sciences, before returning as part of a concerted program to help boost the manpower development and overall improvement of the health sciences in Saudi Arabia.

This unique agreement follows a series of high level negotiations between officials of the Saudi Ministries of Health and Higher Education with Professor Gavin Brown, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney and Professor Andrew Coats, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

Vice-Chancellor Brown and Professor Coats traveled to Riyadh earlier this year to conclude the negotiations with the Saudi government.

“This is a major acknowledgement of the University of Sydney’s international reputation and in particular for the excellence of our health sciences program,” said Professor Gavin Brown, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney.

Under this innovative program 60 talented Saudi students will come to the University of Sydney on full scholarships each year to undertake study in a range of degrees in the Health Sciences and Science.

Each student, fully funded by the Saudi government, is expected to spend between five and seven years at the University of Sydney. During that period they will receive specialist English language tuition, progress through a Foundation program and then undertake a choice of Bachelor degrees in Science or
the Health Sciences before progressing to graduate entry or masters degree program.

“One of the main reasons we were chosen by the Saudi government was the strength of our teaching support and our reputation for rigorous assessment of all our students,” Professor Brown said.

The University’s Centre for English Teaching will test all students for English proficiency as well as arranging an orientation program and homestay accommodation for an initial six months. Students will spend a year in a Foundation program, before undertaking a Bachelor degree in the Faculty of Health Sciences or Science. Eligible students will be able to choose between Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing or other Health Science degrees.

The University of Sydney will provide mentors who will be specifically assigned to assist the students and monitor their progress. The first intake of Saudi students will commence in August 2005.

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