FIP, as the global leader for pharmacy, has taken the initiative to build the “FIP World List of Pharmacy Schools”, which will be the most comprehensive and up-to-date list of pharmacy institutions from around the world. This global list is intended to guide all pharmacy stakeholders, from students to policymakers, in assessing the appropriateness and effectiveness of pharmacy education strategies. The availability, completeness and quality of FIP’s World List of Pharmacy Schools means it will provide a unique source of information for pharmaceutical workforce policies, procedures and plans.
Further background on the FIP World List of Pharmacy Schools:
The FIP World List of Pharmacy Schools is an initiative to monitor pharmaceutical capacity and capability, similar to those of many other global organisations, such as the World Medical Schools List held by the World Medical Association. Given 2021 is the World Health Organization’s Year of Health and Care Workers, the need for our global organisations to demonstrate increased capacity in all health workers is key to ensure our professions are not further diminished but amplified.
FIP is a founder member of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) with doctors, nurses, dentists, and physiotherapists. All WHPA members have been requested to feedback their schools’ status to the WHO as part of pandemic preparedness, and FIP having a list of accredited pharmacy schools will help to identify where schools may be needed and created to ensure long-term pharmaceutical workforce capacity.
Universiti Sains Malaysia
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Established in 1972, The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia is the first pharmacy school in Malaysia. The School offers Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Pharmacy in Clinical Pharmacy degree by coursework and Master of Science and Doctoral degrees by research. The degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours is offered through a four-year programme. The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences started its first intake of 22 students in 1972, 4 years after Universiti Sains Malaysia was established in Penang. During its brief history, the School has undergone many changes and developments, both physical and academic. It moved to the present premises in 1991, and now has modern and well-equipped laboratories for teaching and research. The current staff strength stands at 45 full-time lecturers and 15 administrative staff and 25 technical staff members. In addition, the School is also using the services of honorary consultants/lecturers from the Health Department of Penang, Hospital Pulau Pinang and Hospital Seberang Jaya, and Pharmacy Preceptors from the hospital, community and industrial pharmacy settings for its programmes.