Gulf Medical University signs Swiss academic agreement to pioneer longevity training

UAE – Thumbay Group has partnered with the Geneva College of Longevity Science (GCLS) in Switzerland to establish the UAE’s first structured academic programmes in longevity medicine, healthy ageing, preventive healthcare and precision health through the newly created Thumbay Institute of Longevity Medicine.

The initiative makes Gulf Medical University (GMU), part of Thumbay Group, the first private medical university in the UAE to offer formal academic training in the rapidly growing field of longevity medicine.

The partnership combines GCLS’s expertise as the world’s first higher education institution dedicated exclusively to longevity science with GMU’s academic resources and Thumbay Healthcare’s extensive clinical network across the region.

The collaboration also aligns with the UAE’s ambition to strengthen its position as a global centre for advanced healthcare, preventive medicine and medical innovation while helping the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region build expertise in healthy ageing and precision medicine.

Six professional certificate programmes planned

Under the agreement, the Thumbay Institute of Longevity Medicine will introduce six internationally developed professional certificate programmes in partnership with GCLS.

These include Clinical Longevity Medicine, Longevity Physiotherapy, Longevity Nutrition, Longevity Fitness, Peptide Medicine, and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.

Each programme will run for three months in a hybrid learning format, with around 100 participants expected in every intake.

The courses target physicians, pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, nutritionists, fitness professionals and other allied healthcare practitioners.

Participants will study internationally benchmarked curricula developed by GCLS while benefiting from GMU’s simulation facilities, academic faculty and integrated Academic Health System.

The programmes will also feature visiting international lecturers and regional clinical experts, offering learners clear progression pathways into advanced studies in longevity science.

According to GCLS’s 2026 Global Longevity Physician Survey, which gathered responses from doctors across six continents, 99% of longevity physicians have experienced growing patient demand, while 44% reported demand increasing by more than 50% over the past three years.

In addition, 83% believe healthcare will shift decisively toward disease prevention, and 76% expect significant lifespan extension to become achievable within the next two decades.

Executives highlight growing demand for longevity medicine

Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder President of Thumbay Group, said the partnership brings Swiss academic standards to the UAE while preparing healthcare professionals for the future of medicine.

He added that the university aims to evolve from the Gulf’s leading private medical university into one of the world’s foremost institutions for medical education.

Dr. Dominik Thor, President of the Geneva College of Longevity Science, said longevity medicine is becoming an increasingly important part of healthcare, but the sector requires stronger educational frameworks, clinical standards and credible training infrastructure.

He noted that GMU provides an ideal platform for expanding these efforts across the Middle East.

The agreement begins with education and professional development but also allows for future collaboration on conferences, workshops, symposiums and other joint academic activities.

 All programmes will comply with the requirements of relevant health authorities.

Thumbay expands research and AI capabilities

The new partnership builds on several recent initiatives by Thumbay Group to strengthen medical education and research.

In recent weeks, the organisation launched the Thumbay Lab for AI in Healthcare to support education and research in artificial intelligence applications for medicine.

The facility complements existing programmes in AI and health informatics and supports collaborative projects with more than 15 industry partners.

Earlier this year, Thumbay Group also broke ground on the Thumbay International Research Centre in Ajman.

The six-storey facility will bring together researchers, clinicians, genomics specialists and health technology innovators under one roof to accelerate scientific discovery and precision medicine research.