Gala Dinner hosted by Dubai Science Park engages industry and thought leaders during Arab Health 2018

Dubai-UAE: To coincide with this year’s Arab Health, the leading knowledge-exchange event for healthcare professionals in the Middle East, Dubai Science Park, the science-focused business community dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, SMEs and multinational enterprises, hosted its annual Gala Dinner to encourage dialogue and networking amongst key representatives from the international healthcare sector.

A group of approximately 250 Arab Health delegates from government, industry and academia shared insights on how Dubai can advance its healthcare sector. Strengthening intellectual property protection and priming the workforce to attract healthcare manufacturers were discussed as part of the top enablers that have been identified by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment taskforce of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 during last year.

Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Executive Director of Dubai Science Park and Chairing Member of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Taskforce, said: “As we mark one of the most important events in our annual healthcare calendar, we believe it is important to bring our partners and industry leaders together to exchange views on the state of Dubai’s healthcare sector. As part of DSP’s commitment to enabling the industry, the annual Gala Dinner serves as a platform to explore viable options to continue our growth trajectory and step up efforts to transform Dubai into a global healthcare hub.”

Janahi added: “Held as part of the Arab Health 2018, the Gala Dinner also gave us an opportunity to highlight the work we are doing with The Executive Council on the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030. In 2017, we successfully identified five key opportunities that we believe will drive the entire sector. As we enter the execution phase, we are setting up working groups to collaborate on the introduction and optimisation of enablers that have the potential to transform the sector. Effective IP protection, access to talent and skills development will be key focus areas for these working groups.”

Omar Obeidat, Partner and Head of Intellectual Property at Al Tamimi & Company, said: “It was a great pleasure to be on the panel at the annual Arab Health Gala Dinner, organised by Dubai Science Park, which addressed the key issue of intellectual property protection and the landscape of the IP regime in the UAE. The takeaway from our panel was that IP protection may be adequate on the legislation side but we still ought to do more work on the commercialisation side, investment in R&D and clear mechanism for protection of pharmaceutical products, whilst eradicating formalities and high official costs that might draw us back from a having solid and smooth IP eco system.”

Dr Bassam Tabshouri, Director of Medical Engineering Department of the American University of Beirut, maintained: “It was a great honour to be part of the Dubai Science Park panel on priming the workforce for Dubai’s healthcare and manufacturing sectors. Education needs to play a key role in the successful evolution of these important sectors. Schools and universities need to focus on fostering critical thinking and to nurture innovation, which produces high-quality work. We also need to look at soft skills, such as communication skills, team work, time management and the flexibility of our students to achieve our goals. Finally, I believe a regular student exchange and apprenticeships will be beneficial for the entire sector.”

The Gala Dinner panels drew the additional presence of Dr Mohamed Yousif Baniyas, Executive Director of Higher Education, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), Ahmad Tabari, Managing Director of Pharmax and Yacoub Haddad, Director of Government Affairs of MEAP at AbbVie.

Dubai Science Park, which is home to more than 350 companies and 3,600 science-focused professionals, organised the annual Gala Dinner as part of its continued commitment to convening representatives from the government, industry and academia to discuss best practices in the field.

About DSP:

Founded in 2005, Dubai Science Park (DSP) is a vibrant, holistic, science-focused community, dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, SMEs and MNEs. Since its inception, the community has grown to more than 350 companies, employing over 3,600 professionals in the sciences, energy and environmental sectors.

Designed specifically for the needs of businesses and professionals who work in sciences, DSP fosters an environment that supports scientific research, creativity and innovation. By providing ample office and laboratory space, a robust infrastructure and a vibrant community for residents, DSP ensures a supportive eco-system for businesses and professionals to flourish.

Dubai Science Park aims to play a significant role by facilitating a more sustainable and self-sufficient future that maximises the use of indigenous resources and talent. DSP will achieve this by supporting innovation in the sciences by fostering growth and change in the areas of human science, plant science, material science, environmental science and energy science.  

For more information please contact:
Christoph Diesch
APCO Worldwide
+971 (0) 55 134 0892
cdiesch@apcoworldwide.com

© Press Release 2018