upGrad forays into Pacific region with medical institute in Vanuatu

Edtech firm upGrad on Tuesday announced that it has forayed into Pacific region with first-ever fully offline medical institute in the Republic of Vanuatu with an initial investment of USD 10 million.

The company plans to set up three medical institutes in the region.

upGrad Co-founder and Chairperson Ronnie Screwvala said that Vanuatu is at the centre of the educational revolution which also makes it a business-ready geography for us.

Vanuatu, a country in Oceania, is a South Pacific Ocean nation consisting nearly 80 islands.

"We have a strong presence in Australia, and this move in Vanuatu, which shares proximity with Australia and New Zealand, will be a critical piece in strengthening our South Pacific footprints," Screwvala said.

upGrad's Institute of Medical Sciences (UIMS), a fully offline campus in Vanuatu, aims to attract and train global talent with modern day clinical competencies and build the next crop of skilled medical practitioners, the company said in a statement.

The company said UIMS is expected to invite enrolments from the second half of June this year.

"This initiative is a part of our multi-campus strategy where we aim to set up at least 3 medical schools in the Pacific region along with a few more in select geographies," upGrad's Head of corporate development and M&As Gaurav Kumar said in a statement.

UIMS will also encourage talent mobility in the region.

The development follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 12-point development agenda for the Pacific Island nations while making healthcare, renewable energy, and cyber-security the focus areas of development, the statement said.