PICOMS, AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY TO CONDUCT TWINNING PROGRAMME

PUTRAJAYA, June 1 (Bernama) -- The Pusrawi International College of Medical
Sciences (Picoms) will offer a medical degree via a twinning programme with
Egypt's famed Al-Azhar University.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom said under
the proposed arrangement, students would begin their medical studies with
pre-clinical courses at Picoms before moving on to Al-Azhar.

"The programme will begin in September with an initial intake of 100
students," he told reporters at the signing of a memorandum of agreement between
the two education institutions here today.

Present was Al-Azhar University president Prof Dr Usama Mohamed Hassan
Elabed. Picoms comes under the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council
(MAIWP).

Jamil Khir, who is MAIWP chairman, said the arrangement would contribute to
efforts to turn Malaysia into an education hub.

"It'll allow students from Asia to pursue medical studies in Malaysia before
continuing the programme in Al-Azhar," he said.

The programme will initially cover dentistry and medicine, and may be
expanded to include other fields in the future, he added.
-- BERNAMA