KPJ Healthcare Berhad

PRESS RELEASE-KPJ’S EDUCATION ARM ADVANCES FURTHER WITH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STATUS

Upgraded KPJIUC to Establish Medical School, Spend RM120M on Capacity Expansion

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 July 2011 – KPJ Healthcare Berhad (“KPJ”), a member of Johor Corporation (JCorp) Group of Companies and Malaysia’s largest private specialist hospital operator, is forging ahead with its two-pronged strategy to advance its education arm KPJ International University College of Nursing and Health Sciences (“KPJIUC”) as its second core business, now that it has attained University College status.

KPJIUC, which was formerly known as KPJ International College of Nursing and Health Sciences, received the much sought-after approval certificate for a University College status from the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia (“MOHE”) on Monday, 25 July 2011.

“This healthcare education arm is dominantly synergistic with KPJ’s principal activity in managing private specialist hospitals. KPJ will capitalize on the competitive advantage of its network of over 20 hospitals, its team of more than 760 specialists and in excess of 8,000 managers and staff members, to develop KPJIUC as the second main thrust of KPJ Group’s growth,” said Datin Paduka Siti Sa’diah Sheikh Bakir, Managing Director of KPJ.

“The hospitals provide clinical training for the undergraduates while the University College supports the clinical staffing needs of KPJ hospitals, hence complementing the needs of both the healthcare and education sectors and will contribute to the Economic Transformation Programme of the country” she added.

KPJIUC also received MOHE’s approval to establish a Medical School offering Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree as well as post graduate studies in medicine which KPJIUC hopes to start in September 2012. Currently, KPJIUC conducts 18 nursing and healthcare-related programmes on its own and in strategic alliances with universities in the United Kingdom and Australia.

 â€œTo date, we are pleased to note that KPJIUC graduates are well received by the market and industry players. With the continuous support from JCorp, KPJ, the Group’s Medical Consultants and qualified lecturers as well as available practical training opportunities at the large network of KPJ hospitals, I am confident that KPJIUC students will continue to be very well-trained and in demand,” she added.

Since its inception, KPJIUC has awarded scrolls to almost 4,000 graduates from various programmes and, in recent years, as many as 600-700 students annually. In January this year, 620 students graduated with Masters, Bachelors and Diploma in Nursing, Diplomas in Medical Imaging, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy, Higher Certificate in Operating Department Practice, Graduate Certificates in Nursing for Critical Care and Nurse Education, Renal Nursing, Paediatric Nursing, Certificate of Health Service Management and Leadership as well as Health Information Management.

The broadening of the education programme will be complemented by physical expansion of KPJIUC’s main campus in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan to double its existing enrolment capacity. It will also expand the Johor Baru branch, open a new branch in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, and hire additional qualified lecturers.

To cut the leading-edge facilities for the newly-upgraded University College, the Phase 2 expansion blueprint for the Nilai campus will include an 8-storey academic block to accommodate over 2,000 staff and students alongside nursing and medical imaging skill laboratories as well as a pharmacy laboratory. The development is estimated to cost RM50 million and is slated to begin soon, with completion likely before end-2012.  Further development under Phase 3 of the final expansion is estimated to be at another RM70 million which includes additional hostels and academic blocks, multipurpose hall and sports complex.

The ultimate aim of the University College is to enrol more than 10,000 students from within the country and abroad, by 2015. “This achievement of the University College status is first step to many more things to come, which will in turn further support KPJ’s overall growth in the healthcare industry as well as reinforce the Malaysian Government’s efforts to shore up the education level in the country and develop the healthcare sector under its ETP,” said Datin Paduka Siti Sa’diah.

Under the ETP, the Government is targeting the creation of more than 3.3 million jobs, of which 46% require vocational certification or diplomas and more than 30% require degrees and higher education qualifications.

“With more programmes available and greater capacity, we believe we will be able to provide more education opportunities for the younger generation as well as enhance the medical industry through delivery of quality healthcare education courses,” she added.