Founded in 1996, Penang Medical College is one of Malaysia's leading providers of medical education. It is approved by the Irish Medical Council (IMC), Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and recognised by numerous regulatory bodies throughout the world.

Graduates of the Penang Medical College are conferred with MB BCh BAO degrees of the National University of Ireland (NUI) as well as the Licentiates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; awards that are recognised worldwide as a mark of excellence.

The conferring ceremony, which took place at Penang Medical College, Malaysia, was attended by senior representatives from UCD, RCSI and Penang Medical College; including Dr Hugh Brady, President, UCD, Professor Patrick Broe, President, RCSI, Professor Cathal Kelly, Registrar and CEO of RCSI, and Professor Amir Sharifuddin Mohn Khir, Dean of Penang Medical College, Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences RCSI.

Congratulating the assembled graduands, and their families, Professor Cathal Kelly, Registrar and CEO of RCSI, said: "Today is a day of great joy and a celebration of achievement. It is a culmination of many years of hard work and dedication and it is a wonderful tribute to each and every one of you to reach this important milestone. Your education has grounded you in all the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes for a fulfilling and successful career."

Penang Medical College is wholly owned and managed by RCSI and UCD and delivers an undergraduate medical education programme which delivers the best of Irish and Malaysian medical education and experience. Students benefit from a world-class pre-clinical education in Dublin and then return to Penang to undertake their clinical training at PMC and in Ministry of health hospitals in Penang and surrounding Malaysian states.

Speaking at the conferring, Dr Hugh Brady, President, University College Dublin, spoke of the educational and cultural tradition that underpins the two-decade old partnership. "For nearly two decades, life at UCD and RCSI has been enriched and enlivened by the participation of Malaysian students in our programmes. Today's graduates join the ranks of a distinguished group of medical professionals, who have experienced a combination of the best that Irish medical education has to offer and a local, clinical education that is second-to-none.

"The impact of our partnership, in Malaysia and in Ireland, is a source of immense pride for all of us who have had the privilege to teach, mentor and work with our Malaysian cohort. We wish the 13th cohort of graduates success and happiness in their careers," Dr Brady continued.

Speaking on the success of the Penang Medical College twinning programme, Professor Amir Sharifuddin Mohn Khir, Dean of Penang Medical College said "This is now the 17th anniversary of your medical school. Its success is a marvellous example of what can be achieved by collegiality and co-operation of groups including the Malaysian people and its government, Penang Medical College, RCSI, NUI and UCD. I would like to take this opportunity to salute those founders."

The class of 2013 is the 13th cohort of medical students to graduate from Penang Medical College. PMC medical graduates obtain full registration following internship at a hospital or hospitals recognised by the Malaysian Ministry of Health and the Malaysian Medical Council. Graduates of the PMC programme enjoy excellent career prospects, equipped with a world class medical degree, recognised in Malaysia, Ireland and in the best international healthcare systems.