VISIT OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY DELEGATION TO KAZAKHSTAN

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nicholas Brousseau, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Kazakhstan, Aruzhan Sain and the delegation of the Canadian University of McGill has visited Al-Farabi KazNU in order to develop international cooperation and transfer new educational programs and technologies in the field of medicine.

During the meeting, the Parties have discussed the potential for expanding cultural and humanitarian relations, as well as the possibility of further bilateral partnerships in the sphere of education.

The delegation of McGill University is represented by Professor Michael Shevell, Dean of the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the Montreal Children’s Hospital, who is the world’s leading expert in cerebral palsy, a clinical scientist and an outstanding medical educator; Professor Annette Majnemer, Deputy Dean for Education at the Faculty of Medicine, who is a world expert in cerebral palsy, physical and occupational therapy, as well as communication sciences and disorders; Professor Larry C. Lands, Director of the Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Director of the Clinic for Cystic Fibrosis and Lung Transplantation, and the Neuromuscular Clinic, who is the world’s leading expert in the field of genetic diseases of the lungs and a recognized research physician.

The guests visited their own clinical facilities at KazNU, and held international master classes on topical issues of neurology and medical neurorehabilitation, diagnosis and treatment for practitioners of practical healthcare in Kazakhstan.

«The important tasks facing us at the moment are the creation of a unique Neurorehabilitation Center, the training of relevant personnel and the scientific collaboration. All this is very relevant in the light of the Message of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, which highlighted the need to expand small and medium-sized rehabilitation centers for children with cerebral palsy in «walking distance». «In this aspect, we are ready to cooperate with leading world experts from McGill University. We are interested in educational programs, short-term and long-term courses for faculty. We can talk about creating a scientific school on the basis of KazNU to train specialists in the field of rehabilitation», said Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Askar Khikmetov at the meeting.

According to the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aruzhan Sain, for successful medical, social and pedagogical rehabilitation of children with this diagnosis, there are needed the qualitatively trained specialists, who are currently in great shortage.

During the visit, there were discussed the issues of further implementation of joint innovative MA programs in the specialty of «Doctor Researcher», «Nurse Researcher», PhD program «Clinician Researcher», followed by research internship of the best undergraduates and doctoral students at McGill University and joint scientific publications.

As part of the collaboration, there have already been created two research groups at the Faculty of Medicine and Healthcare, including the use of artificial intelligence in chronic disease management programs.

 A preliminary agreement was reached on the possibility of undergoing by the Kazakhstani doctors internships, courses, and residency programs at McGill University.

It is planned to conduct joint workshops and seminars for practical healthcare in Kazakhstan with the participation of leading international experts from Canada.

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