Malaysia - Razak hopes medical school halts "brain drain"

It is hoped the newly-opened Perdana University, collaboration with two renowned international medical universities, will prevent a brain drain of top medical graduates.

"I hope the chance to study the best medical curriculum in the world will encourage more of our country's top graduates to stay at home," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Perdana University is a joint effort with the Johns Hopkins University and the Royal College of Surgeons.

It will be the first teaching medical school for the country.

He said the collaboration with the world renowned US and Irish medical universities would help establish the university as a world-class education research healthcare hub.

"This new university, a far-sighted collaboration between the Government's Public-Private Unit and the corporate sector, is something of a landmark for Malaysia," Najib said when officiating at the university on Monday

He also announced that the Government would provide a significant number of scholarships to Malaysians selected to pursue their medical training at the university.

The university saw the first intake of 30 medical students yesterday from Johns Hopkins, with another 75 students from the Royal College of Surgeons.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was installed as the university's first Chancellor.

Later, at a press conference, the university's chief executive Datuk Dr R. Mohanadas said the Public Service Department would provide scholarships to 50 percent of local students selected to study at the university.

"Some 90 percent of students will be locals," he said.

The RM2.5billion (US$824.3 million) university with its 600-bed hospital will be fully operational by 2014 and have 1,000 students.

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