Accredited chemistry courses
INTERNATIONAL Medical University (IMU) has joined a prestigious group of universities to gain international recognition from the Royal Society of Chemistry for accreditation of their BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Master of Science in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (MAPC) courses. These courses underwent a rigorous process to be accredited by the global professional body.
They were assessed by three independent peer reviewers – leading academics at accredited universities – and have satisfied all 16 key requirements in categories including breadth and depth of knowledge, practical skills, research, professional skills and more.
Dr Alice Barker, accreditation development specialist at the Royal Society of Chemistry explains, “We require accredited courses to reach a high standard in all areas.
“The professional skills requirement includes transferable skills such as communication, problemsolving and teamwork, while the practical skills requirement must cover a range of different types of experiments across the breadth of the subject.
“Chemistry is a practical subject, so this hands-on experience is essential in preparing students for the working world.”
Students and staff will now qualify for a range of benefits, including access to a series of webinars and an opportunity for students to apply for the International Student Research Bursary. They can also become members of the Royal Society of Chemistry at a reduced rate, which gives access to networks, publications, careers support and more.
Dr Robert Parker, chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry says, “Our accreditation programme is something we are very proud of. IMU has passed a series of rigorous requirements to have their chemistry courses accredited, and I extend my warmest congratulations to everyone involved.
“Getting accredited is just the start of an ongoing relationship, and we look forward to working closely with IMU to continuously develop their course, for the benefit of students and the chemistry community as a whole,” he added.
The Pharmaceutical Chemistry degree, launched in 2008, is completed in three years, and is undertaken entirely at IMU. It is the first programme in Malaysia to provide comprehensive and specialised training in pharmaceutical chemistry.
The curriculum begins with foundation sciences and extends to applied knowledge and skills associated with drug development. Research and workplace learning/ internship are essential components. Graduates may undertake the graduate entry Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) programmes at the University of Sydney or Curtin University with exemptions from some units in these programmes. These Australian qualifications qualify for pharmacist registration training in Australia and Singapore, but not in Malaysia. Royal Society of Chemistry The Royal Society of Chemistry works to advance excellence in the chemical sciences. With over 54,000 members and a knowledge business that spans the globe, it is the UK’s professional body for chemical scientists; a not-for-profit organisation with 177 years of history and an international vision for the future. The Royal Society of Chemistry promotes, supports and celebrates chemistry. It works to shape the future of the chemical sciences – for the benefit of science and humanity.
To find out more about Royal Society of Chemistry accreditation, log on to rsc.li/international-accreditation
■ For more details, refer to www.imu.edu.my, email start@imu.edu.my or call IMU at 03-2731 7272.