Seven medical students from the Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University are in Brunei Darussalam to participate in the 14th International Summer Medical School (ISMS) Programme at Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences (PAPRSB IHS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), according to a press release.
This year, PAPRSB IHS resumes its annual student exchange programme with Kagawa University after taking a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his welcoming address for the opening ceremony of the 14th ISMS Programme on Tuesday, Dean of PAPRSB IHS Professor Kenneth Yuh Yen Kok remarked that, “The return of ISMS marks a new chapter of collaboration, resilience and continued dedication to academic and cultural exchange”. He hoped that this programme can strengthen the bonds between the medical communities in Brunei and Japan. The three-week long programme offers participants an opportunity to experience student life in UBD, the culture and traditions of Brunei while creating international friendship and enhancing their communication skills.
This year also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the collaboration between UBD and Kagawa University. At the opening ceremony, UBD Vice-Chancellor Dr Hazri Haji Kifle highlighted the strong partnership and collaborative efforts between the two institutions in those two decades. “Our long-standing partnership with Kagawa University has been characterised by enriching student and staff exchanges, groundbreaking research collaborations and a shared commitment to advancing medical education and healthcare,” he said. “These initiatives have not only enhanced the academic and professional growth of our students and faculty but have also contributed significantly to the global medical community.”
Professor Kenji Wada, the Vice President of International Affairs at Kagawa University said that “UBD is one of the most significant partner universities of Kagawa University. Since the inception of our bidirectional exchange programme in 2005, the relationship between our institutions, particularly between the PAPRSB IHS at UBD and the Faculty of Medicine at Kagawa University, has flourished over the past 20 years.”
