ICM welcomes European master's course for midwives.

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has unveiled plans for the first European masters course for midwives.

The MSc Midwifery course is funded by the EU's Lifelong Learning Programme and was developed by five universities across Europe. The course was created in response to calls for wider access to continuing education at masters level for qualified midwives, from bodies including WHO, the European Midwives' Association and the ICM.

Working midwives will be taught internationally accepted and accredited additional skills. They will also be able to qualify for leadership roles in midwifery research, education and practice and to take on further study in fields such as clinical research and cutting-edge teaching and learning strategies.

Professor Valerie Fleming, from GCU's school of nursing, midwifery and community health, (who was formerly a mentor on the ICM's Young Midwifery Leaders programme) said: "[The] university is delighted to be working with our partner institutions to share our wealth of experience and expertise with midwives from across Europe and beyond."

GCU has been working with Berlin's Charite-Universitats-medizin, Medizinische Hochschule Hanover, Academie Verloskunde Maastricht and the University College of Health Studies, Ljubljana, for 18 months to develop the joint course. The programme will start with a summer school at Glasgow with additional core modules to be taken at each student's home institution.

To apply, midwives must have completed their midwifery education, hold an academic degree and have a knowledge of English.