Maastricht gets University Medical Centre

Maastricht is one step closer to establishing its University Medical Centre. A decision has been taken about the final management model, and the proposed agreement will now be submitted to various representative bodies. Maastricht UMC+ is expected to become operational on 1 January 2008. Its aim is to establish intensive and close collaboration between University Hospital Maastricht (azM) and Universiteit Maastricht (UM). Maastricht UMC+ is expected to develop into a leading academic hospital for patient care, research, and teaching in the areas of health and disease. The input of the health sciences faculty will make Maastricht UMC+ unique in the Netherlands and an attractive partner for larger international research consortia. The establishment of Maastricht UMC+ coincides with the planned merger of the faculties of medicine and health sciences, but the merger is an independent process for which a separate procedure is being developed. Read more: Eurogates.Forum

RSM students world champions in debating competition

Lars Duursma and Sharon Kroes from RSM Erasmus University won the Dutch Debating Championship in Amsterdam on February 19th, with Duursma named best speaker of the tournament. Last week's win for the duo caps their recent feats as winners of both the European, and the World championships in debating. The Dutch Debating Championship is the biggest and most important debating competition in The Netherlands, with 46 teams participating. Contestants are given a topic and their position (pro or against) 15 minutes before they must deliver five-minute speeches. The finale of this year’s competition took place in the council chamber in Amsterdam. The subjects varied from whether or not to build a new nuclear power station, to the desirability of education on a philosophical basis. The topic of the finale was: “Should the denial of the Holocaust be prohibited by law?” Read more: Eurogates.Forum

RSM's Full-time MBA programme ranked number 24 in the world

RSM Erasmus University’s full-time MBA programme has been ranked 24 in the world, fives places up from last year and alongside the world’s top programmes, in an annual ranking released by The Financial Times today. The programme is ranked 9 in Europe and 6 in the category of research. Mike Page, Dean of Post-Experience Programmes, RSM, said: “We offer one of the most international and diverse MBA programmes in the world. It offers a highly-experiential learning environment that continues to deliver the forefront of business and management knowledge. Via an innovative process we call, ‘living management’, we aim to really deliver a behavioural transformation in our participants.” It is the eighth year that The Financial Times have published a ranking of the world’s top global MBA programmes. Data for the ranking is compiled from two main sources: business schools and alumni who graduated three years ago. Read more: Eurogates.Forum