Shaping global health partnership
From left: Professor Shaun Lee Wen Hue (Professor and Head of School of Pharmacy), Professor Emeritus Dato' Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman (President & Pro Vice-Chancellor Monash University Malaysia), Professor Zhenghong Yuan (Vice Chancellor of Fudan University and Dean of Shanghai Medical College), Professor Cong Li (Dean of School of Pharmacy, Fudan University).
On 20 June 2025, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fudan University, China, to formalise our collaboration in areas such as research, medical and pharmacy education development.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from both institutions to establish a structure for the joint venture in areas such as PhD programs, digital health, AI in medicine, and interdisciplinary research. Both universities will collaborate and explore training initiatives to enhance academic efficiency and strengthen research impact. The partnership is expected to extend beyond pharmacy and include other areas of medicine and health sciences as well.
Professor Emeritus Dato' Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President & Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia, highlighted the university's global standing and strong pharmacy and medical sciences capabilities. She emphasised the importance of partnerships in addressing challenges such as climate-related health issues, non-communicable diseases, and pandemic preparedness. "It's timely that we in the East and what we call the Global South, cooperate and join hands in looking for solutions that are relevant to our region and also to our level of economic development. I'm sure there will be a lot of benefits from this collaboration," she said.
Professor Zhenghong Yuan, Vice Chancellor of Fudan University and Dean of Shanghai Medical College, shared a brief history of Fudan University. He introduced the university's key research institutes, including the Institute of Neuroscience, the Institute of Intelligent Medicine, and the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology. He emphasised the value of the partnership, particularly in fostering joint PhD programs and collaborative research between academics from both institutions.
The event concluded with a discussion session and a tour of the School of Pharmacy's laboratories, research centres, and other campus facilities. The visit set the starting point for future exchange programs, collaborative workshops, and international grant applications, strengthening both institutions' commitment to advancing global healthcare education and research through meaningful partnerships.