UIC’s Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine has been accredited by AQU Catalunya in accordance with the standards established by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), making UIC Barcelona the first private university in Spain to receive this distinction from a quality agency accredited by the WFME. The announcement was made today at an event held to mark the 25th anniversary of AQU Catalunya, in which the agency also announced that the University of Girona would also receive the accreditation.

During the event, Josep Joan Moreso, president of AQU Catalunya, presented the official accreditation certificate to UIC Rector Alfonso Méndiz, who was accompanied at the ceremony by the vice-rector for Planning and Quality, Dr Frederic Marimon; director of the Educational Innovation and Quality Service, M. Jesús Castel; and the dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr Albert Balaguer. 
 

International doctors

This accreditation will allow Medicine students at UIC to pursue medical specialisations or practise medicine in the United States from 2024 onwards. A regulatory change is due to come into effect on that date, whereby medical graduates from faculties not accredited by a quality assurance agency with WFME accreditation will no longer be recognised in the United States. This international distinction will also support the recognition of UIC Medicine graduates and enhance their opportunities for global mobility.

This accreditation process, carried out by AQU Catalunya, involved a detailed review of key aspects, including programme quality, teaching staff, educational methodologies and student outcomes. As part of the assessment, the WFME’s international committee also confirmed the quality of the facilities on the Sant Cugat Campus and the healthcare centres in which students complete their clinical placements. The evaluation involved students, graduates, teaching and administrative staff, members of the University’s governing team and employers, including healthcare managers. Altogether, nearly 200 people took part in the process.

Following this evaluation, AQU Catalunya was also awarded Recognition Status, becoming the first agency in Spain and the fifth in Europe to achieve this distinction. Recognition Status certifies an independent, transparent and rigorous process designed to ensure that medical schools worldwide are accredited to high, internationally recognised standards.