The inaugural Board of Trustees of University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) during a session at UCQ.
DOHA: Qatar has officially announced the University of Calgary in Qatar’s (UCQ) inaugural Board of Trustees.
This comes after a new governance structure was established earlier this year, secured upon the signing of a five-year collaboration agreement between Qatar and UCQ. Now in its eleventh year of operation, UCQ is the only Canadian university in Qatar and the sole provider of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing in the country.
For the first time all together, board members from Qatar and Canada met in Doha this week to discuss current operations and the future strategic plans for the University, including next steps in helping to meet the Qatar National Health Strategy 2018-2022. “A healthy future for Qatar depends on a workforce that includes well educated nurses,” said UCQ Board of Trustees Chair, Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani. “The University of Calgary in Qatar offers higher education nursing degrees right here in our own country. Nurses make vital contributions to the health of their patients and their families in our community.
They are catalysts who are leading healthcare system transformation. Meeting the health care goals of Qatar requires educating more nurses and supporting the development of current nurses. I believe UCQ is educating the nursing leaders that will help us get there.”
Dr Dru Marshall, Provost and Vice President (Academic) of the University of Calgary, was one of three senior university representatives who traveled from Canada for this initial meeting. “The formation of a Board of Trustees is an important and necessary step forward for UCQ,” explained Dr. Marshall. “The University of Calgary has a proud tradition of academic excellence in Canada and around the world. We are excited to contribute to the advancement of nursing in Qatar by delivering the academic programs that will help make it possible.”
Board members appointed by Qatar include Board Chair, Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Cancer Society; Dr Asmaa Ali J F Al Thani, Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professor of Virology, Qatar University; Dr Khalid Al Ali, Director of Higher Education Institutions Affairs Department, Office of the Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs and Dr Nabila Al Meer, Deputy Chief for Continuing Care Group and Ministry of Public Health Nursing Affairs.
Board members appointed by the University of Calgary include Dr Marshall, Provost and Dr Sandra Davidson, Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Karen Jackson, General Counsel.
