The event began with the national anthem of the United Arab Emirates, followed by verses from the Holy Quran, after which Dr. Hamid M. K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, delivered a speech in which he expressed his thanks and gratitude to the President of the University for his support of the university and all its scientific activities and for attending the opening of the event.
He added that the University of Sharjah is hosting this important event, in accordance with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in establishing an integrated complex for medical and health excellence in order to serve the community locally and regionally, focusing on scientific and research cooperation with prestigious universities around the world, and launching local and global partnerships.
The Chancellor of the University of Sharjah discussed the medical and health facilities at the university, hospitals, centres and prestigious research institutes, in addition to the colleges of medicine, dental medicine, pharmacy and health sciences, as well as the rehabilitation, training and specialisation services, pointing to the fruitful partnership with the University of Lübeck, the Reinbek Hospital in Germany, the Sharjah Health Authority and the University of Sharjah, which had an effective role in the continued success of the event.
He concluded his speech by noting that the objectives of the event are fully consistent with the national agenda of the United Arab Emirates, and the strategic directions of the University of Sharjah, which focus on preventive medicine, and seeking to reduce diseases that threaten people’s lives, especially those related to the lifestyle and quality of life, in order to ensure a better life for members of society.
Dr. Gabriele Gillessen-Kaesbach, President of the German University of Lübeck, gave a keynote speech in which she stressed that the event is a success story that has been continuing for 9 years, attesting to the commitment of the University of Sharjah and the University of Lübeck to develop knowledge, enhance cooperation, and address challenges, as their partnership has witnessed many challenges, achievements, and successful initiatives in the field of joint scientific research, and in the academic field.
The two universities also succeeded in offering dual degrees as part of graduate student exchange programmes, and the graduation of a number of students was celebrated during previous years, and they obtained a double degree from the two universities.
The President of the University of Lübeck concluded her speech by noting that this successful cooperation not only embodies the academic excellence of the two universities, but also symbolises the strength of international cooperation in working together to prepare a generation of leaders and innovators in the medical field with the aim of serving humanity.
For his part, Dr. Tim Strate from the Academic Hospital at the University of Hamburg gave a keynote speech at the event in which he expressed their happiness that the event has continued annually since its launch a decade ago, and praised the University of Sharjah and its scientific achievements in various fields since its founding.
In his speech, he discussed the joint research activity between the University of Sharjah and University of Hamburg in the field of clinical research, from which 20 original research papers were completed, and were published in high-impact scientific periodicals and magazines.
He praised the efforts of the University of Sharjah in the field of clinical and surgical training, and the distinguished level of university students who are being trained in Academic Hospital of the University of Hamburg since 2017.
The audience listened to a recorded speech from Dr. Qutayba Hamid, Vice Chancellor for Medical and Health Sciences Colleges and Chair of the Scientific Committee of the event, in which he discussed the most important gains presented by the Emirati-German Congress, the most important were effective communication between students and the teaching staff, achieving its goals in field visits that provided a valuable opportunity for university students to learn about the latest innovations and knowledge, in addition to training and exchanging experiences. As well as communication between the teaching staff at the University of Sharjah and University of Lübeck in the field of research and studies, the exchange of professors for teaching, the signing of scientific agreements for the exchange of students, and cooperation in the field of joint academic degrees, along with discussing many medical and health topics related to diseases and treatments.
The audience watched an introductory video material about the event, which included information about the university’s facilities and statistics about its students and its various centres, in addition to the event’s scientific papers and participants.
At the end of the opening ceremony, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi honoured the speakers, partners and sponsors.
Before the opening of the event, the President of the University of Sharjah received a delegation from the Armed Forces College of Medicine from the Arab Republic of Egypt, headed by Major General Doctor Ayman Mohamed Shawqi, and received a souvenir from the delegation.