In 2014, a new and unique partnership was launched between Curtin University in Western Australia, and the Handa Foundation, called the Go Global Program. The Go Global Program is designed to bring college students in their final year of study to have a hands-on medical experience with patients and staff in Battambang, Cambodia.
Curtin University trains students to be professionals in many fields including nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The students in the Go Global Program visit the programs of The Handa Foundation in Cambodia for six weeks at a time, and are able to get hands on experience in their chosen fields of study. They also receive support from their own professors to help them conduct targeted training sessions in relevant topics for the local staff. In addition to promoting international cooperation, this is also a special program for us because our Founder and Honorary Chairman, Dr. Haruhisa Handa, is himself a graduate of Curtin University.