NewsDetail
Doha, February 21, 2012: Qatar University (QU) in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) hosted a briefing session on February 22 on Qatar’s Academic Health System (AHS), a partnership amongst leading academic and research institutions and health care providers in Qatar.
The event was opened by QU President Prof Sheikha Al Misnad and attended by Deans, heads of departments, faculty and students. The panel of speakers included HMC Managing Director Dr Hanan Al-Kuwari, HMC Chief of Medical, Academic and Research Affairs Prof Edward Hillhouse, QU College of Pharmacy Dean Prof Peter Jewesson and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Associate Dean for Research Dr Mohamed Ahmedna.
In her welcoming remarks, Prof Al Misnad highlighted the importance of QU’s collaboration with HMC, saying, “We continue to build on this strategic relationship that has brought outcomes of considerable importance to the health and wellbeing of Qatar’s community. This new initiative is a clear indication of how working with partners across sectors is crucial for establishing a cohesive environment of research to reach solutions to health challenges that impact our society”.
Dr Hanan Al-Kuwari added, "We are in a unique position here in Qatar to implement an Academic Health System that is truly national in its scope and which supports our country’s vision to become a knowledge-based society by 2030. The only way to achieve this is by collaborating closely with our leading local academic institutions. Qatar University is a very strategic and highly-valued partner in this endeavour and I’m delighted by the amount of positive feedback we received today from its faculty and students”.
Prof Hillhouse added that an important principle of the AHS is to establish translational research, saying, "Research will play a pivotal role in the Academic Health System. A particular focus of the partnership is upon transforming the practice and delivery of health care through high quality inter-professional research programs and integrating education and research in the routine delivery of clinical care”.
Dr Jewesson commended the timeliness of the initiative and stated QU’s preparedness to collaborate with HMC and other partners and the College of Pharmacy’s readiness to play a major role in the initiative. He cautioned that realizing an effective academic health system will be a challenge and will take sustained commitment and cooperation among all partners to achieve the intended goals.
Dr Ahmedna pointed to the College of Arts and Sciences’ numerous programs, which include biomedical sciences, social sciences, biological and environmental sciences, mathematics and statistics, and faculty expertise that can play an active leading role in the AHS initiative which is aligned with the college’s continued commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and community service/outreach.
