Chairman of the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ), Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani, has issued a decision to appoint Professor Hala Sultan Saif Al Easa as the President of the University.

Professor Al Essa is considered one of the most influential experiences globally in the field of chemistry and her skills and qualifications will enrich the community by contributing to providing it with a group of the ideal male and female nurses armed with science and knowledge to become distinguished leaders in the health care sector in Qatar.

“We feel proud of the existence of Qatari women leaders who assume such leadership positions, especially in one of the most important fields, which is nursing, that lofty profession that the State of Qatar attaches great importance to as a fundamental pillar for achieving human development and its comprehensive repercussions on various sectors, especially that nursing education at the University of Calgary in Qatar is in line with the goals set in the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Health Strategy.

"The University of Calgary, since its establishment in Qatar in 2007, is the only Canadian University in Qatar that grants a bachelor’s degree in nursing, adopting university curricula in Canada, adapting them to the local culture, and providing students with them,” said Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani. Prof. Hala Al Easa brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to UCQ. She earned her Bachelor of Science (double major) in Chemistry and Physics from Qatar University in 1982, her Master’s in Chemistry from the State University College of New York in Buffalo, USA, in 1985, and her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry (Natural Products) from the University of Reading, UK, in 1990. In 1993, Prof. Hala Al Easa was awarded The Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, and in 2008 she received the State Incentive Award in Pure and Applied Sciences (Chemistry). In 2015, she was selected among 175 globally influential figures in chemistry, and in 2016 the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) awarded her a fellowship.

To solidify the current role of the new President, Prof. Hala Al Easa, joins UCQ with a plethora of knowledge and experience and will continue to support UCQ during her term. Dr. Khalid Al Thani will continue as the Chair of UCQ’s Board of Trustees during this time. Dr. Al Thani and Prof. Hala Al Easa will significantly support the advancement of UCQ’s mission.

Prof. Hala Al Easa has extensive experience through her roles in national, regional, and international committees, including Qatar’s National Qualification and Accreditation Committee, UNEP, and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.

Source: The Peninsula Qatar, 12 March 2023