In October 2003 HE Sh. Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Ambassador of Bahrain to the United Kingdom and the President of Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Mr. Michael Butler signed a memorandum of understanding which provided for RCSI setting up a medical university in Bahrain. As a result The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain was founded in 2004 under license from the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and was officially opened in October 2004 by HH the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sh. Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa and the Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr. Bertie Ahearn TD. Students from Bahrain, India, Italy, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America and Yemen were admitted to the inaugural foundation year for Medicine in October 2004. As of October 2008 there are students of 34 nationalities represented in the student body. A vibrant school of Nursing admitted its first cohort of students in October 2006.
The RCSI Bahrain is a constituent university of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The role of the University is to provide healthcare education and training to world standards in Bahrain, drawing students from Bahrain, the other GCC countries and beyond. Graduates of the medical course will be awarded the licentiates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the degrees of MB BCh BAO. The standards set down by the World Federation for Medical Education apply.
The University moved in October 2008 to a purpose built university campus adjacent to the King Hamad General Hospital which is currently under construction. Additional undergraduate healthcare programmes under consideration include dentistry and pharmacy.
Clinical tuition will be provided in the King Hamad General Hospital when completed and is currently provided in the other healthcare facilities of the Ministry of Health and the Bahrain Defence Forces Hospital. The University is staffed in the main by academic and administrative personnel from Ireland and Bahrain.
Chronology of the development of RCSI Bahrain
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| October 2nd, 2003 |
Memorandum of understanding signed by HE the Bahraini Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Mr. Michael Butler President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. |
| March 30th, 2004 | RCSI Bahrain special purpose company registered. |
| May 4th, 2004 |
RCSI Bahrain officially launched in Bahrain by HH the Prime Minister of Bahrain. |
| October 9th, 2004 | First cohort of students admitted to the foundation year, in Medicine. |
| October 13th, 2004 |
RCSI Bahrain officially opened by HH the Prime Minister of Bahrain Sh. Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa and the Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr. Bertie Ahearn |
| March 2006 |
RCSI Bahrain campus building commenced. |
| September 2008 | New campus completed and operating as and from academic year 2008/9. |
| February 3rd, 2009 | Official Opening of RCSI Bahrain campus |