From 2024, diplomas awarded at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University will be recognised without any restrictions in the USA, Israel, Singapore and other non-EU countries. This was announced by the administration of the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (SKVC), after receiving approval for this accreditation from the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).
Starting next year, the recognition of studies abroad will change in the US and other countries with an American based medical education system. Diplomas in the study programmes in medicine will only be recognised from the medical schools/programmes accredited by an agency recognised by the WFME. “There was a risk that the study programme in medicine in Lithuania may not be recognised because the SKVC, like many EU accreditation agencies, was not recognised by the WFME. This could have significantly curtailed the number of foreign students, because if diplomas are not recognised in the USA, our graduates would not be able to work as doctors or conduct research in countries outside of the EU. The former team - Dean Prof. Algirdas Utkus and Vice-Dean Prof. Vaiva Hendrixson - have made a significant contribution to the achievement of this recognition” said Prof. Dalius Jatužis, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
The evaluation of the study field of medicine conducted at the end of 2022 was particularly important, because both the field programme design and the evaluators were evaluated. During the external evaluation, the WFME experts specifically observed the evaluation process. The WFME representatives did not evaluate the study field itself, but rather the SKVC's ability to organise an external evaluation. “The external evaluation of the medical field was successful. We have been aware for several months now that we had achieved an excellent evaluation, but the confirmation from the WFME has only just arrived. Many have worked hard to realise this result, and we would like to say a special thank you to them today!” noted Laura Nedzinskienė, Vice Dean for Undergraduate Studies.
The SKVC has been recognised by the WFME, so the study programme in medicine is now accredited according to the WFME standards and will now be globally recognised. Such recognition by the WFME is important for the development of study opportunities internationally and for the growth of the reputation and recognition of the Faculty of Medicine and Vilnius University around the world.