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International Pharmaceutical Federation has launched the FIP-UNESCO UNITWIN Centre for Excellence in the Western Pacific Region. This is a network to advance research, training and curriculum development in pharmacy education in the Western Pacific.
The centre, a development of FIP’s partnership with the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) concerning the UNITWIN Network on Global Pharmacy Education Development, aims to promote an integrated system of pharmacy research, teaching and training, and community engagement and communication. Five universities from four of the 28 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific region (Australia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore) are founding members.
“Our goal is to improve the standard of pharmaceutical and pharmacy education across our diverse region through excellence, collaboration and innovation. We are confident that with motivation, hard work and the joint support of FIP and UNESCO, will make a lasting difference to the health of our patients from the Western Pacific Ocean to the South China Sea,” said Prof. Paul John Gallagher of the National University of Singapore, and the Lead of the new centre.
Guided by the FIP-UNITWIN regional roadmaps on pharmaceutical education and aligned with the FIP Development Goals, key anticipated outcomes of the new centre include a call to action on patient safety and patient safety tools, the launch of foundational and specialist development frameworks adapted for the region’s needs, and an intra-regional faculty exchange programme.
Dr Catherine Duggan, CEO, FIP said: “With this third FIP-UNESCO UNITWIN centre for excellence, we continue our work to advance the transformation of pharmaceutical education around the world. We understand that each region has diverse needs and systems and, by bringing together pharmacy education experts and resources, we aim to help pharmaceutical education institutions deliver a workforce able to meet needs. We encourage academic institutions from other countries in the region to join the centre.”
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