UDST President, Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, Director of the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Programmes Department at the Ministry of Public Health, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, and WHO Country Director, Dr. Rayana Ahmad BouHaka with other officials attending the launch of EMHA programme yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: The College of Business at the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) yesterday launched a new Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) programme.
In collaboration with the internationally renowned Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) in Canada, the graduate programme is specifically designed to develop the next generation of healthcare executive leaders and administrators in Qatar.
The programme was attended by UDST President, Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, Director of the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Programmes Department at the Ministry of Public Health, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, and WHO Country Director, Dr. Rayana Ahmad BouHaka, along with representatives from numerous leading healthcare institutions such as Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medicine, The View Hospital, the Qatar Cancer Society, and Al Ahli Hospital.
During his welcome address, the Dean of the College of Business at UDST, Dr. Vincent Mangematin, emphasised that while Qatar’s healthcare ecosystem is rapidly flourishing with world-class facilities and top-tier medical installations, clinical talent is only part of the equation.
He noted that to be fully efficient, sustainable, and impactful, the healthcare industry needs “highly qualified leaders behind the scenes.”
The programme aims to cultivate executives who deeply understand the complex specifics of the healthcare sector and are masterfully equipped with the latest managerial tools, strategic methods, and data-driven solutions. The EMHA programme is purpose-built to bridge a critical leadership gap, transitioning away from departmentally focused, reactive, and locally benchmarked methods to develop leaders who are strategic across integrated systems and fluent in digital analytics. Officials also noted that this shift aligns directly with Qatar’s National Health Strategy 2024–2030.
Representing the Canadian institution, the Vice Dean for Graduate Professional Programmes at uOttawa, Dr. Greg Richards, emphasised that cross-border partnerships are essential for tackling modern health sector hurdles.
He mentioned that such global alliances are key to equipping future administrators with the skills required to successfully steer through an ever more intricate and evolving healthcare environment.
Graduates of this intensive 24-month programme will earn two distinct executive master’s credentials through a single integrated pathway with no duplication of coursework. This dual-degree pathway includes a Qatari-anchored curriculum from UDST that is accredited by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and aligned with Qatar’s National Qualifications Framework, paired with a research-anchored, internationally benchmarked curriculum from uOttawa Telfer.
The EMHA targets emerging and mid-career healthcare professionals stepping into senior leadership, specifically benefiting clinician-managers moving from clinical positions into directorates, healthcare administrators in hospital or primary care settings, and policy or systems leaders working within national regulatory bodies.
To apply, prospective candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and must have at least five years of full-time administrative experience in the healthcare field, and a passing score on the UDST English Placement Test or an approved equivalent. Following the initial launch event, the online application portal through the UDST portal is scheduled to open in Spring 2026, with orientation and induction for the historic inaugural cohort officially beginning in Fall 2026.
The graduate programme combines academic excellence with practical, industry-focused learning, equipping experienced healthcare professionals with leadership and system-level capabilities to change complex healthcare environments.
