Omani Army Medics sign nursing contract with GCU

Medics from Omani Armed Forces Medical Services School in the Middle East travelled to Scotland to sign a prestigious nursing education contract with world-leading experts at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) aimed at boosting its accreditation rankings.

As Scotland’s University for the Common Good, GCU has many international partnerships with universities and colleges around the world including India, China and Brazil. GCU has been working with partner institution Caledonian College of Engineering in Oman for almost 20 years.

GCU School of Health and Life Sciences Associate Dean International Dr Sharron Blumenthal and Dr Gordon Hill, Senior Lecturer (International), welcomed Dr Sulaiman Al Mawli, who completed his medical training in Glasgow, and his colleagues Hilal Al Shidhani and Zahra Al Shaidhani to the campus.

Dr Hill said: “We are delighted to be working with the Omani Armed Forces Medical Services School on this innovative project. They were drawn to our University because of the reputation of our nursing programmes. Dr Sulaimin Al Mawli also has links to Glasgow as he medically trained in the city.

“Building on the excellent international reputation of the School of Health and Life Sciences, and the award-winning Caledonian College of Engineering in Oman, this project will be the first step in a wider collaborative relationship with our new Omani partners.

“We are honoured to host Dr Sulaiman Al Mawli and his colleagues to sign the memorandum of understanding to cement our partnership.”

Omani Armed Forces Medical Services School already run a self-developed nursing diploma but to have the diploma accredited by GCU would allow the course to be benchmarked on international standards and enhance their reputation.

Dr Sulaimin Al Mawli said: “GCU has a worldwide reputation for its nursing education and their leadership in this field is something we want to introduce to Oman. There is both a service need and an education need for it and we’re looking forward to developing our partnership with GCU.”

The Omani visitors also met the Dean School of Health and Life Sciences, Professor Andrea Nelson, and Dr Jacqueline McCallum, Head of Department of Nursing and Community Health, and were given a tour of the University campus and GCU’s world-class Inter-professional Simulation Centre nursing education centre.

The Armed Forces Medical Services School offers Radiography and ophthalmic technician programmes and were also keen to meet Professor Gunter Loffler, Head of GCU’s Vision Centre for Excellence in Eyecare and Health, and speak to lecturer Sarah Guthrie in Diagnostic Imaging.

The Omani Armed Forces Medical Services School Nursing Diploma will go through a credit rating process before it can be accredited by GCU and have its international standards rubber stamped.