News Release
27 February 2007

Grenada, Tuesday, 27 February: Dr Charles R Modica, the Chancellor of St George’s University, Grenada, has described the University’s thirtieth anniversary mission as “reaching out to talented and ambitious students from developing countries and small states of the Commonwealth to enable them to reach their full potential – for their own benefit and for their own countries.

“We, at St Georges’s, want to help reverse the ‘brain drain’ of expertise and excellence which are so vitally needed in the developing world, particularly in Africa”, he said.

“Our own roots are in a developing country, Grenada, and we fully understand the economic pressures when well qualified graduates go on to pursue their careers in the United States or Europe”.

As part of this new strategy, two major initiatives have been announced by the University in recent months. The Commonwealth Grenada St George’s University Scholarship Programme provides 75 full tuition scholarships, covering both graduate and undergraduate degree programmes. These are offered to 25 students seeking a Master of Business Administration (MBA); 25 for Masters of Public Health; 10 for arts and science degrees; 10 studying veterinary medicine; and five in the School of Medicine.

The scholarships are being made available for all countries of the Commonwealth with preference being given to developing countries and small states, particularly for MBAs, MPHs and arts and science awards. The University, working with business organisations within the Commonwealth, will seek direct partnerships with private sector companies and foundations to help defray travel and accommodation expenses. In exchange for financial assistance, the scholars will be required to put their skills to good use on return to their home countries.

The first scholarships will be awarded for the August 2007 intake and the programme has received endorsement and support from Grenada’s Prime Minister, Keith Mitchell.

“Our mission also includes a commitment to improving standards of healthcare in developing countries”, said Chancellor Modica, “hence our ground breaking partnership with Northumbria University in the UK and the launch, last month, of the Global Scholars Programme”.

Through this programme, students will take the first year of the basic medical science phase of the St George’s Doctor of Medicine degree at Northumbria, before continuing their studies in Grenada and St Vincent.

“The programme is targeted at students from developing countries or students who want to pursue a medical career in a developing country”, said Dr Modica.

To encourage this process, St George’s is awarding a number of bursaries to deserving students from developing countries to take part in the Global Scholars Programme. Five students from Grenada, and four from St Vincent received bursaries and are involved in the initial pilot programme of over 50 students now studying at Northumbria.

“Similarly, the bursaries or scholarships awarded through this programme”, said Dr Modica, “will include a requirement for graduates to return and spend at least four years in their own, or other developing countries, to practice medicine. If they prefer not to do this, then the bursaries will be treated as loans and the money repaid will then be targeted at health projects in developing countries. St George’s will not receive one penny back of this money.

“Our vision”, he continued, “is to collaborate with other universities, in key areas of the world – like Northumbria – which share the same values and commitment to strengthening capacity in these critical areas in the developing world. With our combined resources, we should make a substantial difference”.

Notes:

St George’s University was founded as an independent school of medicine 30 years ago in Grenada. The University offers advanced degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine and arts and sciences and includes students and educators from more than 85 countries - many of these being Commonwealth countries. To date over 6,400 physicians have graduated from St George’s University School of Medicine alone. In the current academic year, more than 3,700 students are studying at the University - with enrolment last year showing a 52 per cent increase over 2001. St George’s is the only independent University in the Caribbean with an internationally recognised research foundation which allows the University to grant postgraduate masters degrees.

For further information contact:
Raitt Orr & Associates Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)20 7630 9778    Patrick Orr – [email protected]
Fax: +44 (0)20 7630 5067    Harriet Pearce Willis – [email protected]