14 April 2006

International Award for Dundee Doctor

Professor Ronald Harden, Director of Education at International Virtual Medical School, (IVIMEDS) University of Dundee, has been honoured with the ‘Mentoring, Innovation and Leadership in Education Scholarship' (MILES) award for ‘outstanding contributions to the advancement of global medical education and academic medicine’.

The award, presented at the 3rd Asia Pacific Medical Conference in Singapore, recognises Professor Harden as one of the leading international authorities in medical education with unparalleled experience in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education.

Principal Sir Alan Langlands, University of Dundee, congratulated Professor Harden on his award: "This is a fine achievement and marks an extraordinary contribution to medical education throughout the world over a lifetime. I can think of no-one who has made a more active and sustained contribution in this area."

Professor Harden was formerly Professor of Medical Education, Teaching Dean and Director of the Centre for Medical Education at the University of Dundee. Under his leadership the Centre developed to become one of the world leading centres in medical education. His pioneering ideas included a new approach to the assessment of the clinical competence of a student or doctor - the Objective Structured Clinical Examination. This has now been universally adopted as a standard approach to assessment of clinical competence.

Professor Harden is editor of Medical Teacher and General Secretary and Treasurer of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) which is based in Dundee. AMEE has grown to become the largest international association for medical education with members in more than 86 countries worldwide.

Professor Harden has been committed to developing new approaches to medical education, curriculum planning and to teaching and learning. As the Director of Education with IVIMEDS he is currently leading work in the application of new learning technologies. IVIMEDS, a worldwide partnership of 25 leading medical schools whose aim is to improve medical education through the use of new learning technologies, is based in Dundee and the University of Dundee, St. Andrews and Glasgow are partner institutions.

Professor Harden’s contributions to excellence in medical education have already attracted numerous awards including an honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the prestigious Hubbard Award by the National Board of Medical Examiners in the USA and recognition by the Kellogg Foundation for his contributions to medical education in South America. He was awarded by the Queen the OBE for his services to medical education.

He has served as a consultant and visiting professor in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, India and the Far East and played a major role in establishing the International Medical University. At the 3rd Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference Professor Harden gave the opening plenary presentation ‘What is an excellent teacher?’.

For further information or to talk to Prof Harden, please call:

Anna Day
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk