Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing (GCCN), Dhaka, held its third graduation ceremony yesterday through an exciting and jubilant event. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, partner university of GCCN, presided over the ceremony with Professor Frank Crossan, Principal of GCCN and guests, staff, students and their families: over 250 people attended the ceremony. Professor Barbara Parfitt, Founding Principal, GCCN also attended the event as a special guest representing Glasgow Caledonian University. Forty-nine students from around Bangladesh graduated and celebrated their success at the award winning college, bringing the total number of students to graduate from GCCN to 127.Established as a social business in 2010 Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing is fast becoming a significant element of nursing development in Bangladesh. Currently the college has 147 female students from around Bangladesh all drawn from the families of Grameen borrowers. The current Principal, Professor Frank Crossan and the Founding Principal, Professor Barbara Parfitt came from Glasgow Caledonian University, UK and the remainder of the faculty are Bangladeshi academics; there is also a team of dedicated professional administrators.
Professor Muhammad Yunus believes that any social problem can be solved using a social business model and that charitable efforts although often beneficial in the short run but cannot be replicated in the absence of funds. The establishment and success of GCCN has demonstrated the social business model in action making a major difference to the lives of people in Bangladesh. Many countries are already preparing to replicate this social business model of GCCN in offering nursing and other professional training. GCCN’s impact on healthcare and education was recognised in July in London at the Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Awards, where the GCCN/GCU partnership became the first to win the prestigious Unilever International Award for its work to establish and support the College and bring healthcare to people.
Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing educates young women to serve in the Bangladesh healthcare sector demonstrating that Bangladesh’s nurses can undertake education at an international level and go on to high standards of clinical practice. GCCN’s nurses have an excellent reputation and employers are very keen to offer them positions as soon as they graduate. Four of the GCCN graduates have just completed a scholarship year in Glasgow Caledonian University where they successfully completed BSc in Nursing degree.
This year GCCN will take a major step forward as it prepares to offer its first BSc in Nursing and Midwifery Science which will see the college grow from 150 students per year to 500 students by 2016. This development will see the College moving into an exciting development stage with future plans to deliver MSc course and to open a second college in Chittagong. GCCN will reach operational break-even point in 2016.- Yunus Centre press release
