upGrad, Asia's largest integrated learning skilling and workforce development company, has announced the setting up of upGrad Institute of Medical Sciences (UIMS), a fully-offline campus in the Republic of Vanuatu to attract and train global talent with modern-day clinical competencies and build the next crop of skilled medical practitioners. The company earmarks $10 million to launch the university. 

Vanuatu is a South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands that stretch 1,300 kilometers. UIMS is expected to invite enrolments from the second half of June this year. The announcement comes soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 12-point development agenda for the Pacific Island Nations while making healthcare, renewable energy, and cyber-security the focus areas of development. He further allocated a significant budget to build a super-speciality cardiology hospital in Fiji. 

The Mumbai-headquartered skilling giant has also committed $50,000 to Vanuatu Prime Minister's Relief Fund to further enhance healthcare services at the Port Vila Central Hospital in the region. It will provide the Govt. of Vanuatu with a new tranche of technology and financial aid and the ability to scale across boundaries.

Image caption- (L-R) Phalgun Kompalli Co-founder, Mayank Kumar Co-founder & MD, and Ronnie Screwvala, Chairperson & Co-founder, upGrad