Strengthening ties with GMU

Front row, from left: Prof Dr Lam Sau Kuen, Prof Boo, Prof Cheong, Prof Zhang, Assoc Prof Yang, Dr Shen Yanhua, Dr Guo Xiaoyun and Dr Mao Xingning
Back row, from left: Dr Wong Jun Leong, Prof Dr Swaminathan a/l S Manickam, Prof Dr John Paul Evangel Judson, Assoc Prof Dr Robert Chen, Assoc Prof Dr Thaw Zin, Dr Zhao Yang and Dr Jia Wenguang

A delegation from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) led by its Dean Emeritus Professor Dr Cheong Soon Keng visited Guangxi Medical University (GMU) in Nanning, Guangxi, China on 31 October 2018.

Also joining the delegation to promote further research cooperation as well as to discuss potential collaborations and exchanges under the “Belt and Road” initiative were Deputy Dean for Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes Emeritus Professor Dr Boo Nem Yun, Chairperson for Centre for Research on Non-Communicable Diseases Professor Dr John Paul Evangel Judson, Professor Dr Lam Sau Kuen, Professor Dr Swaminathan a/l S Manickam, Associate Professor Dr Robert Chen, Associate Professor Dr Thaw Zin and Dr Wong Jun Leong.

The delegates were cordially welcomed by Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges-cum-School of International Education Dean Prof Dr Zhang Haiying, her Deputy Director-cum-Vice Dean Associate Professor Dr Yang Haibo, and other GMU lecturers.

Introducing GMU’s history, the School of International Education backgrounds, the dual streams, namely English Medium and Chinese Medium, of GMU’s MBBS programmes, as well as the new policy and expectations towards overseas training programme for the local staff, Prof Zhang in her welcome remark also expressed GMU’s continued interest in sending their medical staff to UTAR for outbound learning experiences.

Prof Cheong welcomed the GMU lecturers to prolong their training duration with UTAR so as to improve their English communication skills in Medical education. He also encouraged both UTAR and GMU to promote staff and students exchanges.

Experience sharing session from lecturers who were previously trained with UTAR

During the experience sharing session, some GMU lecturers who previously attended trainings at UTAR also shared their post-training teaching experiences on the application and integration of the skills, technology, and methods learnt during their trainings.

The discussion also saw both parties studying and delving deeper on some of the challenges encountered during those training sessions. The discussion also touched on the directions and plans for further future collaborations between the UTAR FMHS and GMU.

GMU previously visited UTAR in 2015. In February of the same year, GMU sent 10 professors to UTAR for teachers’ training under the UTAR Centre for Extension Education. This paved the way for subsequent visits to UTAR for the English Teaching Skills Programme in the following years.

Read more about their training activities at UTAR:

Prof Zhang (right) presenting a souvenir to Prof Cheong