QU-CPH holds first Student Leaders Forum

Doha: The Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) Student Affairs Office recently held its first CPH Student Leaders Forum. The event involved all the student leaders in the Qatar Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (QPhUS) and the CPH Student Representative Board (CPH-SRB). It also included several faculty members and staff who work closely with the students. This Forum was the first-of-its-kind at the college and aims to highlight the importance of leadership and how to be an effective leader.

The Forum discussed the attributes and expectations of a leader, followed by an activity entitled ‘Team Role Inventory,’ where participants assessed how each individual behaves in a team environment. A SOAR analysis activity was conducted with participants divided into groups to discuss student leadership at CPH and key priorities in terms of strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. Groups rotated amongst the different stations based on those domains. 

QU-CPH Dean Dr. Feras Alali said, “We at CPH are committed to providing opportunities for the professional development of our students. Leadership is among the soft skills we consider essential for the success of graduate pharmacists as healthcare providers. The Student Leaders Forum was a true success due to excellent planning, organization, engagement of faculty and being mostly student-led.”

In addition, QU-CPH Assistant Dean for Students Affairs Dr. Alla Al-Awaisi said, “The College of Pharmacy student leaders are a true asset to the college and have been engaged in various initiatives and activities throughout the years. To enhance their experiences, we organized this Student Leadership Forum aimed at CPH student leaders interested in further developing their leadership skills to become effective and successful future pharmacy leaders to contribute to advancing healthcare in Qatar and the world as per the College vision and mission. This is also in line with the Qatar University strategy 2018-2022 in preparing graduates who are well rounded with attributes and values that maximize their impact and are part of the promotion of student development, growth, and success.”

Abrar Abdelrahman, CPH Student Representative Board female president, commented, “The first-ever Student Leaders Forum in the college allowed for exceptional communication between the student leaders from different students organizations and the administrative board members in the College of Pharmacy. This will develop and improve the roles of these students’ organizations, enhance their leadership skills and enable them to take part in the decision-making process, which will consequently enhance the students’ satisfaction toward the extracurricular events in the college.”