The long-standing collaboration between RCSI and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) has been recognised by the 2025 ASPIRE-to-Excellence Award for International Collaboration in Health Professions Education.

The partnership between RCSI's Institute of Global Surgery and COSECSA is addressing the acute shortage of surgical care across sub-Saharan Africa by developing sustainable solutions to improve surgical and perioperative (anaesthesia, nursing and obstetrics) training and practice throughout the region.

The ASPIRE-to judging panel chose the winner according to five specified criteria, including the collaborations’ mutually agreed goals, long-term collaborative and high delivery impact as well as shared responsibility and leadership structures.

The panel said that the collaboration “clearly meets the spirit of the ASPIRE Award in International Collaboration”.

They added that “the collaboration has a demonstrable long-term tangible impact, extending beyond the two institutions. Since [its early years] it has extended the benefit to other neighbouring institutions and the health education economy”, and that “the collaborators actively engage in processes to understand each other’s cultural contexts and acknowledge the role of cultural influences on decision-making, responsibilities and leadership”.

Quality-assured surgical training

Since 2007, RCSI has worked with COSECSA to improve the standards of surgical care in East, Central and Southern Africa. These efforts prompted the creation of the RCSI Institute of Global Surgery in 2018.

The work of the Collaboration Programme is aimed at providing high-quality assured surgical education, training and examinations. The RCSI-COSECSA Collaboration programme is supported by Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs.

COSECSA has grown to become the largest single contributor to the surgical workforce in sub-Saharan Africa. Over 1,500 COSECSA surgical trainees have enrolled in training programmes across 20 member countries. The majority of graduates remain in the sub-Saharan region, where they go on to train the next generation of surgeons.

In doing so, they contribute to improving access to safe and timely surgery in many low resource settings and thus ensuring lasting and sustainable access to surgical expertise and resources in their communities.

Between 300 and 400 major surgeries are performed by COSECSA-trained surgeons each year, with the collaboration programme recently expanding to include surgical training in anaesthesiology, peri-operative nursing and obstetrics.

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI, said: “This award recognises the ongoing efforts of the RCSI-COSECSA collaboration and their shared commitment to improving health outcomes in underserved communities in the region. As healthcare educators, we recognise the profound influence that access to quality healthcare has on individuals and their communities. This collaboration has implemented vital change in surgical care across East, Central and Southern Africa, and I look forward to seeing the continued success of this global partnership.”

Enhancing service delivery

The annual ASPIRE-to Excellence Awards highlight the very best in health professions education worldwide. This is RCSI’s second ASPIRE-to Excellence Award, after being named joint winner of the award for Student Engagement in 2022.

The RCSI Institute of Global Surgery supports the training, retention, upskilling and career development of surgery, anaesthesia, nursing and obstetric caregivers, from health workers to specialists.

The team strengthens the delivery of surgical services and the surgical ecosystem and promotes and exploits innovative technologies and e-learning to enhance the reach and impact of surgical training and service delivery.

The work of the RCSI Institute of Global Surgery underpins the university’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to good health and well-being, (SDG 3). RCSI is currently the highest ranked university in the world for our impact on good health and well-being (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025).