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Tribune News Network
Doha
A TOTAL of 150 nursing students earned their undergraduate or graduate nursing degrees at University of Calgary in Qatar's (UCQ) 2017 Convocation ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha on Sunday.
Professors, family, friends and dignitaries from Qatar's health and education spheres celebrated 136 Bachelor of Nursing (BN) and 14 Master of Nursing (MN) graduates at the convocation, UCQ's eighth. Along with the University's other alumni, the new cohort of UCQ graduates will contribute to the success of the health goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Established in 2007 and nearing its 10th anniversary, UCQ has educated more than 400 nurses, significantly increasing the local talent pool.
Dr Robert Thirsk, Chancellor of the University of Calgary, noted:"Our University, with the generous support of the State of Qatar, strives to provide our students with the knowledge and resources necessary to become leaders in this honourable profession. This is the beginning of a journey for our graduates. As some initiate and others continue their nursing careers in Qatar, we have no doubt that they will be exemplars of the University's values of honesty, integrity and responsibility while advancing this country's goals."
With the completion of the 2017 Convocation ceremony, 438 students have earned their BN degrees from UCQ while 28 have graduated from UCQ's MN programme. Qatari nationals make up 16 percent of the University's alumni network.
"At UCQ, we focus on providing our students with the skills and abilities they need to be active contributors to the future of the Qatar community's health and wellness. It is amazing to see 150 of our students move onto the next phase of their nursing journey," Dr Deborah White, Dean and CEO of UCQ, said.
The ceremony was attended by Qatar's Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Dr Mohammed bin Abdul Wahed al Hammadi along with prominent members Sheikha Aisha bint Khalid bin Hamad al Thani and Sheikha Mariam bint Abdulrahman bin Hassan al Abdulrahman al Thani.
Guest speaker Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad bin J. al Thani, Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Public Health, honoured the graduates' achievement during his address. Dr Al-Thani led the development of Qatar's first Public Health Strategy and has been a leader in improving performance and efficiencies in the country's health sector.
UCQ also honoured two graduates with the University's highest academic distinction, the Gold and Silver medallions. The Gold Medal for academic achievement in the Bachelor of Nursing, Regular Track programme was awarded to Mihirani Chandraratne, while Maryam Ghlamreza Fatemi won the Silver Medal for academic achievement in the Post Diploma Bachelor of Nursing programme.
"The environment at UCQ consists of knowledgeable professors, state-of-the-art equipment, educational resources and continuous support," said Shaikha al Qhatani, the first Qatari graduate from UCQ's MN Thesis programme.
