The Universidade Católica Portuguesa says it will begin teaching the first programme of medical training offered by a private university in Portugal.

The university announced in writing that the programme will be taught in English and open to students from all over the world.

The announcement says the university will offer the programme in partnership with Luz Saúde, a Portuguese healthcare subsidiary of Fosun International Ltd of China, and Maastricht University of the Netherlands.

The Portuguese regulator has approved the programme, the announcement says.

The programme will be taught in modern, specially designed or adapted facilities comparable to those at the top medical schools in the world, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa says.

The Portuguese Medical Association says the clinical training will take place at the Hospital Beatriz Ângelo in Loures, near Lisbon, which Luz Saúde has a hand in running.