RCM global twinning project in line for national education award

on 18 September 2020 Midwifery Midwives RCM Twinning projects Bangladesh Education

A Royal College of Midwives (RCM) twinning project with the Bangladesh Midwifery Society (BMS) has been shortlisted in the Times Higher Education awards, often called the ‘Oscars of higher education’. The RCM and BMS are up for the International Collaboration of the Year category in the awards.

One of several RCM global initiatives, the work with the BMS has been running since 2017 and aims to develop midwifery education in Bangladesh and the UK. The partnership is funded by UNFPA Bangladesh with support from UK-Aid, Sweden, and Canada.

Commenting on the shortlisting, Momtaz Begum, President of the Bangladesh Midwifery Society, said: ”As the membership body for midwives in our country the Bangladesh Midwifery Society is really excited to see our Twinning project short-listed under the ‘international collaboration’ category of this year’s THE awards. Over the past few years the BMS has improved in our ability to support midwives and in turn strengthen midwifery education and services in Bangladesh, directly supported by our partnership with the RCM UK and UNFPA.

“The young and enthusiastic workforce of midwives have faced the challenges of Covid-19 head on, which is the direct result of our long term engagement and mutual learning under the Twinning partnership. Being short-listed for this award is really encouraging for our 3,000 plus midwives across the country– so thanks THE for shortlisting our nomination and thanks to the RCM and UNFPA Bangladesh for all their support.”

It’s a partnership that is reaping benefits for both organisations. Among its achievements the BMS has developed a new member database which has led to a surge in online learning for its members.  The RCM has improved engagement with its members by involving Bangaldeshi diaspora midwives in the UK with the partnership.

Winners of the awards will be announced in the THE’s virtual awards event on 26 November 2020.

For more information on the RCM’s global work go to https://www.rcm.org.uk/promoting/global/projects/.