SOP establishes collaborative agreement with University of Kufa
VCU School of Pharmacy has established a collaborative relationship with the University of Kufa in Najaf, Iraq. The University of Kufa was founded in 1987. Its College of Pharmacy, which opened in 1999, offers a five-year B.Sc. degree in pharmacy sciences.
Last spring, Kufa College of Pharmacy faculty member Sarmad Al-Edresi contacted the VCU School of Pharmacy on behalf of his dean. His letter said the college would like to establish a bridge between Kufa and VCU for “scientific and cultural benefits.” Kufa hoped to send a delegation in mid-May to discuss the possibilities.
The concept of a collaboration was approved following the initial meeting in May. A delegation of six Kufa faculty, including Dean Shakir Shnawa Saleh, met with the SOP’s Dean Victor Yanchick; department chairmen Don Brophy, Peter Byron and Richard A. Glennon; and Susanna Wu-Pong, director of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Programs.
“They mainly were interested in help with their pharmacy curriculum, and they want to create a graduate program,” said Wu-Pong. Kufa also would like assistance with curriculum content and research, she said, and faculty would appreciate help with manuscripts they’ve written as well as the opportunity to visit the SOP to observe and/or work on research or curriculum development here.
Departments within the Kufa College of Pharmacy are Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Medicine and Toxicology; Clinical Pharmacy; Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy; and Analytical Science.
An agreement was drawn up, revisions were made and the collaborative document was signed in November by the University of Kufa College of Pharmacy and VCU School of Pharmacy.
“They were very nice, very motivated,” said Wu-Pong.
“We’re pleased to have this relationship established,” said Yanchick. “We look forward to working with the faculty and students at Kufa.”
For more about the University of Kufa, click here.
Categories archive