91直播

A major milestone in strengthening global healthcare has been marked by the graduation of the first cohort from a pioneering China-UK clinical pharmacy programme.

The 35 graduates of the BSc Clinical Pharmacy are the first to complete the innovative five-year programme, which combines science, clinical practice and inter-professional education with hands-on placements in community healthcare settings.

Created to equip the next generation of clinical pharmacists in China with the skills needed to improve patient care and respond to growing healthcare demands identified within the Healthy China 2030 policy, the programme is delivered through a collaboration between The University of Manchester and China Pharmaceutical University (CPU) in Nanjing. Its distinctive five-year dual award structure draws on the strengths of both institutions.

The students, who joined the programme鈥檚 first intake in 2021, studied in both countries. They began with foundational training in China, continued with advanced clinical teaching in 91直播, and then returned to China to apply their skills in practice.

Clinical pharmacists play a vital role in modern healthcare, working alongside doctors, nurses and other professionals to ensure patients receive the safest and most effective medicines. While the role is well established in the UK, it is still developing in China, where demand for highly skilled pharmacy professionals continues to grow.

These graduates enter the workforce at a time of increasing pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. The World Health Organization has identified a major global shortage of health workers, driven by ageing populations and rising levels of chronic disease. Medication errors also remain a serious challenge, costing an estimated $42 billion each year and often reflecting shortages in workforce capacity and medicines expertise. Strengthening the pharmacy workforce is therefore essential to improving patient safety and delivering more effective, patient-centred care.

A University of Manchester delegation, including Professor Keith Brennan, Vice-Dean for Internationalisation, joined senior leaders from CPU at the graduation event to show their support for the programme. Both institutions see it as critical to delivering long-term benefits for healthcare systems in China and the UK.

Professor Keith Brennan said: 鈥淭his first cohort demonstrates how international partnerships can help co-develop the future healthcare workforce. Together with our colleagues at CPU, we are supporting the development of highly skilled clinical pharmacists who will play a vital role in improving patient outcomes and strengthening healthcare systems.鈥�

Professor Rong Hu, Dean of School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy at China Pharmaceutical University and Honorary Professor of the University of Manchester said: 鈥淚t is wonderful to see our first cohort graduate. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to The University of Manchester for two years of dedicated teaching and support. We wish all graduates every success in their future careers and look forward to their contributions to global healthcare.鈥�

Professor Li-Chia Chen said: 鈥淲e are incredibly proud to see our first graduates. These students represent the future of clinical pharmacy in China, equipped with the skills, confidence and international perspective needed to improve patient care and support more patient-centred healthcare in the community.鈥�

The partnership marks a significant step forward in developing the clinical pharmacy workforce in China, while strengthening long-term links between the UK and China in health education, research and innovation.

• Read more about our teaching partnerships in China