New Duquesne-China Health Institute to Help Meet Global Demand for Health Practitioners
A new partnership between Duquesne and four Chinese universities will expand efforts to educate health care practitioners to meet the world’s growing need for these professionals.
The John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences has established the Duquesne-China Health Institute (DCHI) along with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the West China School of Medicine of Sichuan University and Tongji University School of Medicine.
Since 2013, the universities have collaborated through the China Linkage Program (CLP), which enabled exchanges of faculty and master’s and doctoral students. Students coming to Duquesne could earn master’s degrees in occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology. To date, 87 students from China have graduated from the program and now work in the country’s major hospitals and medical institutes. The program’s enrollment is increasing steadily.
“As the world’s over-65 population continues to grow, the need for these professionals grows with it,” said Provost Dr. David Dausey. “The new Institute recognizes the past success of the CLP and challenges us to stretch further in developing new degree offerings and engaging more people with great potential in these fields.”
The DCHI will sustain Duquesne’s global outreach efforts by creating an independent body within the Rangos School. The institute will confer degrees, expand offerings beneficial to students in the program, foster collaborative research and encourage faculty and student mobility.
“In close collaboration with our partner universities in China, we have created successful pathways for vital degrees and fruitful exchanges,” Rangos Dean Dr. Fevzi Akinci said. “Global demand shows no signs of weakening, and with the tight competition for the best students and future practitioners, now is the time to give the Institute greater significance and presence.”
Dr. Yang Chen, associate professor of speech-language pathology, has been appointed executive director of the DCHI. His leadership will expand program offerings, with a particular goal of establishing joint master’s and doctoral programs with partners in China.
“DCHI will provide multidisciplinary education to prepare students for careers in emerging areas of health care in China,” Chen said. “It will offer several rigorous clinical and health management/public health programs. DCHI graduates will be equipped with key competencies in both rehabilitation theory and clinical skills as well as health administration and public health expertise.”
The DCHI’s goals also include promoting congruent, state-of-the-art rehabilitation and health administration/public health practices internationally, resulting in enhanced care and improved global health.