The University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) hosted a New Student Orientation event for new nursing students joining the academic year 2021-2022. This informative and interactive event took place on Monday, August 30th on the UCQ campus which welcomed the new students, in the presence of faculty.
“We are very excited to welcome our new students and help them transition into our programs and campus life. As COVID-19 continues for yet another academic year, we take so much pride in this generation of determined and ambitious students who joined our UCQ family to become the future nurse leaders in Qatar,” explained Dr. Deborah White, Dean and Professor, University of Calgary in Qatar. “Orientation is the first step on this exciting journey and a chance for new students to learn everything they need about our programs, campus, facilities and most importantly, meet other students as well as faculty and staff members.”
This year, UCQ is welcoming 120 new students to the Bachelor of Nursing (BN), Regular Track program and 40 students to the Nursing Foundation program. The orientation event included a tour of the campus and a series of speeches by Dr. Deborah White and the student services team. Students engaged in interactive introductory sessions to UCQ’s Experiential Learning Center and academic supports such as academic advising, student counselling and the writing centre, all offered in the Learning Commons. Sessions were held in smaller groups and social distancing measures were implemented in line with COVID-19 precautionary procedures and protocols.
“We are pleased to meet our new first year students joining our Bachelor of Nursing program this academic year,” said Dr. Mohamoud Adam, Director of Student and Enrolment Services. “With over 500 applicants, the interest in the programs offered at the University of Calgary in Qatar has substantially increased. We look forward to welcoming our students on our campus.”
The BNRT program offers the same degree that is awarded to graduates of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary in Canada and is the gold standard of university degrees in nursing. The program prepares students for work in patient care, community health, administration, research, health and wellness education.
UCQ’s enrolment has grown dramatically as demand for nurses has increased and today there are 790 UCQ nursing graduates, many of whom are working in all facets of Qatar’s healthcare system.
Established in 2007, the University of Calgary in Qatar is the only Canadian university in Qatar and the country’s exclusive provider of Bachelor degrees in Nursing. Accredited in Canada and adapted to the local culture, the University’s curriculum is uniquely tailored to meet the health needs of Qatar. The gold standard Canadian curriculum and program foster students to become theoretical, conceptual, critical, and clinical thinkers.