UiTM Vice-Chancellor Datuk Prof Ir Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar said the university was ready to pioneer a hospital project.
"This project will place UiTM on the world map," he told reporters after the signing of a partnership agreement between UiTM and McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) here yesterday.
The agreement will see both institutions exchange knowledge and expertise to develop a training hospital which provides the best and latest in world-class medical facilities.
A similar agreement will also be made in the near future between UiTM and two other international universities, namely Harvard University and John Hopkins Hospital.
At the ceremony, UiTM also signed an agreement with the Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) to obtain cooperation in the fields of cardiology, cancer and the healthcare of senior citizens, as well as exchanges of technical power, research and students from both universities.
"This project is based on a speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at the last convocation ceremony, where he said UiTM should have a hospital which could not only promote medical tourism but also allow students to train and get experience," he said.
Dr Sahol said with the project's approval, UiTM's Super Hospital, which was a project under the Faculty of Medicine, will be built at the campus in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam and become the first hospital in the country with Super Hospital status.
However, he said the project would be carried out in stages, according to the university's financial capabilities, and was expected to be fully completed in 10 years.
"Although money is the primary obstructing factor, we will try to find other financial sources, including funds from the private sector, to work together on the project, he added. - Bernama
