Dubai Ruler issues law establishing medical university

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE andRuler of Dubai, has issued Law No. (7) of 2016 relating to the establishment of the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) along with Decree No. (22) of 2016 appointing His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum as Chancellor of the University.

Shaikh Mohammed also issued Decree No. (23) of 2016 forming the Board of Trustees of the MBRU headed by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The new Board includes Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg as Vice Chairman, Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami, Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shaibani, Abdulla Mohamed Al Karam, Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif, Dr. Patrick Johnson and Dr. Alawi Alsheikh-Ali.

The Board serves for a renewable term of three years. The new law and two decrees are effective from the date of their issuance and will be published in the Official Gazette.

The new law stipulates that the University will comprise of a number of colleges, research centers, a library and e-library, apart from specialised training institutions. The University offers Bachelor''s, Master''s and PhD programmes as well as professional certificates in the fields of Medicine and Health Sciences. The University will also provide quality graduate programs for education, research and career development in the healthcare sector.

The University is aiming to further enhance Dubai''s position as a recognised medical and health sciences education hub as well as contribute to the development of sustainable education by supporting the advancement of medicine and health sciences. It also seeks to provide highly qualified medical professionals that are capable of meeting the community''s requirements.

The University also provides an environment that is conducive to producing research so as to improve the health sector and achieve excellence in the field of medicine, locally, regionally and internationally.

The MBRU will be assigned the following responsibilities as part of fulfilling its objectives: establishing colleges, institutions and specialised research centers, preparing and implementing specialised academic programmes in the field of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The MBRU is also tasked with assigning the scientific ranks of faculty members and researchers in accordance with the relevant criteria created for this purpose.

The new legislation authorises MBRU to establish and manage its infrastructure in order to address its daily operations and fulfill its objectives. Moreover, the MBRU will publish scientific reviews and journals in the fields of medicine and health sciences, locally and internationally.

The law also stipulates that apart from the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees, the organisational structure of the MBRU will include an Executive Body and a Scientific Council overseeing all academic affairs of the university.

In addition, the structure also includes the university staff and faculty members who will be appointed by the Chancellor, and two representatives from the Dubai Healthcare City Authority, who will be appointed by the Head of Dubai Healthcare City Authority.

The law also outlines the duties of the Scientific Council, which include proposing and approving the curricula of the university colleges, determining admission criteria as well as academic performance evaluations, disciplinary measures; hiring, evaluating or terminating faculty members; organising and supervising examinations, approving dissertations and assigning supervisors and committees to oversee defences of dissertations, and approving the academic calendar, among others.

The law annuls any other legislation that contradicts the provision of the current law.