Medical University of Innsbruck and MED-EL set new standards in hearing health care in Ghana

October 2, 2024 - Innsbruck, Accra (Ghana): The Medical University of Innsbruck and MED-EL signed a landmark agreement to extend their cooperation in hearing health care with Ghana. This important initiative will be implemented in close partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Health, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and the University of Ghana.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to expand capacities in Ghana, improve academic programmes, and establish innovative approaches in training and research. The Medical University of Innsbruck will contribute its extensive expertise to achieve significant progress by establishing and supporting training infrastructures and developing curricula and certification standards

“This partnership marks a decisive step forward in healthcare”, states Medical University of Innsbruck rector Wolfgang Fleischhacker. "Our cooperation with MED-EL and with our colleagues from Ghana is a powerful example of international collaboration that can truly improve hearing healthcare. We are determined to share our knowledge and resources to establish innovative education and care models in Ghana.”

As the main organiser, MED-EL will coordinate the implementation of the programs. Partnering with the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in the “Hearing Healthcare Alliance Project”, MED-EL will also supply funding to ensure the long-term success of the programs.

“Our cooperation is an important step to lift medical care and training to the next level”, Ingeborg Hochmair, co-founder and CEO of MED-EL, adds. “We are looking forward to our cooperation that is bound to strengthen hearing care in Ghana and promote innovative approaches for the future of medical training.”

The Memorandum of Understanding is a landmark step in the cooperation between Austria and Ghana, which aims to enhance hearing healthcare and establish long-term education and research partnerships.

Caption: At the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Accra, Ghana (from left to right): Stephanie Unterrieder (Regional Manager Africa, MED-EL), Prof. Alfred Edwin Yawson (Dean of the University of Ghana Medical School, Accra), Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Fleischhacker (Rector of the Medical University of Innsbruck), and Mag. Alexander Schallenberg (Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria)

© BMEIA / Gruber

About Medical University of Innsbruck

Medical University of Innsbruck has approximately 2,200 employees and around 3,400 students and, together with the University of Innsbruck, is the largest educational and research institution in western Austria and the regional university for Tyrol, Vorarlberg, South Tyrol and Liechtenstein. The following courses are offered at Innsbruck Medical University: Medicine and Dentistry as the basis of an academic medical degree and a PhD degree (PhD) as the postgraduate aspect of scientific work. The bachelor's degree in Molecular Medicine is new in the curriculum since autumn 2011. Since the winter semester 2014/2015 there is the possibility to continue with a master degree in Molecular Medicine. Together with the University of Innsbruck the Medical University of Innsbruck offers a master degree “Pharmaceutical Sciences” (in English). 
Medical University of Innsbruck is involved in numerous international educational and research programmes and networks. The research focuses on the areas Oncology, Neuroscience, Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics as well as Infectious Diseases, Immunology & Organ and Tissue Repair. In addition to scientific research, Medical University of Innsbruck is also nationally and internationally very successful in the highly competitive field of research funding.

About MED-EL 

MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has more than 2,800 employees from around 80 nations and 30 locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 137 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, auditory brainstem implants as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com   

CEO

Doz. DI Dr DDr med. h.c. Ingeborg Hochmair

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