The George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures has formalised an international educational collaboration agreement with Gulf Medical University (GMU), located in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. GMU is widely recognised as one of the most prestigious and dynamic private medical universities in the Gulf region.

The partnership marks the launch of the Thumbay International Pathway Programme, which will enable graduates of GMU’s Higher Diploma in Preclinical Sciences (HDPCS) programme to gain direct access to the clinical year of UMPhST’s Medicine programmes, both on the Romanian and German campuses.

The agreement was signed by Prof. Manda Venkatramana, Chancellor of GMU, in the presence of the university’s founder, Dr Thumbay Moideen, President of the Thumbay Group, and by Prof. Leonard Azamfirei, PhD, Rector of UMPhST.

Established in 1997, Thumbay Group is an international conglomerate comprising more than 25 companies in education, healthcare, research, pharmacies, hospitals, media services, and medical tourism. The group manages one of the most extensive networks of private academic hospitals in the United Arab Emirates and owns the state-of-the-art Thumbay Medicity campus, which integrates Gulf Medical University with hospitals, clinics, and research centres, serving over 15,000 people daily.

This partnership consolidates UMPhST’s position as a regional leader in the internationalisation of medical education, establishing it as a European benchmark for academic mobility and strategic collaboration with a globally significant educational and medical ecosystem.