From 28 July to 8 August 2025, UCEC welcomed students from Henan University of Chinese Medicine to the UK for the Portsmouth Medical Sciences Summer Programme, an immersive experience designed to introduce participants to British university life while exploring the interdisciplinary nature of modern healthcare education.
Based in the historic coastal city of Portsmouth, students experienced the rhythm of an English university town while engaging in a diverse academic schedule. Lectures and workshops provided insight into the UK’s healthcare landscape, covering topics such as the NHS, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical science, and research skills. Sessions also explored pathways into higher education in the UK, encouraging students to think broadly about their academic and professional development.
A key highlight of the programme was hands-on exposure to clinical training technologies within a university medical environment. Students worked with simulation equipment and diagnostic tools, including training manikins, to practise recording vital signs and observing basic clinical procedures. These practical elements complemented classroom learning, offering a tangible introduction to how healthcare education is delivered in the UK.
The programme extended beyond Portsmouth with a study visit to Oxford, where students gained perspective on another leading academic environment and the culture of collegiate learning. Throughout the programme, informal exchanges with UK students encouraged dialogue about study pathways, campus life, and international opportunities, reinforcing the value of cross-cultural academic engagement.
Participants also had the opportunity to explore Portsmouth’s maritime heritage, including visits to the historic dockyards, providing a cultural dimension to their stay and helping situate their academic experience within a broader understanding of British history and community life.
A recurring theme of the programme was the importance of interdisciplinary learning in shaping well-rounded healthcare professionals. By engaging with subjects beyond their primary field of study, students were encouraged to develop a broader outlook, one that supports adaptability, collaboration, and innovation in future practice.
Through initiatives such as this, UCEC continues to promote meaningful student exchange and international partnership. The programme offered participants not only academic enrichment, but also a lived experience of English university culture, strengthening connections between institutions and expanding horizons for the next generation of medical professionals.
A privilege to have a group of medical students from Henan Province in Portsmouth with UCEC. Thank you to Professor Chris Louca of the Dental Academy in helping us to organise and host the group.
It is also wonderful have Sandra White and Pip Dhariwal of the Association of Dental Groups as lecturers giving their thoughts on the teaching and delivery of healthcare through the NHS. Thank you!
Forging links with universities in China – through students, lecturers and leaders/managers – will help to encourage student exchanges (both directions); mutual recognition in curriculum and teaching; and, eventually, formal partnership between universities in the UK and China.
This is the best illustration of ‘British influence’ and will help to generate more trade between the two countries. It was the theme of my lecture today.
Being Saturday, I bought a round of beers for the students. We toasted partnerships and cooperation!
Neil Carmichael, CEO
