Philippines varsity woos Indian medical students

Chennai, May 31 (UNI) Philippines is poised to become an education hub for Indian medical students with the launch of St Louis University International College of Medicine (SLUICM), 250 km north of Manila.

The SLUICM was established by the Dubai-based Sudhir Gopi Holdings Inc exclusively for NRI students, CMD Sudhir Gopi told reporters here today.

The four-year MD programme (Doctor of Medicine) was affordable as the tuition fee was Rs 15 lakh and it followed US curriculum.

The SLUICM, the international division of the Saint Louis University, a 96-year-old traditional Catholic University of CICM Congregation, would be exclusively managed and facilitated by Sudhir Gopi Holdings.

The college was set up inside the six-hectare campus of Saint Louis University in the picturesque hillocks of Baguio City, an international tourists' destination with climate similar to Indian hill stations.

He said the SLUICM would target students from India, especially Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, 'where opportunities formedical education were still limited and relatively costlier than many other parts of the world.' The launch of the SLUICM heralds a new era for the Indian student community which opted to pursue medical studies in China and such other countries because of cost factors.

The courses would start from September this year and the college was planning to launch more academic programmes, including Master's Degree, from next year.The intake of students would be around 200 per year.

''Philippines with its globalised culture and English speaking, literate and multi-ethnic population provides the students an opportunity to continue with their studies in the truly global environment at unimaginably affordable costs,'' he added.

UNI