(L-R) Dr. Ashraf Balbaa, Dr. Osama Kensarah, Dr. Hassan Shaibah, Professor Cornelis Van Vlutin, Dr. Anthony Qoaj, head of the FAST program Dr. Ali Aldeeb and Bassem Al-Jassem, public relations manager at Batterjee Medical College, during the Dutch delegation's visit. — SG photo Syeda Amtul Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — A delegation of experts from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands visited the Batterjee Medical College in Jeddah recently. The team comprised Medical Education Director Professor Cornelis Van Vlutin, former dean of the Faculty of Medicine and chairman of the medical curricula Dr. Anthony Qoaj and International Projects Director Dr. Mohammed Mizina. The visit came within the framework of a cooperation agreement between BMC and the Dutch university. The Dutch team met with BMC Dean Dr. Hassan Shaibah in the presence of vice dean of academic affairs Dr. Osama Kensarah and dean of the faculty of medicine Dr. Ashraf Balbaa, to discuss the strategy of implementing the provisions of the agreement. Shaibah said the aim of the visit was to make a comprehensive review of the human medicine curriculum. The experts held intensive meetings with students and faculty members to come up with a plan to develop the medicine program, which should be implemented next year. Before its implementation, there will be intensive workshops in order to raise the quality of educational performance, improve outcomes and develop the experience of staff. Dr. Khaled Batterjee, vice chairman of the BMC board of trustees, said the University of Maastricht, being the headquarters of the World Network for medical education, has a global reputation in the field. He underscored BMC's keenness to systematically develop the educational process. On his part, Sobhi Batterjee, chairman of the board of trustees, praised this agreement and said that it comes within the institution's strategic plan for continuous development. He said higher education in Saudi Arabia is well supported by the government while noting the significant role played by the Ministry of Higher Education led by Khaled Al-Anqari.
