Since its inception in 1973, Qatar University (QU) continues to build on a legacy of solid commitment to graduating students who will contribute to the progress and development of Qatar. With over 17000 students in its ranks, QU is today a beacon of academic and research excellence in the GCC region.

QU is keen to keep abreast of the society’s fast growth by developing new programs, promoting research, and contributing to providing solutions to problems within the society. It provides its students with invaluable opportunities that contribute to heightening their skills and to fostering their experiences to become the next generation of professionals and leaders who can drive the country’s progress in line with the Human Development Strategy. Hence, the university prides itself on the quality of its students and alumni -- its alumni body totals 40,000 members, many of whom are top leaders in the private and public sectors in Qatar.

QU is also committed to providing high-quality education to Qatari and international students in areas of national priority. It offers 74 specializations, the widest range of academic programs in Qatar tailoring them to meet the needs of Qatari society -- 40 Bachelors, 25 Masters, 4 PhDs, 4 Diplomas, and 1 PharmD. Additionally, the organization’s academic programs are aligned with established international standards and best practices. This was achieved through accreditation of many of its colleges, programs and courses by leading international accrediting bodies such as ABET, CCAPP, AACSB, to name a few, the most recent of which were the accreditation awards achieved by the colleges of Education and Law.

Academic, research, accreditation and other achievements and successes over the years have served to propel QU among the top universities in the region and internationally. Official surveys conducted in recent years revealed high percentage rates (84%) on the quality of QU programs, employers attesting to seeking QU graduates to join their respective companies and organizations (80%), and employer perception of QU as a symbol of national identity (95%).

QU is advancing its goal to become a leader of economic and social development in Qatar through signed agreements and strategic partnerships with industry, government, academia, business and civil societyin Qatar and beyond. The university has signed around 59 agreements with local and international institutions in 2015/2016. These collaborations contribute to promoting quality education and research in Qatar and the region. They provide a myriad of opportunities for students to advance in their academic and research experience in their relevant disciplines in line with QU strategies towards improving student outcomes and maximizing their potential.

QU has also signaled a clear commitment to high-quality research that addresses national needs and advances scientific knowledge. Accordingly, an ambitious research roadmap was launched in 2014 to outline a clear and specific set of research priorities that reflect the unique responsibility and commitment of the organization to support research that is responsive to the national priority needs and major challenges facing the State of Qatar. In its roadmap, the organization established a focus on interdisciplinary research projects centered on four areas of excellence: Energy, Environment & Resource Sustainability; Social Change and Identity; Population, Health and Wellness; and Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT).

Community engagement is an area which is at the heart of QU mission and vision. The university is committed to ensuring that campus life is an enriching environment for encouraging academic excellence, volunteerism, civic responsibility and leadership. It also provides a wide range of programs such as Al Bairaq, Life is Engineering Project, Gasna, and the Annual Computing Contest aimed at raising school students’ awareness of their future role in contributing to the country’s development. This year, QU has started its strategic transformation towards the achievement of a “QU Model”.

This strategy focuses on advancing QU role as Qatar’s premier national university that provides high-quality education, and to strengthening its positioning as a social and strategic partner in national development, while maximizing admission opportunities and providing smooth opportunities for students from various cultural backgrounds, as well as various professional and academic interests. The strategy also focuses on the importance of providing academic and research programs that align with international standards and with the principles of the Arabic and Islamic culture and identity. The university aims to prepare distinguished national leaders and to benefit from its resources to develop the national human capital towards building a knowledge-based economy.

The university has also adopted a number of indicators to benchmark its strategic achievements. They include an increase in the percentage of students graduating within the period of 4 years to 60%, the decrease of the period spent by students at the university to graduate from 5.9 years to 4.5 years, the establishment of 5 interdisciplinary research centers for graduate studies, the increase of professor appointments within the faculty body to 25%, and the enhancement of its position in international rankings to become one of the top 300 universities in the world and among the best 200 universities in at least two minors.

Qatar University is advancing in its goal to become a leader of economic and social development in Qatar with a number of partnerships with various organisation. The university has signed some 59 agreements and strategic partnerships with industry, government, academia, business and civil society in Qatar and aboard in 2015/2016, according to officials.

A majority of these collaborations contribute to promoting quality education and research in Qatar and the region. They provide a myriad of opportunities for students to advance in their academic and research experience in their relevant disciplines in line with QU strategies towards improving student outcomes and maximizing their potential.

This year, QU began its transformation towards the achievement of a “QU Model,” that focuses on advancing QU role as Qatar’s premier national university that provides high-quality education, and to strengthening its positioning as a social and strategic partner in national development. QU will also maximise admission opportunities and provide smooth opportunities for students from various cultural backgrounds, as well as various professional and academic interests. The strategy also focuses on the importance of providing academic and research programmes that align with international standards and with the principles of the Arabic and Islamic culture and identity. The university aims to prepare distinguished national leaders and to benefit from its resources to develop the national human capital towards building a knowledge-based economy.

The university has also adopted a number of indicators to benchmark its strategic achievements. They include an increase in the percentage of students graduating within the period of 4 years to 60%, the decrease of the period spent by students at the university to graduate from 5.9 years to 4.5 years. Some five interdisciplinary research centres for graduate studies has been established, professor appointments within the faculty body has increased to 25%, and also its position in international rankings to become one of the top 300 universities in the world has gone up and is among the best 200 universities in at least two minors.

Academic, research, accreditation and other achievements and successes over the years have served to propel QU among the top universities globally. Official surveys conducted in recent years revealed high percentage rates at 84% on the quality of QU programmes. Meanwhile, employers attesting to seeking QU graduates to join their respective companies and organizations are80%, and employer perception of QU as a symbol of national identity is at 95%, according to surveys. QU’s alumni body totals 40,000 members, many of whom are top leaders in the private and public sectors in Qatar. QU offers 74 specialisations, the widest range of academic programs in Qatar tailoring them to meet the needs of Qatari society -- 40 Bachelors, 25 Masters, 4 PhDs, 4 Diplomas, and 1 PharmD.

Over 91 students from Qatar University (QU) College of Pharmacy (CPH) and College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ), and College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) participated in the third IPE activity on Smoking Cessation which was recently organized by CPH Interprofessional Education Committee (IPEC).

The event which was hosted at CNA-Q featured an overview on IPE by CPH Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Ms Alla El-Awaisi and a presentation by CPH Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice Dr Ahmed Awaisu on the role of health care professionals in smoking cessation to ensure a healthier society. It also included a patient-case scenario in which students interacted with a 65-year-old heavy smoker suffering from multiple diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The students discussed the case from their professional perspective and made a collaborative management plan to help the patient stop smoking.

Dr Alla El-Awaisi said: “This event aligns with CPH goals to provide students with opportunities in which they can develop and heighten their skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving. It also highlights our commitment to offer our students with a platform where they can interact and exchange knowledge with their peers from the health care profession. This contributes to enrich their interprofessional experience as they engage in out-of-the-classroom activities, which ensures their readiness to start working in Qatar’s healthcare system.”

CPH Clinical Pharmacy and Practice Section Head Dr Maguy El Hajj said: “Smoking is one of the primary causes of mortality and morbidity in Qatar and in the world. Smoking cessation can confer significant healthcare benefits including decreased risk of cardiac diseases and smoking-related cancers. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach that includes different healthcare professionals can improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions. In this IPE activity, Qatar health care students had the chance to exchange information about the roles and responsibilities of different team members and they learnt how they can collaborate to help smokers to quit. This activity will serve as an impetus for them to incorporate multi-disciplinary approaches to treat tobacco use in the future.”

CHS Assistant Professor at the Department of Public Health Dr Karam Adawi said: “Through this IPE activity, our students had hands-on experience in patient-focused care where they collaborated with other health professionals to solve a patient case. Furthermore, this collaboration provides a solid base towards continuum and integrated care practices in students’ future careers. I would like to thank all participants, especially the organizers, and look forward to having more successful IPE activities.” UCQ Senior Nursing Instructor Dr Jessie Johnson said: “As a facilitator it was inspiring to see the potential scope for patient care, when future healthcare professionals become truly collaborative, as seen during this IPE event involving students from almost every health care discipline.”

CNA-Q Instructor of Paramedicine Aileen Boyd said: “IPE events such as the smoking cessation exercise are a reminder that in healthcare, we must use a team approach to ensure our patients receive the most appropriate and individualized care possible. When we introduce this concept of IPE to our students, and allow the real time practice of it, it is insurance that future generations in healthcare will adopt this in their profession as the normal approach rather than the abnormal.” 2^nd-year CPH student Iqrah Qurishi said: “We, the health care practitioners, are different puzzle pieces of the same jigsaw puzzle. Alone we do not have a proper aim; together we form a clear picture towards optimizing the care provided to the patient. Also, we learn together and inter-professionally to respect and achieve the best and the highest care for our patients.”

Qatar University (QU) and Qatar Foundation (QF) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their existing strategic and research collaboration.

The agreement was signed by QU Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Prof Mariam Al-Maadeed and Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D) Executive Vice President Dr Hamad Al-Ibrahim in the presence of QU President Dr Hassan Al Derham, as well as other officials from both QU and QF. In the terms of the agreement, QF will collaborate with QU in the evaluation, protection, maintenance, commercialization and/or licensing of QU inventions, and provide periodic reports of all changes and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). QF will also collaborate with QU in its strategic planning in research tools and methods developed by QF R&D such as pillar diagnostics, KPIs, portfolio analysis, and landscape and hotspot analysis.

As both institutions collaborate on creating a National Knowledge Management Information System, QU will provide QF with access to its database of research activities funded through direct funding, an overview of potential national and international collaborations, and research white spaces. QU will also contribute to the analysis and development of policy frameworks and regulations. The terms of the agreement also include collaboration on co-recruiting professional staff in the areas of intellectual property strategy and management, data analysis, and research and development policy development.

Commenting on the agreement, Prof Mariam Al-Maadeed said: “This agreement will serve to advance QU research, inventions and intellectual property rights, and to establish an information management system that will make research knowledge readily accessible by the community, industry and researchers. “It also highlights QU’s continuous efforts to build collaborations and strategic partnerships with local and international institutions from the private and government sectors and to promoting quality education and research in Qatar and the region.”

Dr Hamad Al-Ibrahim said: “Collaboration between institutions and across sectors, allowing knowledge and expertise to be shared and resources to be maximized, is essential to advancing Qatar’s research and development enterprise, defining strategic direction, and creating tangible impact in the form of commercially-available innovations.

“Through this agreement, the methods and tools developed by QF R&D to support strategic planning and comprehensive research analysis will have wider application, for the benefit of Qatar, and potential new collaborations and avenues of research opportunity will open up. This strengthening of the existing connection between QF R&D and QU will enable both parties to leverage each other’s capacity and intellectual infrastructure to enhance their contribution towards making Qatar a world-class hub of research and innovation.”

Qatar University (QU) colleges of Engineering (CENG) and Business and Economics (CBE) announced the winners of the 4^th Annual Innovation and Entrepreneurship Contest 2016 at the closing ceremony which was held on December 20.

The contest aimed to enhance the students’ entrepreneurial skills, to raise their awareness on the importance of entrepreneurial activities, and to provide them with guidance on the best techniques to develop sound business plans. This year’s competition covered 5 major tracks -- Health Sciences, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Technology Based Projects, Energy and Environment, Social Enterprises, and Business Services. It included students from CENG (47%), CBE (43%), and other colleges (10%).

Participating teams were required to present their pitches outlining the essence of their business ideas to a panel of judges. 215 students participated in the contest which drew a large number of business ideas -- ICT and Technology Based Projects, Business Services, Social Enterprises, Health Sciences, and Energy and Environment. 1st-place winners were students Muna Al Remaihi and Lina Selim (CENG). 2nd-place winner was student Raghad Akram Abughazza (CENG), and 3rd-place winners were Mohammed Saad and Mohammed Amaan Sheikh (CENG).

CENG Dean Dr Khalifa Al-Khalifa said: “The College of Engineering is committed to supporting its students and to providing them with invaluable opportunities to equip them with the capacities and skills they need to become the future leaders in the local business sector. Additionally, the college is committed to engaging students in entrepreneurial and innovative activities, which will contribute to producing the future generation of high-qualified engineers to pursue an exciting career within the engineering industry.”

CBE Dean Dr Khalid Shams Al-Abdulqader said: “This contest provided CBE students with an invaluable opportunity to learn from experts and develop their skills in very specialised areas of business. We are delighted to support our students to advance their knowledge and experience towards their future success as entrepreneurs.”

A research project conducted by a team of researchers from Qatar University (QU) and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) showed that an integrated seawater energy and agriculture system (ISEAS) can produce biofuel for the aviation sector with fewer greenhouse gas emissions than its fossil counterpart, along with sustainable aquaculture food products without freshwater. The study was funded by Boeing Corporation.

In a new article appearing online in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11367-016-1215-5), which was co-authored by QU Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) Research Assistant Professor Dr J Jed Brown (pictured), a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a potential ISEAS was conducted. The team quantified the energy and material flows throughout the system and calculated the resulting net greenhouse gas emissions. The LCA results showed that the aviation biofuel produced from this ISEAS system emits up to 68% less greenhouse gases compared to fossil jet fuel and yields an overall positive net energy balance.

In the ISEAS, seawater is pumped into ponds where high value shrimp and fish are grown for human consumption. The nutrient-rich effluent exits the ponds and flows into fields of salt-tolerant plants (halophytes). The team examined a Salicornia bigelovii halophyte -- commonly known as glasswort or samphire -- which produces an oilseeds similar to soybeans.

The oil extracted from the seeds can be processed into a drop-in biofuel for airplanes, Dr Brown said, adding, “The portion of the seed that remains after oil extraction is high in protein and can be recycled into feed for fish and shrimps. The dried straw that remains after the oilseeds can also be used to generate electricity. Water that leaves the halophyte fields flows into a mangrove wetland where most of the remaining nutrients will be absorbed into mangrove biomass. Branches and leaves from the mangroves can be periodically trimmed to generate electricity with the Salicornia straw.”

Dr Brown also highlighted the environmental benefits of the ISEAS system, saying, “In a conventional aquaculture system, nutrient-rich aquaculture effluent is frequently discharged untreated back into the sea, which can have negative impacts on water quality of the receiving water body. In the ISEAS system, the nutrient-rich effluent from the aquaculture ponds serves as a fertilizer source for the halophytes and mangroves, which clean the water by removing nutrients. Mangroves are also used in many parts of the Gulf region to stabilize erosion-prone coastal regions, rebuild habitats for marine life, and provide permanent carbon sequestration in their biomass.”

He added: “As the human population continues to rise in the Gulf region, there is a greater need to provide food, water and low-carbon energy for the populace. Since there is a great scarcity of freshwater in this region, any agriculture or bioenergy projects that rely on freshwater will be unsustainable. However, the countries of the Arabian Gulf have access to seawater and high salinity groundwater. If this saline water can be used to produce food and biofuel sustainably, then limited freshwater resources can be conserved. Integrated Seawater Energy and Agriculture Systems have a great potential to produce food and fuel in the arid Gulf region.”

Masdar Institute Associate Professor Dr Sgouris Sgouridis said: “We hope that the aviation industry will embrace this technology and seek partnerships with aquaculture facilities to deploy such systems. ISEAS is a way to produce sustainable food and biofuel in arid coastal areas without negatively impacting freshwater resources.”

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Unit at Qatar University College of Health Sciences (QU-CHS) recently held an orientation session entitled “Orientation to Training Courses in Public Health Program at QU: Field Experience and Health Education Practicum”.

The session was delivered by Dr Ghadir Fakhri Al-Jayyousi, Lecturer and Training Coordinator at CHS Department of Public Health. It aimed to highlight the importance of providing training for supervisors who train students in various health organizations and prepare them to become distinguished health care providers in multiple health systems. The CPD Unit had been accredited by Qatar Ministry of Public Health as a provider of continuing professional development (CPD).

The event brought together many health educators and health care practitioners who supervise and train QU Public Health students during training courses at Qatar Cancer Society (QCS). Dr Ghadir Fakhri Al-Jayyousi gave an introductory presentation on QU Public Health program followed by a discussion about the main objectives of experience-based learning for students. She also highlighted the goals of the Field Experience and Health Education Practicum courses and stressed the importance of realizing these goals during the training programs.

CPD Unit Coordinator Dr Hiba Bawadi said: “The College of Health Sciences is one of the earliest accredited CPD providers for health care practitioners in the State of Qatar. The College continues in its efforts to identify gaps in professional practice and to provide effective CME/CPD programs to stimulate a positive change in knowledge, competence, and performance of health care practitioners.”

Seventy-Five (75) Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) students from the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-CENG) participated in a workshop on road safety issues in Qatar. The event is part of a senior level course on Project Engineering partially supported by QU Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Center (QTTSC).

The students were divided into 15 groups. They each provided a presentation on road safety issues in Qatar. Highlighted topics focused on driver’s behavior in terms of the use of seatbelts, mobile phone texting while driving, and use of car seat for new-borns and children. Commenting on the event, CENG Dean and QTTSC Director Dr Khalifa Al-Khalifa said: “The event comes in line with CENG commitment to engage students on the importance of road and traffic safety in Qatar. It also underlines the College’s continuous efforts to provide students with various opportunities through which they can strengthen their teamwork, communication and organizational skills which will serve them in good stead in their future professional endeavors.”

CENG Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Professor Dr Shaligram Pokharel said: “Road safety in Qatar is an important issue in terms of public health concern as per the Qatar National Road Safety Strategy (2013-2022). Road safety is a shared responsibility of road users, road and traffic system developers and rule enforcers. The strategy mentions some of the areas of high concern in terms of road users such as the driver’s behavior with regard to the use of seatbelts and child restraints. Therefore, there is a need to continuously raise road users’ awareness on road safety issues.”

He added: “The students presented their projects on Qatar’s road safety to raise community awareness on road safety issues that they face in real life and to provide them with efficient solutions to avoid them. The students are learning the techniques and tools of project management which enable them to translate their projects and apply their knowledge to real life issues.” Student Laila Taha said: “This course is about project engineering and achieving all deliverables at one time taking into consideration the cost and duration. We studied the issue of road safety and identified the main causes of accidents in Qatar.”

Student Sara Al Rumaihi said: “This project engineering course has contributed to supporting my research and to enhancing my presentation skills in a way that will help me to further make more studies in this area.”

Qatar University (QU) Department of Student Services and Activities and Qatar Olympic Academy (QOA) yesterday signed an agreement to establish collaboration in sports-related areas. The agreement was signed by QU Student Services & Activities Director Mr Abdulla Al-Yafei and QOA Executive Director Mr Saif Mohammed Al Naemi in the presence of officials from QU and QOA.

The terms of the agreement include collaboration on the development of administrative and technical qualified cadres who are capable to advance Qatar Sports sector, as well as the exchange of athletes to participate in international sports activities and to share their ideas and experiences in sports-related areas. Both parties will also cooperate on hosting sports delegations and trainers and experts in physical training, and on developing applied sport sciences. In the terms of the agreement, QU will provide QOA with access to its sport and administrative venues to organize training courses. QOA will also provide QU with a platform to conduct future academic and specialized courses and research on sport administration and laws, sports for people with disabilities, sports medicine, and anti-doping.

Commenting on the agreement, Mr Abdulla Al-Yafei said: “Qatar University is keen to create a balanced environment that integrates academic and sports activities and help students to enhance their academic performance and to enrich their experience. QU launched this year the Department of Sport Activities and is currently working to establish more sport venues in both male and female campuses. Being the national higher education institution, QU is increasing its international visibility by encouraging students to participate in international and local sporting events and tournaments.”   

Mr Saif Mohammed Al Naemi said: “We are delighted to sign this collaborative agreement with QU, my alma mater that graduated many leaders in Qatar. Having strong relationships with international sport stakeholders and partners such as the International Olympic Committee does not hinder us from establishing collaboration with Qatar University as an academic institution that gathers hundreds of national youth. The agreement will allow us to set up many training programs in topics related to the Sports sector.”

Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) students achieved a number of wins for their research projects which they presented at two regional forums.

PharmD student Alya Babiker and MSc students Marwa El Bashir and Aisha Osman won first place at the “2nd Intravenous and Parenteral Nutrition (IVPN) Symposium” recently held in Abu Dhabi for their research entitled “Antimicrobial Stewardship in Cancer Patients: A Prospective Audit with Follow Up of Antimicrobial Therapy”. The students were supervised by CPH Clinical Lecturer and Lead Primary Investigator of the study Dr Ziad Nasr, CPH Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice Dr Kyle Wilby, and Assistant Director of Pharmacy Clinical Services at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) National Center of Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) Dr Shereen El-Azzazy.

3^rd- year pharmacy students Ola Hussein, Dima Kawas and Licia Shamoun won the third place at the 3^rd GCC Pharma Congress recently held in Dubai for their poster entitled “Improving Patient Care Through the Discovery of  Novel Natural Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors with Potential Medicinal Value for Neurodegenerative Disorders”. The students were supervised by QU Director of Quality Assurance Dr Sherief Khalifa, CPH Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry Dr Ashraf Khalil, and QU College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Associate Professor at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Dr Talaat Youssef.

Commenting on the students’ achievement, CPH Dean Dr Mohammad Diab said: “Research is an important component of the National Health Strategy and CPH is committed to ensuring our students are equipped with the necessary tools and resources to thrive as researchers, both as students and in their future careers. We are always proud to see our students compete and win in front of such prestigious scientific audiences, and these international conferences offer our students another platform to showcase their talents.”

CPH Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Dr Feras Alali said: “CPH puts great emphasis on providing a rich research experience to both graduate and undergraduate students. The College considers research as a core skill to achieve and maintain during the students’ academic journey. We are always confident in the strength of our students at the local, regional and international competitions and their performance was again exemplary.” Dr Ziad Nasr said: “This is an important achievement for QU students which indeed gives them valuable exposure both on the national and regional level. Our students demonstrated excellent presentation and communication skills that received special recognition from the judging panel.”

Student Alya Babiker said: “It was a great experience to attend a conference that allocated a full day for antimicrobial stewardship which was the focus of our research. The judges and our competitors were impressed by the efforts we put for conducting our research on antimicrobial stewardship while we were still undergraduate students and we hope our research findings will help improve the rational use of antimicrobials and reduce the fast increasing resistance. As a research team we are proud that we were able to achieve another win for the College of Pharmacy.”

Student Ola Hussein said: “Having the opportunity to present our research findings and interact with experts from the field in a regional conference was a highly valuable experience which would not have been possible without the support of QU College of Pharmacy and our supervisors.” The students’ projects are funded by the Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) of Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).

The Scholarships and Partnerships Office at Qatar University (S&P Office-QU) yesterday held its 6^th Annual Scholarship and Sponsorship Students’ Gathering. The event aimed to celebrate returned scholars who pursue their education in prestigious international universities and whose experiences inspire current students.

QU President Dr Hassan Al Derham was joined by members of QU leadership, deans and heads of departments. The event was also an opportunity for scholars to provide prospective scholarship holders with an insight into postgraduate education and the benefits and challenges of studying abroad.

A total of 17 returned scholars were given awards in recognition of their commitment and academic achievements while on the program. They included 5 PhD scholars -- Seeta Al Athba (College of Arts and Sciences), Al Anoud Al Maadeed and AbdulAziz Al Ali (College of Engineering), Muna Al Marzouqi (College of Law), and Noora Lari (Social and Economic Survey Research Institute) -- and 12 MA scholars -- Abdulla Al Otaibi, Hayat Al Jabiry, and Dalal Al Dosari (College of Arts and Sciences), Sara Al Rasheed (College of Business and Economics), Rouda Al Marri (College of Education), Sultana Al Nabet, Shaikha Al Saud and Hameda Janahi (College of Engineering), Mohsin Al Marri (College of Law), and Mohamad Al Sai, Abdul Aziz Al Thani and Omar Al Khatib (College of Sharia and Islamic Studies).

The event’s program also included presentations delivered by Dr Mona AlMarzooqi, PhD graduate in Law from the USA, and Ms Aisha AlAmmari, a scholarship student pursuing a PhD program in Law. Dr Mona AlMarzooqi briefed the audience on the phases to achieve the Masters and PhD programs, while Ms Aisha AlAmmari highlighted the various challenges that she faced during her academic journey. In his remarks, Dr Hassan Al Derham said: “We are here today to listen to your experiences while studying abroad and to give you an overview of the objectives of the Scholarships and Partnerships Office at Qatar University. The investment in national competencies gives us the responsibility to contribute to building the future generation of skilled expertise to advance QU’s role in the region and to realize the University’s vision.”

Dr Al Derham also stressed the importance of attracting high-qualified faculty and researchers from all over the world, which contributes to strengthening the university’s global dimension. “This is reflected in QU’s achievement of the first place among 200 institutions worldwide in the International Outlook indicator in the overall Times Higher Education World University Rankings list (THE-WUR) 2015-16”, he said. Addressing the students, he said: “The Scholarships and Partnerships Office gives you the opportunity to pursue your graduate studies at top universities around the world. After graduation, you will contribute with your expertise to adding value to Qatar University, your college, and your department. We look forward to maintaining a real communication between you and the university.”

S&P Office Director Cesar Wazen gave an overview on the Office, noting that 29 students have been selected in 2016 from various colleges and departments across QU to pursue scholarships (27 students) and sponsorships (2 students) at universities around the world. “Currently, 119 students are being managed by the Office -- 46 scholarship students who are pursuing Masters programs, 44 scholarship students who are pursuing PhD programs, 2 under sponsorship,  and 27 preparing to leave for studies abroad”, he said.

Qatar University (QU) and King Saud University (KSU) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their existing relations and promote research collaboration among institutions in the GCC.

The agreement was signed by QU Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Prof Mariam Al-Maadeed and KSU Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research Prof Ahmed Salim Al-Aameri in the presence of QU President Dr Hassan Al Derham, as well as officials from both institutions. The agreement aims to build national human capital, and to strengthen links between researchers and develop research networks in the GCC. The terms of the agreement include exchange of students and visiting scholars, and collaboration in the area of hosting visiting delegations. Both institutions will also cooperate in establishing joint research projects and cultural programs, as well as internship opportunities.

The agreement will contribute to strengthening the GCC-Wide Universities Funding Program which was initiated earlier this year by QU and other universities in the region. The program aims to build bridges and break barriers between institutions in the GCC, create a genuine market for GCC grant challenges, generate more research capabilities and expertise within the GCC, and further enhance regional research networking. Dr Hassan Al Derham highlighted the importance of the collaboration with KSU, which is one of the most prestigious universities in the region, especially in the field of research and community service. He also expressed his hope to establish a joint Research Fund to support the research projects, which are conducted by researchers in the GCC.

Prof Mariam Al-Maadeed said: “This agreement will contribute to build trust and strengthen links between institutions in the region. It will also provide excellent research outcomes and resources to develop the national human capital towards building a knowledge-based economy. “Cross national research projects can only be successfully undertaken when universities join hands and collaborate on such projects. The success of our research outcomes would be deepened when we compare notes and work with colleagues from universities in the region, especially when funding resources are pooled together.”

Prof Ahmed Salim Al-Aameri said: “Today, it is an honor for King Saud University as a comprehensive research university and the first higher education institution founded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to sign this substantial agreement, aiming at consolidating the joint collaborative relationship between KSU and QU. This MoU will document the closer partnership between the two countries and promote research and academic collaboration between the two distinguished institutions. The MoU will also facilitate the exchange of researchers and students and provide a platform to ease accessibility to graduate students in the GCC for the purpose of R&D training, capacity building and increase the number of outstanding researchers in the  GCC countries.”

He added: “There is no doubt that universities in the GCC are the "think tank" and the main engine for conducting successful research and achieving sustainable development in the GCC. Therefore, these collaborative programs between the GCC universities will establish a strong research culture among university students, improve capacity building and increase the number of Gulf researchers. It will also integrate society and industry in the work of universities, and will provide stabile research funding in the GCC countries. These collaborative programs constitute a real opportunity and an urgent need to bond the GCC countries to achieve their developmental goals and overcome the obstacles and challenges they face in the transition to a knowledge-based economy.”

Qatar University (QU) announced that the registration for the MA and PhD in Gulf Studies, which started in January 2, will continue until April 3, 2017.

QU College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Gulf Studies Center (GSC) Director Dr Abdullah Baabood explained that all applicants to the Master of Arts in Gulf Studies who meet the minimum criteria will be considered for admission. “Applicants should have completed a Bachelor degree with a grade point average of at least 2.8 out of 4.0, or equivalent, from a university or college accredited by an international accrediting association or by the Ministry of Higher Education or comparable in that country”, Dr Abdullah Baabood said. He added: “They also have to achieve a minimum score of 520 on the paper-based TOEFL or equivalent test taken within 2 years of the start of the intended semester of admission, as well as a satisfactory performance in the personal interview with the Admission Committee.”

For the applicants to the PhD in Gulf Studies, Dr Abdullah Baabood noted that they should have successfully completed the 2-year Qatar University MA in Gulf Studies, or a Master’s degree in a related subject, or its equivalent, from an accredited university with an accumulative GPA of 3.0. He also noted that applicants should fulfill the requisite English language standard. “The requirements are that a student earned a previous degree from an institution of higher education in a program where English was the language of instruction, or achieved a minimum score of 520 on the paper-based TOEFL, as well as an acceptable score in the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) ”, Dr Abdullah Baabood said, adding, “The tests should be taken within 2 years of the start of the intended semester of admission and all applicants should achieve a satisfactory performance in the personal interview with the Admission Committee”.

He added that the PhD program has two; a Qatar University only PhD or a dual award PhD with Durham University in the UK. Students who opt for the dual award PhD will have to spend part of the time at Durham University. Dr Abdullah Baabood noted that the Gulf Studies Program is the first of its kind in the region. “The Gulf Studies Program (MA and PhD in Gulf Studies) aims to provide students an in-depth and interdisciplinary understanding of issues related to the contemporary states of the Gulf. It was developed in response to a growing need among stakeholders in the region for highly qualified graduates in the field of Gulf Studies and vastly growing general interest and focus on the Gulf region”, he said.

Qatar University (QU) research team has been ranked 1^st and 2^nd in the Real-time Summarization track at the 25^th annual Text REtrieval Conference (TREC 2016) which was recently organized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland, USA.

The research team, which is led by Dr Tamer Elsayed (pictured), Assistant Professor of Computer Science at QU College of Engineering (CENG) and which included 2^nd-year PhD student in Computer Science Maram Hasanain and 2^nd-year MSc student in Computing Reem Suwaileh, has achieved the 1^st place in the mobile notification task among 19 international teams, and the 2^nd place in the email digest task among 15 international teams.  The competition in the Real-time Summarization track brought 19 research teams from universities and research labs in Qatar, Australia, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, India, and USA. QU team is the only team from an Arabic country to participate in the competition this year.

The team developed a real-time software system that processes a stream of live tweets. The user of the system describes a topic of interest and the system notifies him/her whenever a novel and relevant tweet to the topic is posted. The system pushes the tweets to the user’s mobile (push notification task) or sends him/her an email of all interesting tweets at the end of the day (email digest task). More than 50 topics were tested during 10 days. The system’s output was judged accurately by a committee of judges from NIST.

Commenting on the team achievement, Dr Tamer Elsayed said: “We are proud of our students’ achievement, which is the result of their dedication and hard work. Being part of such an international competition is a motivating experience for our students and drives them to apply their skills beyond the classroom. This underlines our commitment to provide our students with opportunities to meet and interact with their peers and world-class researchers to share and advance their knowledge and research skills. It also demonstrates our continuous efforts to offer them a wide range of activities that unlock their potential and help them invest their talents in the spirit of competition, shared knowledge and teamwork.”

Maram Hasanain said: “It was a great honor to participate in a world-class competition like TREC. This helped me learn how to work under pressure and as an active player in a software development team.” Reem Suwaileh said: “Our participation in such a prestigious venue has several benefits. The major one is that we managed to prove to ourselves that if we are dedicated to our goals we are capable of achieving the best results.”

Three (3) 4^th-year pharmacy students from Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) completed a training course in Scotland, UK as part of their Structured Practical Experience Placements (SPEP) program in CPH. One student trained at PAMIS, a community charity providing support for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), while two other students trained at Rowlands Pharmacy, one of the largest and longest established UK chain of local community pharmacies.

The trip is part of a collaboration which was established last year between CPH and Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University (RGU).

The students -- Nawal Bensmail, Noora Al Hamad and Amani Faisal Al Haddad -- completed a one-month rotation in Scotland. They spent their time shadowing the pharmacists, learning about pharmacy procedures for dispensing medications to patients as well as performing pharmacy administrative and legislation related tasks. Under the supervision of their preceptors, they provided direct care to patients including reviewing prescriptions and counseling patients about their medications. They also collaborated with RGU faculty and students.

The students also had the opportunity to meet with Lord Provost, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant Queen’s Representative of Aberdeen with whom they discussed their academic journey at QU and Qatar’s developments in the recent years. CPH Dean Dr Mohammed Diab said: “The College of Pharmacy at Qatar University puts great emphasis on providing students with a wide range of learning opportunities and experiences to enrich their education. Maintaining strong relationships with our international partners allows our students to gain professional experience and enhance their education. It also provides them with an opportunity to network with their peers and mentors in the global professional community.” 

CPH Assistant Dean for Student Ms Affairs Alla El Awaisi said: “International SPEP experiences are great opportunities for our students to gain various perspectives on pharmaceutical care and practice in different countries. CPH is committed to providing students with the best opportunities to broaden their learning experiences and travelling internationally is one of them. Our students continually excel, locally and abroad and are always great ambassadors of the College.” Professor of Transdisciplinary and Technology Enhanced Learning at RGU School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences and student rotation Supervisor Prof Lesley Diack said: “The students showed high standards of professionalism and dedication. They have worked hard engaging with various pharmacists and patients. It has been a privilege to work with them over the last four weeks, and I would like to congratulate the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University for the level of quality of its studentship.”

Amani Faisal Al Haddad said: “I have learned that pharmacists should understand all aspects related to patients’ life such as medication history and psychological situation. I have also noticed that hospitals and health care centers in Qatar are advanced and equipped with cutting-edge technologies that are not found elsewhere.” Nawal Bensmail said: “Pharmacists in Scotland are seen as doctors who are eligible to make medical diagnosis and write prescriptions. We learned how to interact and respect patients from different cultures, which contributed to enriching our learning experience.”

Noora Al Hamad said: “What I liked about the pharmacy system in Rowlands is the unified database that shows the medication history of patients. This facilitates the pharmacist’s job and ensures the provision of the appropriate medication.”

Qatar University (QU) yesterday signed an agreement with Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) to strengthen their existing relations in the field of research and training.

The agreement was signed by QU President Dr Hassan Al Derham and QMC Chief Executive Officer H.E. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani in the presence of officials from both institutions, as well as QU faculty and staff. The agreement aims to establish a strategic collaboration between both institutions in the field of training and research to benefit QU students and QMC employees. It will also serve to attract QU national students and alumni to work in various positions within the field of media such as directors, journalists, presenters, sports commentators and/or analysts, TV producers, photographers, and bilingual editors and translators.

In the terms of the agreement, QU will select students to receive training courses under the umbrella of QMC in many TV channels and radios such as Al Kass Sports Channels, Qatar TV, Qatar Radio, and Sout Alkhaleej FM. QU will also host QMC to attend lectures, activities and events organized by the Department of Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). QMC will provide training opportunities to QU students and alumni within the duration for not less than two months and not to exceed six months. QMC will also provide full-time employment opportunities to the trainees who pass the probation period. The Corporation will also collaborate with QU students and faculty to conduct research projects.  

Commenting on the agreement, Dr Hassan Al Derham said: “Over the past decades, media has become more influential and impactful. Hence, it is crucial that we prepare highly qualified national competencies to lead and develop the field of media in Qatar. The agreement will contribute to empowering national students with media skills and talents, and to providing them with training and research programs to meet the needs of the local labor. It will also serve to encourage and motivate them to develop a professional experience in various print and broadcast media.”

H.E. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani said: “Qatar has contributed to promoting the field of media at the regional level at the time when H.H. the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani launched Al Jazeera Channel, which comprised numerous national competencies. The collaborative agreement between Qatar Media Corporation and Qatar University comes in line with the vision of both institutions to realize the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. We look forward to implementing the terms of the agreement in order to shape national competencies and ensure their employment at QMC and the various print and broadcast media outlets.”

The terms of the agreement will be implemented at QU through its Career Services Center (CSC), Center of Continuing Education (CCE), and Department of Mass Communication at CAS.

Qatar University (QU) signed on January 15 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital (Aspetar) to establish collaboration in the field of medical education and research.

The MoU was signed by QU Vice President for Medical and Health Education and College of Medicine (CMED) Dean Dr Egon Toft and Aspetar Acting Director General Dr Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari in the presence of officials from both institutions, as well as QU faculty, staff, and students.

In the terms of the agreement, Aspetar will provide highly qualified international faculty to educate QU medical students in Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) at Aspetar clinics. Faculty from QU and Aspetar will also work jointly to establish an undergraduate SEM curriculum for medical students. Other areas of collaboration include the joint provision of Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development programs to benefit local and regional health care practitioners, as well as joint research projects in relevant areas.

Commenting on the MoU, Dr Egon Toft said: “Partnering with Aspetar will definitely enrich our curriculum and serve our students in their journey towards becoming distinguished health professionals. At QU, we recognize the important role that SEM has in promoting health and preventing disease and injury, and we are always committed to serve the needs of the community by building capacity in clinical practice, medical education and research. We are optimistic that the collaboration with Aspetar will be helpful in all these areas.”

Dr Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari expressed his pleasure in visiting CMED, saying, “I would like to thank QU Health for this collaboration in providing the undergraduate medical education in SEM. This agreement is considered as a step forward to attract students to SEM as a specialty in the near future.”

Qatar University (QU) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar Football Association (QFA), Aspire Zone, and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy to establish and implement an academic program for talented athletes.

The MoU was signed by QU President Dr Hassan Al Derham, QFA President H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al-Thani, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy Secretary General Mr Hassan Bin Abdullah Al Thawadi, and Aspire Zone CEO Mr Mohammad Khalifa Al-Suwaidi in the presence of leaders and officials from QU, QFA, Aspire Zone, and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy as well as QU faculty and staff. The MoU aims to support and develop talented athletes, and to drive forward the spirit of innovation in sports in Qatar. The terms of the MoU include collaboration to establish, implement and support an academic program for talented athletes and football professionals in Qatar. This will contribute to building the future generation of football professionals and to modelling the coming stars in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and beyond.

Commenting on the MoU, Dr Hassan Al Derham said: “We are pleased to sign this MoU with Qatar Football Association (QFA), Aspire Zone, and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which will contribute to building national capacities for the sports sector and to fulfilling the needs of the labor market in the field of sports. This MoU is aligned with Qatar’s continuous efforts to organize and host world sports championships, and with QU’s commitment to build collaborations and strengthen links with local institutions to advance and support the sports sector and to provide the labor market with talented athletes based on the guidance of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the relevant parties.” Dr Al Derham noted that this MoU will contribute to establishing a Bachelor of Sports Education at QU following approval by the Board of Regents. He also noted that a Steering Committee comprising members from the partnering institutions will establish the admission requirements for the new program.” 

H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al-Thani said: “Our partnership with Qatar University will have a positive impact on the sports sector in Qatar. This MoU will contribute to uplifting the talents of athletes while ensuring their stability on the academic and artistic levels, which will be for the benefit of their sporting club and national team. The new program aligns with the one provided by Aspire Academy for high school students. It offers football players the opportunity to continue their education while in Qatar. It also provides talented athletes with the chance to join Qatar University, which is one of the leading universities in the region.”

Mr Hassan Bin Abdullah Al Thawadi said: “This new MoU will provide athletes with an unparalleled educational opportunity to develop and grow their managerial skills in the sports industry. In spirit of the partnership, through Josoor Institute we will provide the athletes the opportunity to attend executive education, professional development workshops and certificate and diploma programs that are currently being offered by Josoor Institute, a center of excellence developed by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. In the build up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we are committed to building the human capital of the sports and events industries by empowering the talents of the region and equipping them with the skillset they need to unleash their full potential and to help create a lasting legacy for the region.”

Mr Mohammad Khalifa Al-Suwaidi said: “We are pleased to partner with Qatar University, Qatar Football Association (QFA), and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. This MoU will contribute to upholding the academic learning of talented athletes, especially football players, in Qatar by investing all capacities and competencies to shape a sporting generation able to promote Qatar’s reputation in world sports championships.”

Health care students at Qatar University (QU) colleges of Pharmacy (CPH), Health Sciences (CHS) and Medicine (CMED) were joined by their peers from University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ), College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) and Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar (WCM-Q) at the 2^nd Interprofessional Education Student Society (IPE-SS) Research Day which was recently held at QU Research Complex.

Themed “The Second Annual Research Day for Healthcare Students”, the event was organized by the Interprofessional Education Student Society (IPE-SS). It was designed to engage students from various health care disciplines in interprofessional workshops and best poster and oral presentation competitions.

The program’s agenda included 5 oral presentations delivered by Nermin Al-Hasan and Omnia GadAllah (CPH), Sondos Kader and Monireh Fouladi from (CHS), Jawaher Hassan, Omar Tahir, Soubiya Ansari and Mennatalla Abdelkader (CMED), Martina Estrada (CNA-Q), and Rawan Ali, Jameela Syed and Yaman Shahrour (UCQ). They presented a variety of health related issues such as “Correlation between Social Support and Stress on College Students”, “Mathematics for Medication Administration”, “Geriatric Education in Schools of Pharmacy: Perspectives from Qatar and Canada”, “Molecular Genotyping and Sub-Grouping of Cryptosporidium Species Isolated from Hospitalized Pediatric Patients in Qatar”, and “Creativity and Art in Medicine”. It also included an IPE workshop on “Get Involved, be a researcher and do it as a team” presented by Myriam Jaam, IPE-SS President. The workshop focused on “What is Research?”, “Why do we do it?”, “Different types of research?”, “Steps to do it” and “Things to consider”.

The students were randomly divided into 9 multi-professional groups in which they worked together on various research cases UREP Project: Perceptions of Shisha Smokers, Efficacy of Protein Diet in Weight loss, Effect of Curcumin on Mice Kidney Cells, Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis in Qatar, and Perception of Students about Drugs in Sports. Under the supervision and guidance of facilitators, they presented a total of 27 posters to a panel of judges comprising CPH Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Dr Feras Alali, CHS Assistant Professor of Public Health Dr Farhad Hana, CMED Assistant Research Professor Dr Nadia Al Banna, UCQ Nursing Instructor Ms Kathleen De Leon-Demare, and CNA-Q Pharmacy Technician Lead Instructor Dr Norman Wong.

The event also featured the distribution of awards for the winners in the best poster and oral presentation competitions. First place winner in the Oral Presentation Competition were CPH students Nermin Al Hasan and Omnia Gadallah. In the Poster Presentation Competition, CPH students Farah Zahra and Nawal Bensmail won the 1^st place, CHS students Redwana Bari and Esra Moosa won the 2^nd place, while CNA-Q student Martina Estrada won the 3^rd place.

QU VP for Medical Education and CMED Dean Dr Egon Toft said: “I was very pleased to attend the IPE Student Society annual event. It was a great day and great that this activity can bring all major providers of health care professional education together in a positive and constructive spirit giving rise to new collaborations and friendship across our institutions. The event was a huge success with a great turnout of around 100 participants. The event’s program included 5 oral student presentations, 27 student posters from the five health care colleges in the country and an interactive student workshop on the process of research.”

CPH Dean Dr Mohammad Diab said: “This 2^nd annual Interprofessional Research Day offers students across all health care colleges the opportunity to showcase their research, to share their experiences and ideas, and to understand each other’s professions more clearly. CPH has played a pivotal role in developing interprofessional education in the Middle East. The College continues in its efforts to promote collaborative interprofessional workshops and research days to enable our students to further develop their skills and abilities as future health care providers providing the most optimal patient care.”

CHS Dean and QU Biomedical Research Center (BRC) Director Prof Asmaa Al-Thani said: “IPE is a cornerstone in the educational system and it integrates the different health disciplines for a streamlined education, which will reflect on the students’ professional careers in the future. CHS has been working on IPE since 2011 and this event has demonstrated the synchronization of the efforts of the three colleges to enhance interprofessional and multidisciplinary research. More than 10 students from CHS participated in the IPE Research Day showcasing their research projects and engaging in the different activities in addition to interacting with students and faculty from various colleges.”

CPH Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Chair of the Interprofessional Education Committee Dr Alla El-Awaisi said: “I am very proud of the great efforts of IPE student society members in organizing this event for the second consecutive year. The executive team is gaining important leadership skills and opportunities to interact with other health care students in this unique society. The event provides the students from various disciplines with a platform to share their research experiences, and we hope this will encourage students and faculty to conduct interprofessional and multidisciplinary research together in the coming future.”

IPE-SS President and CPH MSc student Myriam Jihad Jaam said: “The purpose of the research day is to bring students from different professions together, and give them the opportunity to share their knowledge and skills with individuals from different perspectives. This year, we had a great turnout and the event was much better and bigger than last year. Without the support from all the colleges this would not have happened. I take this opportunity to thank every person who has contributed to this great success.”

Over 40 year 1 and 2 students from Qatar University College of Medicine (QU-CMED) visited on January 15-16 Al Emadi Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) - Forensic Medicine and Mortuary Section, and Qatar Biobank.

Organized by CMED in collaboration with QU Career Services Center, the visits align with the College’s commitment to provide its students with practical experiences in which they get the opportunity to interact in their early academic years with patients, physicians and practitioners from other sectors.

Commenting on the visits, QU VP for Medical and Health Sciences and CMED Dean Dr Egon Toft said: “These on-field visits serve to enhance our students’ personal and communication skills, exposing them to the hospitals’ environment and enabling them to accumulatively build up their expectations and knowledge for medical professions.” Head of Dermatology and Senior Consultant Dermatologist at Al Emadi Hospital Dr Adel Mohamed Kamaledin said: “I was happy to see motivated, confident and broad-minded future doctors with good potential, who will definitely excel in medicine and life with the appropriate guidance and education given at Qatar University.” 

Scientific and Educational Manager and Acting Director at Qatar Biobank Dr Nahla Afifi said: “We are very happy to welcome Qatar University students to Qatar Biobank to gain an insight into our facility and the research we are conducting.” After visiting HMC’s Forensic Medicine and Mortuary Section, year 1 medical student Umar Bin Rashid said: “Being in close proximity to those who passed away motivated me to study harder and push myself to become a better doctor.” Year 2 medical student Menatalla Hashem Abdelkader said: “These visits served to introduce us to the reality of life as future doctors.”