Abstract:

The “Healthy China 2030” report outlines ambitious plans for promoting healthcare reform through the cultivation of an expanded global perspective accomplished through medical education and other initiatives. The growth of collaborative efforts in medical education in China and globally has led to many diverse approaches including student exchanges, training abroad, etc. However, Patel et al. (2023), among others, have advocated that more robust approaches are needed to genuinely instill an interconnected, global orientation. They argue that “exchange of international students, teachers, and curriculum for longer durations and even the entirety of one’s program of study is crucial to fostering the growth of global health perspectives among medical students and educators” (p.1228).

Created through the collaborative efforts of the University of Alberta (UofA, Canada) and Wenzhou Medical University (WMU, China), the five-year Alberta Institute Wenzhou Medical University (AIWMU) program provides an example of a high-calibre, medical education program—China’s first cooperative transnational education institution in medicine. An internationally informed program primarily delivered via online learning, AIWMU is aimed at nurturing an international mindset among graduating students who can effectively address pressing healthcare challenges in China and globally.

This paper provides an overview of the collaborative framework supporting this transnational partnership. Requiring genuine commitment, intercultural respect, cultural humility and regard, honesty and transparency, on the part of both collaborating medical schools, the intricacies of successfully establishing and sustaining a global medical education collaborative alliance are described, including foundational structures, and key components. As an example, recognition of cultural educational contexts, stakeholder values, affordances and constraints, along with articulation and alignment of mission and vision statements and commitments, have played a pivotal role in shaping the guiding purpose and direction of this collaborative venture.

The ongoing international partnership that has resulted in the AIWMU medical education program offers a transnational model for preparing graduates who will be better equipped to solve local, national, and global health challenges via exposure to different educational approaches and health systems. Contributing to a growing body of knowledge regarding international collaboration, this paper offers a roadmap for those seeking to establish and navigate effective transnational partnerships. For institutions, organizations, and stakeholders engaging in collaborative transnational partnerships, insights regarding practical considerations and strategies for sustaining successful international alliances in health professions education programs will be shared.

Reference:
[1] Patel, D., Mullen, M., & Eley, D. S. (2023). A paradigm shift from international to transnational medical education. Medical Science Educator, 33, 1227–1230.

Keywords:

Medical education, International partnership, Transnational medical education.