University bioethics course

SPUC has supported a bioethics post-graduate degree programme at St Mary's College, Twickenham, University of Surrey. Details of the programme can be found at www.smuc.ac.uk/bioethics The programme at St Mary's (colloquially known as Strawberry Hill) was founded in 2002 and several of SPUC's pro-life colleagues and supporters have taken the course part-time. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC political secretary, completed a Master's degree in bioethics at St Mary's in 2005.

Mr Ozimic has commented on the course: "The course was a truly stimulating and valuable experience. My fellow students were young medical students, experienced health professionals, pro-life activists and other people interested in exploring the relationship between ethics and religion. As the range of the field of bioethics was covered fully, we were regularly challenged with steep learning curves which helped us make real academic progress in a short time. Dr David A. Jones, the programme director, brought the best out of the students and was ably assisted by talented and highly qualified lecturers in the fields of law, philosophy and theology. I cannot recommend the course highly enough and encourage anyone interested in understanding pro-life issues to consider applying for the course and/or to tell others about it."

Mr Ozimic's dissertation, entitled "The effect of abortion on moral character", explores philosophically and empirically what negative effect the practice of abortion may have upon the moral character of those involved in performing abortion. It seeks to make those who are unconvinced of the objective wrongness of abortion question whether abortion, viewed subjectively in terms of the effect on one's character, is desirable. You can request an electronic copy of the dissertation by emailing anthonyozimic@spuc.org.uk