A day of celebration at UniCamillus University for 90 recent graduates. Last Tuesday, a ceremony was held in the Auditorium for graduates in Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Nursing, and Radiology, Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy Techniques. A celebration, amidst smiles and heartfelt happiness, that made both students and the entire University proud of their academic achievement. “These are the moments for which academic life is worth living”, said the Rector, Gianni Profita, at the opening of the event. On stage with him, several guests: journalist Vira Carbone, presenter of the Rai 1 TV programme ‘Buongiorno Benessere’; the Head of the Cultural Office of the Indian Embassy, Subbu Ramesh; and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Haitian Embassy, Emmanuel Charles.
“It is a pleasure to see that UniCamillus welcomes students from all over the world and trains them to become excellent and versatile doctors and health professionals”, said Dr. Ramesh. “I am also impressed to know that only a few years after its foundation, the International University of Health and Medical Sciences has already become the first in Italy in terms of foreign students in the health professions”. Dr. Charles further emphasised the successful work that the University has been doing since its foundation: “The Haitian-Italian cooperation in the health field initiated by UniCamillus has enabled many of my compatriots to acquire medical knowledge. This will improve the overall level of health care in my country, but they will also share this knowledge with their colleagues in the major European hospitals. Skills transfer, joint research and cultural initiatives are the areas in which this collaboration can continue to flourish”.
In addition to the two countries represented by embassy delegates, and along with many Italians, several students from Nigeria, Rwanda and Guinea Bissau received their certificate. “Today we are reaping the fruits of what we sowed years ago”, added the Rector. “Our University has managed to build a bridge between the way we understand healthcare in Italy and the many different needs and cultural realities of our students’ countries of origin”.
The students themselves expressed their satisfaction and excitement about the programmes they had just successfully completed. One of them, Abieyuwa Abiola Courage, a recent graduate in Nursing, explained in these terms what studying at our University has meant to him and his colleagues: “UniCamillus is making the difference through its initiatives to provide young people with the knowledge they need for their professions. And it is also strengthening multiculturalism in a society where multicultural integration in the education system is taking a new form, as young students from different cultural backgrounds around the world come together in one place to be educated”.
He was echoed by Chiara Enea, representing the Midwifery students: “Ours has indeed been a journey full of well-defined and organised rules, studied down to the smallest detail. But we also had to cope with perplexities, fears and personal insecurities. Organisation, professionalism, preparation and availability on the part of all the tutors, who taught us with passion and dedication. These were the fundamental prerogatives that gave us a solid foundation from which we could then continue to expand our knowledge”.
