KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — A local university today confirmed the cessation of its tie-up with the Johns Hopkins University, but insisted it will be better off without the collaboration of the renowned American institution.

Responding to a news report that the Johns Hopkins University had terminated its ties with Perdana University from this July 31, the latter also gave its assurance that the rights of its students would not be “compromised” despite the two institutes’ dispute.

“The 80 students enrolled with PUGSOM are entitled to their rights and this includes a teach-out on the terms which they were admitted into the programme,” the Serdang-based university said in a lengthy statement posted on its website today, referring to the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM).

“PUGSOM continues to operate seamlessly with both foreign and local faculty with no disruption whatsoever from the departure of the three Johns Hopkins seconded staff,” it added.

Perdana University also disclosed that it has already found a replacement for Johns Hopkins University in order to continue offering its US-style postgraduate medical programme.

“PUGSOM will continue to exist and grow even further in collaboration with another leading top-tier US university, the identity of which will be announced jointly in due course in accordance with the disclosure terms in the agreement with the new partner that was signed on August 11, 2014,” it said.

Earlier today, news portal The Malaysian Insider reported that Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was no longer partnering PUGSOM and had withdrawn its teaching staff, owing to alleged late and delinquent payments for 12 months of work.

But Perdana University today claimed that its parent company — Academic Medical Centre Sdn Bhd (AMC) — has paid more than RM100 million to Johns Hopkins as required under a contract

“AMC has to date paid a total of US$34.199 million to Johns Hopkins on account of Perdana University,” it said in the same statement, adding that the last of the payments to Johns Hopkins was a US$2 million sum this May 7.

According to Perdana University, AMC and Johns Hopkins are locked in a dispute over whether there are any outstanding fees payable, claiming that the latter had failed to address the “grievances” of the company and the local university.

It said the dispute will be settled based on its “Affiliation and Collaboration Agreement” with Johns Hopkins.

The Perdana University said it had also kept the Pugsom staff and students, as well as the relevant government agencies apprised of the developments.

It described Pugsom as the first school in Malaysia to offer the US-style four-year graduate entry programme for those aspiring to be doctors, with its website also stating that it was established with the aid of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM).

The Perdana University also listed the various programmes that it offered, saying that its faculty had published many scientific and peer-reviewed papers in international and local journals, expressing its confidence that it would grow even more despite the cutting off of ties from Johns Hopkins.

“Perdana University will continue to grow even further and stronger with the separation from Johns Hopkins,” it said in the same statement.