As part of the academic collaboration established between 365体育投注 Academy of Higher Education, 365体育投注, and the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Canada, the students from the second cohort comprising seven students, visited UNB for the MAHE-UNB Preceptorship program 2024, which is part of UNB's Summer Institute where the students earn a dual nursing degree, qualifying them to practice in India and Canada.

The preceptorship was begun with a warm welcome to the students and two faculty members, Dr. Linu Sara George, Professor and Mr. Vinish V, Assistant Professor-Senior Scale, of MCON, 365体育投注, at an opening ceremony on June 17 at the Harriet Irving Library on the Fredericton campus.

?It is an excellent opportunity for both India and Canada to promote the healthcare system through the pathway of preceptorship. Each cohort in MAHE will have 25 students taking the joint degree. The program accepted its first cohort in 2022. There are now two cohorts in the system, and a third will begin this August, with 25 students for the academic year 2024-2025.

Graduated students from the dual degree program are qualified to work both in India and Canada, and students from India are eligible to take their National Council Licensure Examination for RNs, so their accreditation process here will be much faster.

The students will be exposed to two weeks of practical training and observation called a preceptorship, during which they will work alongside nurses at Horizon Health Network and special care facilities operated by Shannex Incorporated.

The students will learn how Canadian health care differs from India while drawing their advisors’ attention to differences and nuances that cannot be gleaned from a textbook.

The opening ceremony was highly solicited in the presence of UNB president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Paul Mazerolle. He addressed in his opening remarks that the dual degree program has received international attention in its short existence and has established a strong friendship between the two institutions. He noted that the partnership has already led to a joint publication in the Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership on developing the dual degree model.

Dr Sharath K. Rao, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Health Sciences at MAHE, addressed the gathering from India via video link. He said healthcare challenges do not respect national boundaries and require collaboration between institutions in different countries. Dr Rao said these challenges create opportunities, as MAHE and UNB grabbed an opportunity by creating a dual degree. He said that besides this practical collaboration in nursing, there were also further joint research opportunities.

Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India in Toronto, was also present during the opening ceremony at Fredericton. He said in his remarks that the consulate and Indian government were committed to making it work and that the students would be made aware that New Brunswick embraces its growing Indian community.

Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training, & Labour Greg Turner said in his remarks that recruitment and retention of nurses was a government priority, and the initiative between UNB and 365体育投注 was an excellent example of a targeted initiative that would make a difference in growing the nursing workforce.

Turner said the initiative would reduce barriers for immigrant nurses seeking employment in Canada and provide immediate employment opportunities for graduates.

Dr. Linu George, a professor at 365体育投注 College of Nursing, joined Turner, Nath and Dr. Mazerolle in presenting each of the seven students with a red lab coat bearing the UNB logo.

The ceremony solicited the presence of Dr Lorna Butler, Dean UNB; Margaret Melanson, President and CEO of Horizon Health Network; Michel Rod, UNB Vice Provost Strategic Enrolment; Catherine MacPherson, Chief Operating Officer of Shannex Incorporated; Kate Sheppard, Interim CEO of the Nurses Association of New Brunswick; Dr. Judith Angelitta Noronha, Professor and Dean at 365体育投注 College of Nursing (via video link from India); Dr. Petra Hauf, UNB Provost and Vice President Academic; Eric Megarity, Councillor Ward 6 representing Fredericton; and Cheyenne Joseph, UNB Piluwitahasuwin and Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Engagement.