Date: 5th December 2025
Time: 11.00 AM-1:10 PM
Venue: Nor Banquet Hall, Norkhil Boutique Hotel and Spa, Thimphu.
The Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB), in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will formally hold the Closing Ceremony on the Project for Strengthening Quality of Medical Education on 5th December 2025. The five-year technical cooperation project, implemented from August 2020 to December 2025, has significantly enhanced Bhutan’s medical education system, strengthened faculty capacity, and advanced health human resource development in the country.
Despite major disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic during its initial years, the project successfully delivered all planned outputs, creating long-term foundations for quality medical education and research. A core highlight was the development and laying of the groundwork for the nationwide rollout of Druk Sokchop, a comprehensive set of 12 standardized resuscitation and emergency courses designed for healthcare professionals and lay people across Bhutan. More than 500 trainers have now been certified, and several courses have secured independent funding for sustainable continuation. The project has also supported three PhD candidates in universities in Japan. One of the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health (FNPH) faculty members has successfully completed the PhD course in September this year.
Additionally, the project has played a pivotal role in integrating simulation-based education across training programs. Over 95% of relevant health education programs at KGUMSB incorporated simulation based teaching and learning. The project has supported establishment of the National Center for Simulation-Based Training housed in FNPH, KGUMSB, regional simulation centers and tele-education facilities at Central Regional Referral Hospital (CRRH) in Gelephu and Eastern Regional Referral Hospital (ERRH) in Mongar that has expanded learning opportunities to health workers, students and faculty in the teaching hospitals and in the remote regions.
Digital transformation in medical education was another major achievement. The project strengthened OpenKGUMSB, the university’s online learning platform, increased the number of e-learning and blended learning courses from 9 to 30, and trained over 185 faculty and hospital instructors in virtual teaching. ICT upgrades in KGUMSB and two Regional Referral Hospitals, the operationalization of the audio-visual studio, and the development of a university-wide IT Strategy have positioned KGUMSB for continued digital advancement.
The partnership also strengthened research capacity through the Bhutan’s Structured and Mentoring Approach to Research Training (BSMART) program, development of a research policy, research methodology training, and support for grant proposal writing. The number of peer-reviewed publications by KGUMSB faculty increased significantly, surpassing the annual target of 35 papers.
The project further supported the establishment of Bhutan’s first MBBS program, launched in October 2023 by supporting faculty development with a study tour to International University of Health and Welfare(IUHW) in Japan, Kagawa University, Kyoto University, Tokyo University etc. It also contributed to improved management and quality assurance systems, including Total Quality Management (TQM) training to both health workers and the University staff, supported strengthening internal quality monitoring, and approval of the University Business Strategy to support long-term institutional self-reliance. TCP also supported the development of the Education and Research Laboratory for the University.
The achievements mark a major milestone in strengthening Bhutan’s medical and health education system, contributing directly to improved healthcare delivery and Universal Health Coverage.
The successful completion of the project reflects a strong partnership between KGUMSB, JICA and the Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan that will continue to benefit Bhutan’s health sector and future generations of health professionals.
The formal closing of the project will be held at Nor Banquet Hall, Norkhil Boutique Hotel and Spa, Thimphu.
For inquiries contact:
JICA TCP
Hiroko Oishi(Ms)
Project Coordinator
Email ID : hiroko5537@gmail.com
KGUMSB
Tashi Choden(Ms)
Project Focal
Email ID : tchoden@kgumsb.edu.bt