A voyage of discovery with the SHE Collaborates team

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“We have literally built the programme together“ says Geraldine Beaujean

On 14 September, the English-language medicine programme at Católica Medical School in Portugal officially started with its first batch of 50 students. This programme is based on the Maastricht model and was developed in close collaboration with a large group of colleagues from SHE Collaborates.

For the past four years, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), with guidance from SHE Collaborates, has been preparing to open the first international, problem-based and private medical school in Portugal. “We are justifiably proud of this achievement and of our role as educational innovators, knowledge-sharers, partners and trainers in this collaboration”, says Geraldine Beaujean, director of SHE Collaborates. “We have literally built the programme together—not only the content of the programme and its accreditation, but also the realisation of the buildings and the educational training of the Portuguese staff. The start of the programme is not only innovative and promising for UCP, students and staff, but also for health education and healthcare in Portugal in general.”

“With the start of the programme, the project with UCP has now become very concrete and tangible and it offers opportunities for FHML/MUMC+ in terms of innovation, education and research in a European context. We are going to discover even more possibilities within this collaboration, both in Portugal and in Maastricht, as well as with other SHE Collaborates projects, for example, in Brazil and Mozambique” hopes Geraldine Beaujean.

The collaboration with Maastricht University will continue for at least six years, until after the first batch has graduated in 2027. The festive opening ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of Portugal, the Dutch Ambassador and other ministers and dignitaries—and of course, by a very proud Geraldine Beaujean and her team.

More information can be found on the website of Católica Medical School

Congratulations to Geraldine and her team on this great achievement. More information on the work of SHE Collaborates, or want to get in touch read more on our website