Ciarán Madden, Irish Ambassador to the UAE, hosted a reception in the ambassador's residence in Abu Dhabi welcoming a delegation from RCSI led by Professor Cathal Kelly, RCSI Chief Executive and Dr Faisal Al Mousawi, President of RCSI Bahrain.

Over 200 RCSI Alumni attended the reception, as RCSI endeavours to strengthen relations with its Alumni in the region and to create an active Alumni Association in the GCC region. RCSI provides world-class healthcare education in the Middle East at both undergraduate and postgraduate level through its Institute of Leadership in Dubai and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain).

Professor Cathal Kelly said: "Healthcare requirements in the GCC are continuing to grow substantially due to population growth, medical tourism, changing patterns of disease and privatisation as well as the additional challenge of rising healthcare costs. It is important for healthcare professionals in the UAE to be engaged and aware of the issues facing medical professionals. RCSI is committed to contributing to the healthcare arena in the UAE and working with our graduates, who form an integral part of the RCSI community, is one way in which we can address these challenges."

UAE students have been travelling to RCSI headquarters in Dublin, Ireland to study since 1988 and to date over 430 UAE Alumni have graduated through its undergraduate programmes in Medicine and its postgraduate surgical programmes. Since the establishment of RCSI Dubai in 2005, 179 Alumni have graduated with masters degrees and Diplomas in leadership, management, patient safety and quality.

Ciarán Madden, Irish Ambassador to the UAE, said: "Education links between the UAE and Ireland have always been strong and RCSI has been at the heart of this relationship since 2005 and will continue to be so in the future. The Embassy is delighted to support the RCSI Alumni here in the UAE today and into the future."

Established in 2005, RCSI Dubai offers postgraduate education, training and consultancy in leadership, management, patient safety and quality. All RCSI Dubai's masters programmes are designed with working healthcare professionals in mind and are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research through the Commission for Academic Accreditation and the National University of Ireland. RCSI Dubai is located in Dubai Healthcare City.