In order to target the health issues of the region and in Qatar, the Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) has launched its first Master of Public Health Program in its college for public health.

The launch took place on the 11^th January in the Marwan Club where Dr. Khaled Ben Letaief, Provost of HBKU, introduced the public to the new program and to encourage residents of Qatar and professionals in the health care system to apply to this Masters program. HBKU is a member of Qatar Foundation and its newest postgraduate program will use the university’s innovative approach to multidisciplinary education to assist the future leaders of Qatar in the field of public health to obtain the skills necessary to promote better health within society.

Applications are now open and HBKU motivates professionals to apply for fall 2016, as applications are being accepted now. The core of the MPH program can be divided into 5 components being epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics, health policy and management, and the social sciences of public health. The program also includes an internship for the students within local and international organizations, including hospitals, and non-government organization. The health of the public is key to these internships.

Dr. Letaief said at the launch that “We are extremely pleased to officially launch an exciting new program that once again emphasizes Hamad bin Khalifa University’s dedication to enhancing the higher education capabilities of Qatar an our commitment to build a home for world-class academic training and research in Qatar.”

The program is to encourage students to face and understand societal, cultural, psychological, economic, and political effects on health and conduct research with a real-world impact. Dr. Walid Alali, coordinator of the MPH program within HBKU’s College of Public Health also voiced his enthusiasm for the new program and that it is important that students understand “the multi-layered nature of public health challenges of the 21^st century”. Students will be able to apply their acquired knowledge to concrete methods to build or improve the public health programs of neighborhoods, community organizations, or the government.

For those who are interested in the pursuit of such a postgraduate program; the students may come from a range of academic fields, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and optometry, students of social sciences, engineering, biological sciences, environmental sciences, education, and journalism.

For more information or to apply, visit http://www.hbku.edu.qa/MPH

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