Tuesday 16 April 2019 9:33pm
Bilateral agreements have recently been signed with two international partners, which will result in new students studying at the University of Otago.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Otago and the Ministry of Higher Education of the Government of the Sultanate of Oman signed this month consolidates a long-standing relationship.
A second MOU signed between the University and Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission will increase the number of students taking part in an existing programme.
Present at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Consulate General of the Sultanate of Oman and the University of Otago were (from left) Dr Nadia Kasto, NZ Academic Advisor to the Consulate General of the Sultanate Oman; Professor Richard Cannon, Associate Dean (Research) Health Science Division and Director of the Sir John Walsh Research Institute; Dr Hamood Amur Al Wardi, the Consul General of Oman; Jason Cushen, Director of International; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Vernon Squire; Victoria McEniery, Regional Marketing Manager (South-East Asia), and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) Professor Paul Brunton. Photos: Sharron Bennett.
The Oman agreement makes provision for the Sultanate to sponsor a cohort of students annually to attend the Language Centre and Foundation Year before proceeding to study Health Sciences.
On completion of their qualifications, the Omani students will return to their home country and enter the workforce.
The Consul General of Oman, Dr Hamood Amur Al Wardi, visited the Dunedin campus to sign the agreement with Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Vernon Squire. During his visit, he meet with a group of current Omani students on campus.
Director of International at Otago, Jason Cushen, says the University has a long-standing relationship with the Sultanate of Oman, and well over 100 scholarship students have undertaken study here in recent years.
“We currently have 54 Omani students (scholarship and private funded) at Otago, mostly studying in the Health Sciences,” he says.
“The Omani Government is one of our most significant partners in the Middle East and we are delighted to be able to formalise the relationship with this agreement.”
A week later, Professor Squire signed an agreement with Dr Amporn Pinasa, the Deputy Secretary-General of Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission, to establish a five-year programme to provide teacher professional development and English language training by the Language Centre and Foundation Year and the College of Education.
Dr Amporn Pinasa, Deputy Secretary-General of OBEC, and Otago’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Vernon Squire sign a memorandum of understanding recently..
Since 2016 the Centre has been delivering English Language programmes in Thailand to English Language teachers of 14 elite Thai high schools which specialise in maths and science. The programme is the longest running and largest by number (700-plus teachers) of any New Zealand institution in Thailand.
The MOU will increase the scope and size of the programme.
Mr Cushen says the opportunity to increase Otago’s presence in Thailand is an important step in expanding the University’s presence in South East Asia.
“What is particularly pleasing is that this new agreement has been developed following a visit to Otago by Thai government delegates in November 2018 who were impressed by the campus and our English language and education programmes,” he says.