RCSI presented graduates with the masters degree in Healthcare Management at a conferring ceremony in Dubai on 6 February, 2008.

The ceremony, the first conferring of RCSI degrees in Dubai, was conducted in the presence of Dr Ali bin Shakir Undersecretary for Health and Dr Mahmood Fikri, Assistant Undersecretary for Prevention, Ministry of Health, United Arab Emirates.

23 graduates, who included doctors, nurses, health managers, physiotherapists and dentists, from the a wide variety of public and private health sector organisations were presented with their degrees by Dr Terry McWade, Deputy CEO, RCSI and Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI. Dr McWade represented Dr Attracta Halpin, Registrar of the National University of Ireland and congratulated the graduates on belonging to the worldwide alumni of the National University of Ireland, the oldest University in Ireland. This is the first cohort to graduate from the RCSI Masters programme, which was inaugurated in Dubai in 2005.

The programme is designed to produce managers and leaders in healthcare who can contribute to the ongoing development of the health services in the United Arab Emirates. Graduates undertook two years of intensive study in management, leadership, strategic planning, human resources management, operations management and quality systems and completed original research to improve healthcare delivery.

Speaking at the conferring, Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at RCSI, said: “Today’s conferring represents another milestone in the growing relationship between RCSI and the United Arab Emirates. The College has, for many years, provided postgraduate training and education in Bahrain and we look forward to increasing our contribution to developing healthcare in the United Arab Emirates through our newly established base RCSI-Dubai which is now located in Dubai Healthcare City.”

Professor Ciaran O’Boyle, Head of the RCSI International School of Healthcare Management, said: “I am confident that today’s graduates will be counted among the future leaders of healthcare development in the United Arab Emirates and that the knowledge and skills they have acquired will prepare them to contribute to the ongoing development of effective, efficient and safe healthcare in the country.”