Newcastle University Secures Funding for Dementia Research in Malaysia

Iskandar Puteri 19 July 2017 – Newcastle University has successfully secured funding from the UK Government’s Department of Health for research into dementia in Malaysia. Over RM10 million has been awarded to Newcastle University who are represented in Malaysia by NUMed (Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia) to help establish a global healthcare unit to tackle dementia. The funding is part of a UK government initiative to assist developing countries in the global endeavour for better health. The UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) led an open research competition for institutions to apply for funding for projects to help promote global health. The successfully funded Project entitled “Dementia Prevention and Enhanced Care (DEPEC), led in the UK, by Prof. Louise Robinson from the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, UK at Newcastle University will investigate current social, policy and service set ups for people with Dementia in Malaysia, Tanzania and India. The Malaysian study is led by NUMed’s Dean of Research, Michaela Goodson with colleagues Prof. Daniel Reidpath and Prof. Pascale Allotey from Monash University Malaysia and Dr Tan Maw Pin from University of Malaya. “We are delighted to have secured funding to help the fight of dementia in Malaysia. NUMed aims to support Malaysia’s aspiration to become a global healthcare player and this is a great example of us helping the nation achieve its goal. With age the biggest risk factor, Malaysia’s ageing population will likely see an increase in dementia so it is important for us to understand it more and the issues that surround it.” Prof. Roger Barton, CEO and Provost of NUMed, commented. The UK Government, as part of its Official Development Assistance, has pledged over £120 million to help developing countries improve the health of their populations through research funding to developing countries to tackle health, environmental, economic and social issues pertaining to those countries. Projects are encouraged to be interdisciplinary with impact, addressing as many relevant contributing factors to a problem as possible. Newcastle University and its Malaysian campus hope to achieve more of these prestigious awards in the next 5 years.

About NUMed

Newcastle University UK established an international branch campus in Johor, Malaysia, to provide its undergraduate degrees in Medicine (MB BS) and Biomedical Sciences (BSc) in 2011. Both programmes offer opportunities for periods of study in the UK. A one year Foundation Certificate in Biological and Biomedical Sciences is also available, the successful completion of which will lead to progression to the MB BS or BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences programme. All programmes of study are equivalent to those of Newcastle’s UK-based provision, and lead to the award of the same degrees. By choosing to study at NUMed Malaysia, students will obtain a reputable UK qualification, from an internationally recognized university, at a cost significantly less than that of studying in the UK.