Regional Centers of Engagement
Africa
Botswana-UPenn Partnership
Sharing the expertise of a world-class university with our partners in Botswana to build capacity and excellence in clinical care, education, and research.
The University of Pennsylvania has worked in Botswana since 2001 and currently employs approximately 120 full-time staff in country working under the name the Botswana-UPenn Partnership. The Botswana-UPenn Partnership works with the Government of Botswana Ministry of Health and the University of Botswana to build healthcare and research capacity in Botswana. Penn is taking a broad interdisciplinary approach to train health-care personnel throughout Botswana in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and its complications, to help develop post-graduate training programs at the University of Botswana with an emphasis on Internal Medicine and its subspecialties, to offer experience in global health to Penn trainees, and to develop joint research programs that address issues relevant to the health and welfare of the citizens of Botswana.Please see the Botswana-UPenn Partnership website for more information.
Southeast Asia
Vingroup-penn alliance
To build something unique in Vietnam and to bring the quality of leading universities in the world to Vietnam in the Health Sciences – that is what is so novel about VinUniversity.
The Center of Engagement in Southeast Asia (based in Vietnam) focused on the establishment of medical and nursing schools within a newly formed private, nonprofit university (VinUni) and enhancement of graduate medical education and health care provision within Vietnam’s largest private nonprofit health system (Vinmec). Both VinUni and Vinmec are components of the Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private company, a business that shares Penn Medicine’s commitment to community service through the transformation of health care.
Under the framework of the agreement, Penn Medicine will work with VinUni to guide creation of the schools of Medicine and Nursing, while Cornell University will work in parallel with VinUni to build the schools of Business, and Engineering and Technology. More specifically, Penn will work collaboratively with VinUni to develop the undergraduate curriculum and aligned faculty and institutional support structures to establish high caliber programs in nursing and medicine. As the clinical training environment provides an essential component of this endeavor, Penn will also support the Vinmec Health Care System to enhance the quality of care and of clinical training, initially at the International Hospital in Times City, Hanoi, and ultimately to build a new VinUni/Vinmec teaching hospital in Hanoi. In time, these efforts will encompass creation of medical residency training programs and of a robust clinical research portfolio focused on translational medicine.
Latin American
Guatemala Health Initiative (ghi)
central goal of the guatemala Health Initiative is to put the knowledge gained through participatory research, clinical and cultural experiences into developing effective, sustainable, and culturally sensitive health interventions.
The Guatemala-Penn relationship, is rooted in over a century of research, service, and scholarship; evolving to meet the needs of Guatemalan stakeholders and the mission of the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2005, the Guatemala Health Initiative (GHI) has addressed health issues in the Western Highlands through community health surveys and interventions. Working with local NGOs and municipalities, the GHI implements public health projects and trains students in community health. Recognizing the epidemic levels of diabetes and non-communicable diseases, a program supported by the World Diabetes Foundation was launched to enhance diabetes care. Other initiatives address asthma, indoor air pollution, water and sanitation, skilled birth attendant training, and healthcare strategic planning.
Penn's partnership with Hospitalito Atitlán involves providing clinical services to the indigenous population of the Western Highlands, with contributions from Penn's physicians, nurses, and students, as well as those from Guatemalan universities. This collaboration includes educational exchange programs and Continuing Medical Education courses covering medical terminology, the Guatemalan healthcare system, and the cultural context of health among Guatemalan Mayans. Additionally, Penn partners with Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala and Universidad Francisco Marroquin to offer master's programs in clinical epidemiology and public/global health, supported by NIH training grants, fostering education and research both at Penn and in Guatemala.
Please see the Guatemala-Penn Partnership website for more information.