Presenting a University of Calgary degree to UCQ nursing grad during 2015 convocation ceremony in Qatar.
The convocation ceremony for this year’s graduates of the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) nursing program was held last evening at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha. We conferred 75 Bachelor of Nursing degrees and 9 Masters degrees. As each graduand crossed the stage toward me, I saw the essence of accomplishment in her or his eyes. As I presented the degree parchment, I foresaw a bright future for a nurse, a scientist, a professor or a health-care professional. The entire evening was a delightful celebration buoyed by the pride and excitement of the graduands’ families and friends.
The UCQ class of 2015 was our sixth graduating class. Time flies. It was a decade ago that the State of Qatar invited the University of Calgary to deliver a university nursing education program in support of their National Health Strategy. We were pleased to accept and promptly established an educational program in the Qatari state – a program identical to that offered at our home campus.
Maintaining a satellite campus that is 11,000 kilometers away from our main campus is not an easy thing to do. But it is the right thing to do. We go into these kinds of ventures with eyes wide open, knowing that the challenges of international partnerships can sometimes outweigh the aspects that go smoothly. Despite these challenges, international collaborations such as the Human Genome Project or the International Space Station program yield results that are well worth the effort.
A well-managed collaboration is about sharing a common vision. For instance, the shared vision of UCQ and Qatar is about changing the practice and image of nursing in the Middle East and of improving healthcare for patients.
A well-managed collaboration is about constantly enhancing the working relationship of the partners and better understanding each other. It’s about building on strengths so that each partner punches above its weight.
And it’s about being persistent. Dean and CEO Dr. Kim Critchley has shepherded the UCQ program from its beginning in 2007 when six students were registered to today’s program with over 500 students enrolled. Thanks to the diligence of Kim and her team, the University of Calgary in Qatar is upheld as a world-class, well-managed collaboration.
In the end, the benefits of international partnerships are well worth the efforts to overcome the challenges.
I had a wonderful time in Qatar this week. It was gratifying to see my university share its niche expertise in nursing education to benefit the world. It is our social responsibility.
Great story Bob, and congratulations to the University of Calgary and Qatar for this wonderful and transformative initiative. As it happens, Qatar joined the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) this Autumn and I will be pleased to welcome their delegation in June during the next full meeting of the Committee.
David