IJN College seeks to upgrade to university college status

KUALA LUMPUR - Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) College hopes its application to be upgraded to a university college will be realised next year.

Its chief executive, Prof Dr Durrishah Idrus said the application was submitted to the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) last month, and the approval was to allow the college to offer bachelor and master's degrees as well as doctorate level studies, among others.

"The IJN College is ready from the aspect of academic team and administration to become a university college. From the physical point of view, the existing facilities and infrastructure are capable of accommodating the increase in the number of students," she told Bernama after IJN College’s eighth convocation ceremony here today.

According to Durrishah, admission into IJN College is increasing each year, and currently it has 760 students and this number is expected to increase to 1,200 next year," she said.

"Of the 760 students in IJN now, about 10 per cent are international students. The intake of international students can be increased after IJN College acquires university college status."

Durrishah said the majority of IJN College students are professionals in various health institutions within the country and overseas, who are now on leave to further their studies at the diploma, advanced diploma and graduate levels.

Meanwhile, IJN in a statement said a total of 46 graduates received their scrolls today including 26 who obtained their Graduate Certificate in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Sciences; Advanced Diploma in Cardiac Nursing (four); Cardiac Medical Emergency Programme (seven), Diploma in Pharmacy (three) and Diploma in Psychology (six).

IJN College was established in 2008 to empower future medical talents through the provision of high quality education in niche fields of cardiovascular and thoracic sciences, allied sciences and social sciences.

To date, the college has produced 396 graduates, the statement added. - BERNAMA