From January to June 2018, the Taskforce on Internationalization chaired by Dr. Mark Walker completed an inventory and assessment of all international and global health activities at the Faculty of Medicine.
Using this information, the Taskforce is putting forward a report to the Faculty’s Leadership Team, recommending the best approaches for the future of the internationalization portfolio, aligning it closely with the strategic direction of the Faculty of Medicine and the University.
In the coming months, leadership aims to share these recommendations with the rest of the Faculty of Medicine and organize town halls to engage with faculty members, learners and staff for their feedback. This consultation process is key to formulating the next steps.
Additionally, leadership hopes that the outcomes of these discussions will help inform the University of Ottawa’s overall international policy, which has been given renewed prominence with the recent appointment of Chief Internationalization Officer, Dr. Adel El Zaïm.
“It’s an exciting time to be positioning the Faculty strategically in terms of internationalization and global health,” said Dr. Walker, who led this Taskforce and is also a Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Newborn Care and Senior Scientist at The Ottawa Hospital. “Internationalization is a strong component of the University’s vision and priorities. We cannot be a world class university without having a strong international presence.”
Furthermore, medicine and health care is an integral part of the global perspective.
“Medicine, health and medical research have a universal impact that transcends borders and cultures with benefits for all of humanity,” said Dr. Walker.
Stay-tuned for information about upcoming town halls involving the topic of internationalization and global health at the Faculty of Medicine.
