Recently, the National Council of Private Higher Education of the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica officially approved the establishment of the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Costa Rica. This University will become the first specialized institution that offers highly concentrated postgraduate courses in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for medical doctors and health professionals from Costa Rica, Ibero-America and Western countries.

Approval from the National Private Universities Higher Education Council of the Ministry of Public Education in Costa Rica （excerpts）

The news was met with great excitement by Hyder Alawi, who is employed by the Costa Rican company overseeing the university project. He has been appointed to represent the project in China. For the project team, the approval of the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Costa Rica means the realization of the efforts of 16 years of work and procedures in the National Council of Private University Higher Education of the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica. Through various programs, the company aspires to promote cultural exchange and cultivate harmonious relations among nations.

Hyder Alawi, hailing from Canada, is currently studying for a master's degree at Tianjin University's School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. In May of this year, through the introduction of a friend, Hyder joined the project of the Traditional Chinese Medicine University of Costa Rica and became the only representative of the project in China. Since he came to China, Hyder Alawi has developed a great interest in Chinese culture, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine culture in particular.

"My mother once had knee discomfort, and while Western medicine had some effect, it also had significant side effects. I suggested that she try Chinese acupuncture. After six or seven sessions, her symptoms eased considerably.” This experience has given Hyder new insights into the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He started to think about promoting the culture of Traditional Chinese Medicine around the world so it can benefit people in more places.

It is this interest and desire to promote the culture of Traditional Chinese Medicine that led Hyder to join the project without hesitation.

"The founder of the project and the one who started it in Costa Rica is Dr. Oleg Soukhoverkhov M.D., who has been leading the team of Costa Rican Doctors since 1998, preparing and promoting this project until its approval this year. Once established, the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Costa Rica will train a large number of professionals in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, promote academic research and education in both ancient disciplines in Costa Rica and the surrounding regions, and facilitate cultural exchanges between China, Costa Rica, Latin America and Western countries,” said Hyder.

He further noted that this University is not only the first Traditional Chinese Medicine University in Costa Rica, but also the first in the Western Hemisphere. He believes that this project will improve and strengthen the relationship between Costa Rica and China in various fields, including university education, health technology development, medical and rehabilitation tourism, and attracting investment to Costa Rica.

Hyder Alawi is the main representative of the cooperation and promotion between the project team of the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Costa Rica and the World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies (WFAS). Following the news of the approval of the project in Costa Rica, Hyder has made several visits to the WFAS headquarters in Beijing to discuss specific issues of cooperation and even the joint construction of a University Campus together with the University Hospital, Medical Research Center in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine Congress and Exhibition Center. They have already signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and made arrangements for Dr. Oleg Soukhoverkhov, the project leader, to travel to Beijing for negotiations.

Hyder Alawi visit the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies and introduces the project progress to Chairman Liu Baoyan.

It is worth mentioning, that in 2019, during the WFAS exhibition event in Costa Rica under the "Belt and Road" initiative, Dr. Oleg Soukhoverkhov signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the WFAS, with the aim of jointly developing the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Costa Rica.

Project leader Dr. Oleg and WFAS President Liu Baoyan sign a cooperation agreement in Costa Rica in 2019

By Eva Yin