The invitation to visit Kuwait University was an outcome of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on June 2017 between both universities’ departments, which has formalised collaboration between Swansea and Kuwait in the field of Health Informatics and Health Data Science. The visit which took place earlier in March was organised through the Kuwait Cultural Office in London.

The 3-year agreement has further strengthened the longstanding relationship that already exists between both universities. Underpinning the MoU is a commitment to work together on exploring areas of research and teaching, together with knowledge exchange in health informatics and health data science.  Other areas of collaboration may be jointly agreed by the institutions to maximise this significant and important international partnership.

During the recent visit, the Swansea and Kuwait teams identified and developed joint research projects that will make a real difference to people’s lives in Kuwait, which supports the preparation of submission for external funding support. The Swansea and Kuwait teams have established mutual recognition and accreditation of health informatics taught courses, and both parties also agreed on joint development and / or delivery of health informatics taught courses. Furthermore, the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management at Kuwait University will be co-supervising Masters’ & PhD projects on health informatics research for Kuwaiti students to be undertaken with Swansea University Medical School.

Commenting on the visit to Kuwait University, the Lead of the Health Informatics Teaching Team and Associate Professor at Swansea University Medical School, Tony Paget, said: “We are delighted to work with our colleagues at Kuwait University in advancing our partnership in research and teaching in health informatics and health data science. Our teaching provision has always had an international element and this visit to Kuwait strengthened that credential and will provide opportunities to the benefit of both universities.”

Professor Sinead Brophy, who is the Professor of Public Health Informatics at Swansea University Medical School, said: “We are developing very exciting research collaborations to compare and learn from the systems in both countries, especially in diabetes and autism research. We feel these collaborations will greatly contribute to our knowledge in improving health systems and best care for patients in both countries.”

The Chair of the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management, Assistant Professor of Kuwait University Dr Eiman Al Jafar, said: “Together we can leverage each other’s expertise in relation to good practice in Health Informatics developments, with the aims of collaborating with academic staff, students and researchers for ecological development. We’re looking forward to a rewarding and mutually beneficial cooperation with the Swansea University Medical School’s Health Informatics research and teaching team.”

For more information about the visit and the partnership contact Stephanie Lee

Head of Marketing and Communications - Health Informatics Research and Teaching at Swansea University Medical School email: s.y.h.lee@swansea.ac.uk

Picture 1:  Left to right – Assoc Prof Tony Paget, Dr Eiman Al-Jafar

Picture 2:  Left to right -  Assoc Prof Tony Paget, Prof Adel Al-Awadhi,Prof Sinead Brophy, Dr Eiman Al-Jafar

Picture 3: Swansea and Kuwait Health Informatics Teams.