The UAB and the UB to work jointly on student training

The two rectors presented the collaboration agreement in a meeting with representatives of healthcare institutions. Rector Guàrdia stated that, "today we give shape to something that is already a reality: joint academic collaborations between our universities' the two faculties of Medicine in the field of hospital internships". Rector Lafuente declared that for the UAB, "this is a historic day", and manifested that "this agreement begins in the field of healthcare, but is ambitious and aims to have two universities with two hospital systems working together to have a positive effect on the training of medical staff and better service for society".
 
Salvador Navarro, Dean of the UAB Faculty of Medicine, affirmed that the need for more places in the degree of Medicine was the main reason behind this collaboration agreement. He explained that the agreement includes an exchange in internships for students in their 6th year of medical studies. Thus, students can still enrol for an internships in one of the hospitals or healthcare centres working with their university, but can now also enrol in one of the centre belonging to the other university.

Cada any, les dues facultats oferiran un nombre determinat de places per a aquest intercanvi i l'alumnat que hi vulgui optar haurà de seguir un procés de selecció. El degà de la Facultat de Medicina de la UB, Antoni Trilla va comentar altres formes de col·laboració que contempla l'acord. Una seria l'organització d'una universitat d'estiu UB-UAB, amb l'objectiu d'oferir una activitat novedosa, original i atractiva. També es preveu endegar noves assignatures optatives conjuntes amb personal docent d'ambdues Facultats. Trilla va finalitzar afirmant que la col·laboració fa més fort al sistema sanitari en conjunt.

Each year, both faculties will offer a certain number of places for this exchange and students who wish to apply must follow a selection process. Antoni Trilla, Dean of the UB Faculty of Medicine, commented on other forms of collaboration envisaged by the agreement. One would be the organisation of a UB-UAB summer university, with the aim of offering a novel, original and attractive activity. There are also plans to set up new joint elective courses with teaching staff from both faculties. Dean Trilla concluded by stating that collaboration makes the health system stronger as a whole.

A wide range of institutions

The UB currently has five university hospitals and twelve associated hospitals and centres, while the UAB has four university hospitals (and five hospital teaching units, including the one on the Bellaterra campus) and six associated hospitals.

After the presentation of the UB-UAB collaboration, the meeting continued with a round table colloquium entitled "The future of health professions education: from academia to citizenship". Speakers included Conxita Amat, Vice Rector for Teaching Policy at the UB; Manel Armengol, Rector's Delegate for Relations with Health Institutions at the UAB; Alicia Ávila, Deputy Director General for Professional Organisation and Development at the Catalan Government's Ministry for Health; Pilar Delgado, Vice Rector for Academic Policy and Quality at the UB; Tatiana Rovira, Vice Rector for Quality at the UAB; and Antoni Sisó, President of the Catalan Society of Family and Community Medicine.