Johns Hopkins teams up with the University of Patras

Medical school establishes research and teaching cooperation

BALTIMORE (PRNewswire) – The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has established a formal educational agreement with the University of Patras, the third-largest university in Greece, to collaborate on research and on student and faculty exchanges.

The two schools officially began their new collaboration on April 11, when representatives from the 43-year-old Greek public institution visited Johns Hopkins to sign the agreement, championed by leading Greek-American businessman and philanthropist John G. Rangos Sr, a member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Board of Visitors and a longtime benefactor of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Hopkins to share new ideas with an outstanding institution abroad,” says Myron L. Weisfeldt, MD, director of the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, who facilitated and developed the areas of collaboration. “We’re expecting a fruitful relationship for Hopkins as well as the University of Patras.”

The visiting representatives from the University of Patras signed the collaborative agreement at the dedication of the John G. Rangos Sr Building earlier the same day. The delegation from the University of Patras was led by Dimitrios Dougenis, vice rector for academic affairs and personnel and professor of cardiothoracic surgery in the university’s Department of Medicine. Guest speakers at the event included Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD 3rd), Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD 7th) among others.

The John G. Rangos Sr Building will anchor the Science and Technology Park at Johns Hopkins, which is part of an 80-acre urban redevelopment just north of the Hopkins medical campus.

Rangos’s philanthropic organization, the John G. Rangos Sr Family Charitable Foundation, funded its construction.

The agreement specifies six objectives comprising an exchange of faculty, students and staff; brief visits of teaching, scientific and research staff related to specific studies and lectures; development of undergraduate and postgraduate student training; administrative staff exchanges geared to evaluation and improvement of curriculum; initiation of joint research programs in areas of mutual interest; and cooperation in cultural and athletic events.