Harvard Medical School and Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) announced they will form a joint venture in medical education and training, quality assurance, knowledge management, research and strategic planning.

Harvard Medical School's international division, Harvard Medical International (HMI), announced the deal with the DHCC in the presence of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

The joint venture will be planned during the next six months.

It will enable the creation of several Harvard Medical School Education Centres in DHCC.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Board, Dubai Development and Investment Authority, said: "This joint venture is a milestone for Dubai Healthcare City to provide state-of-the-art medical education services and to implement internationally renowned health system quality and research standards.

"It is committed to fulfilling the vision of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, UAE Defence Minister and President of the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, to establish a unique regional medical education campus in Dubai Healthcare City which will eventually become a globally acknowledged location of choice for healthcare.

"The commitment of Harvard Medical School is a big step towards making the UAE home to a centre of excellence for medical education.

"It is envisioned that the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training will be established through a residency programme including practical training and theoretical courses."

The Postgraduate Medical Education Programme will start in 2005 in selected medical specialty areas, i.e. cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics and gastroenterology.

The programme leverages the new hospitals being constructed in DHCC and eventually existing hospitals in Dubai and the UAE if these meet the required quality standards. The Harvard Postgraduate Medical Education Centre will train physicians from medical schools and colleges in the region and internationally," added Al Gergawi.

"Continuing medical education is an essential part of any medical community to ensure that patients have high standards of medical care.

"The fast pace of change in medical technology means that practising physicians need ongoing education and training to stay informed about new methodologies and processes, new clinical research results, new advances in treatment technologies and new consumer medicines. Continuing Medical Education programmes are expected to start within six months," Al Gergawi said.