The IMU Dietetics with Nutrition degree was recently awarded the international education accreditation for dietitians from the International Confederation Dietetics Association (ICDA). Professor Sandra Capra, Executive Director of the Accreditation Commission of ICDA presented the award to Prof Winnie Chee, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, IMU during the 7th Asian Congress of Dietetics in Hong Kong in July. 
The ICDA is the largest world-wide body of dietetics professionals that promotes the role of dietitians in enhancing health, supporting human development, and reducing diseases beyond national and regional boundaries. Recently in 2017, the ICDA decided to set the international education standards to ensure programmes produce competent dietitians around the world. The IMU Dietetics with Nutrition Programme is the first programme in the world to receive this prestigious award. 
“Accreditation means that the programme of study meets an agreed international standard, which can be helpful to assure students of the quality. Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the process is the self-evaluation and quality confirmation and avenues for improvement that the process offers. Our goal is to help the profession!” said the Executive Director, Professor Sandra Capra. 
According to Prof Winnie Chee, who is also a professor of dietetics in IMU, “We are very proud to receive this accreditation and it is indeed timely as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the IMU dietetics programme. IMU is proud to continue to prepare competent dietitians for the nation to provide medical nutrition therapy for the rising number of obese, diabetes and chronic disease individuals in the country.” “Today, many young people are also looking to gain employment across the world, and the ICDA accreditation provides an assurance to employers that the IMU Dietetics with Nutrition curriculum met the educational standards, training and assessment needed to produce dietitians who promote and protect the health of the clients and communities they serve.” 
The curriculum was evaluated based on meeting the standards for dietetics professional reasoning, evidence-based practice and research application, quality assurance, professional relationships, communication, and knowledge essential for the practice of dietetics. “Getting the ICDA award really means a lot to the Nutrition & Dietetics team. We persistently reflect and improve the dietetics curriculum to ensure the quality of the curriculum and also to meet the international standards. We incorporate various innovative teaching and learning methods to equip students with multiple skills sets to become dietitians that meet future market needs. This programme also provides a global experience to our students from the external dietetics practicum they undergo!” said Dr Chen Seong Ting, the Programme Director of the programme.
| What does our students think about IMU getting this accreditation? | |
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| “Congratulations to IMU Dietetics with Nutrition programme for obtaining ICDA award. It proves that the programme has excellent curriculum which can produce competent dietetics graduates. It is definitely helpful to all graduates to seek and secure job locally and internationally.” – Loh Hui Xin, who recently graduated from the Dietetics with Nutrition programme has already obtained employment in Singapore as a food service dietitian. |  |
| “I am truly proud and grateful that IMU has reached another milestone of advancing the Dietetics with Nutrition Programme! IMU provides the assurance that the curriculum is well designed. It also helps to raise the profile of dietitian in healthcare and further promotes the development dietetics profession in our country. Congratulations!” – Chong Yi Ting, a current Semester 5 student of the Dietetics with Nutrition programme |  |
Related article: First University in the World with Accredited Dietetics Degree by ICDA
