GMU Signs MoU with Washington State University for Cooperation in Academia, Training & Research
Ajman: The College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Washington State University (WSU), USA, to promote mutual cooperation in the areas of academia, training and research.
The MoU was signed at Gulf Medical University on 22nd September 2019 by Prof. Hossam Hamdy, the Chancellor of GMU and Dr. Sherief Khalifa, the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, representing Gulf Medical University and Linda Garrelts MacLean, Interim Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dr. Asif Chaudhry, Vice President for International Programs, representing WSU.
According to the agreement, GMU and WSU will cooperate to develop joint educational and research activities, student and faculty exchanges, information sharing and practical training.
Prof. Hossam Hamdy, the Chancellor of GMU stated, “This MoU marks the beginning of GMU’s long-term partnership with WSU in several mutually beneficial areas, with the shared objective of improving the quality of education and research. This partnership is in line with GMU’s strategic vision to be a leading international academic healthcare institution through the integration of quality health professions education, research, healthcare and social accountability for sustainable community development.”
Prof. Sherief Khalifa, the Dean of the College of Pharmacy commented, “This is a unique collaboration that is expected to result in a state of the art drug information service in Thumbay University Hospital. The service will be run by licensed pharmacists who are academicians in the College of pharmacy at GMU and in continuous consultation with drug information experts from WSU. The Center for Drug Information and Evidence Based Practice will serve to enhance clinical pharmacy services in Thumbay hospitals, clinics and pharmacies and will a provide an excellent training opportunity for our PharmD students at GMU.”
With 6 colleges and 26 accredited programs, GMU is a leading medical university of the Middle East region. The Gulf Medical University Academic Health System is the first of its kind in the region’s private sector. GMU enjoys a robust collaboration with 60+ prestigious universities around the world, including the University of Arizona, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee - USA, University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy in Connecticut, Tokyo Medical Dental University, etc. GMU receives students from more than 80 countries as its reputation and image goes beyond the region.
The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program offered by the College of Pharmacy, GMU, has been recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), making it the first internationally certified entry-to-practice PharmD program in UAE. The PharmD program is fully accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Education, UAE. GMU PharmD students are the only graduates eligible to take the pharmacist license examination right after graduation. The success rate in pharmacist licensure examination in UAE by GMU PharmD students is 100% in the first attempt.
Founded in 1890, Washington State is a public research university in Pullman, Washington. It is one of the oldest land-grant universities in the American West and features programs in a broad range of academic disciplines. It is the second largest institution of higher education in Washington.
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Budget allocation to AYUSH Ministry sees 20% rise
New Delhi (PTI): Budget allocation for the AYUSH ministry saw 20 per cent increase, from Rs 3,671.82 crore (revised estimates) in FY 2025-26 to Rs 4,408.93 crore in FY 2026-27.
The government has also announced the setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda to strengthen research in the field.
Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Ancient Indian Yoga, already respected in several parts of the world, was given a mass global recognition when the Prime Minister took it to the United Nations."
Stating that post-Covid Ayurveda has gained similar global acceptance and recognition, Sitharaman said exporting quality Ayurvedic products could help farmers who grow the herbs and the youth who process them.
To meet the global demand, she proposed setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda, upgrading AYUSH pharmacies and drug-testing labs for higher standards of certification ecosystem, making available more skilled personnel, and upgrading the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar to bolster evidence-based research, training and awareness on traditional medicine.
Among the Centrally sponsored schemes, the allocation for the National AYUSH Mission has been increased from Rs 780.96 crore in FY 2025-26 to Rs 1,300 crore in FY 2026-27, registering 66.5 per cent hike.
The allocation for the All India Institute of Ayurveda has been reduced by 12 per cent.
Funding for the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda has also declined from 279.24 crore to 219.05 crore.
