![\"L-R](\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/files\/2019\/12\/KMMS-building-topping-out-e1575975459321-1914x1280.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe building, which is due to open in\u00a0July 2020<\/strong>, will provide students with an\u00a0inspirational learning and study environment<\/strong>\u00a0containing a 150-seat lecture theatre, seminar rooms, IT suites, social spaces and a\u00a0GP simulation suite<\/strong>.<\/p>\n KMMS is a\u00a0collaboration<\/strong>\u00a0between the University of Kent and\u00a0Canterbury Christ Church University<\/a>. It will offer\u00a0first-class medical education and research<\/strong>, combining the existing high-quality clinical teaching and research strengths of the two universities. From 2020, it will offer a five-year\u00a0Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (BM BS)<\/a>\u00a0degree with\u00a0medical placements<\/strong> in Primary, Community, Mental Health and Secondary Care settings across Kent and Medway. Based at the universities\u2019 Canterbury campuses, is Kent and Medway\u2018s first medical school<\/strong>\u00a0and aims to be first choice for all those aspiring to achieve excellence in person-centred medical care in the UK. In October, it received more than\u00a01500 applications<\/strong>\u00a0for its 100 places.<\/p>\n Among those attending the topping out ceremony were Kent\u2019s Vice-Chancellor and President,\u00a0Professor Karen Cox<\/a>, Christ Church\u2019s Vice-Chancellor and Principal\u00a0Professor Rama Thirunamachandran<\/a>, and\u00a0Professor Chris Holland<\/a>, Founding Dean of KMMS.<\/p>\n Professor Cox provided the welcome and thanked all those who have been involved with KMMS since it was announced by the government in March 2018. This included the\u00a0South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Medway and Canterbury councils<\/strong>, among others. She also thanked construction company\u00a0Willmott Dixon<\/strong>\u00a0for their work on the building so far.<\/p>\n Adam Worrall<\/strong>, Operations Director from Willmott Dixon, provided an update on the building\u2019s development and sustainability, as well as offering his thanks and appreciation to all those involved with the project. These included\u00a0Hazel McCormack Young Architects<\/strong>,\u00a0Westec Engineering<\/strong>,\u00a0Lyons O\u2019Neil<\/strong>\u00a0and the University of Kent\u2019s\u00a0Estates team<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other guests included: Colin Carmichael, CEO Canterbury City Council; Christian Brodie, Chair of the South East LEP; Susan Acott, CEO, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust; Dr Afifa Qazi, Executive Medical Director, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust; Graham Gibbens, Kent County Council, Robert Thomas, Leader of Canterbury City Council, and Richard Collins, Chair of the Foundation Campaign Board<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"