HE Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani (centre) with Dr Darwish al-Emadi (right), Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham (second right), Dr Ayman El-Kadi (second left) and QU VP for medical education and CMED dean Dr Egon Toft.

The first  Middle East Conference on Inter-professional Education (IPE), being  held by Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) in Doha under the theme “New Frontiers in Healthcare Education” ends today.
The conference, the first of its kind in the Mena region, aims to showcase IPE in the Middle East. It has been organised under the platinum sponsorship of the Supreme Council of Health and the academic partnership of QU colleges of Arts & Sciences and Medicine, University of Calgary in Qatar and Hamad Medical Corporation.
It follows the selection of the CPH as host in March this year by the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education, the IPE world leader, based on its leading role in the Middle East in raising awareness and incorporating IPE into curricula.
The opening ceremony was inaugurated by QU president Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham in the presence of HE the Minister of Public Health Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani, QU acting VP for research and Social and Economic Survey Research Institute director Dr Darwish al-Emadi, CPH dean and chair of the Conference Advisory Committee Dr Ayman El-Kadi, CPH associate dean for academic affairs Dr Mohamed Diab and CPH assistant dean for student affairs and chair of the Organising Committee Dr Alla El-Awaisi, as well as 215 representatives of local and international healthcare and medical institutions and QU leadership, faculty, staff and students.
The event has brought together more than 300 healthcare leaders from 13 countries - Qatar, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, UK and US. They have discussed and exchanged ideas and strategies to integrate an IPE approach into the curriculum and teaching methodologies.
In his opening remarks, Dr al-Derham said: “I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the creativity, drive and dedication of the faculty and students of the College of Pharmacy, who took the lead on this effort, with enthusiastic support from the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Medicine.”
Dr El-Kadi said: “This event reflects QU’s pivotal role as a key driver of progress and innovation in higher education in Qatar and the region.”
Dr El-Awaisi added: “The goal of this conference is to give each and every one of the attendees the knowledge and confidence to implement IPE principles in their academic and professional lives.”