Prof. Pierre Moreau
B.Pharma, Ph.D.
Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy
Health Sciences Center
Kuwait University
The Faculty of Pharmacy at Kuwait University envisions its development along the four dimensions of its mission. In addition to what we are currently doing (presented on this website), this is a peak at what we are planning for our future:
Management structure: As the undergraduate student intake is expected to increase, and postgraduate programs are initiated we will recruit more academic staff, to offer a wider range of educational activities and social outreach as well as strengthening our research capabilities. The current leadership structure has a dean and two vice-deans, one for academic and student affairs and one for research and postgraduate studies, and an administrative manager. There are four departments chaired by a senior academic person. In addition, there is also a director for the office of consultation, studies and training. The Faculty will expand its leadership team by appointing another director, responsible for quality improvement and accreditation. This position will be critical to maintain an environment of exceptional work quality throughout this development phase and to attain international educational standards.
Academic programs and education: The educational portfolio is currently being modified. In addition to BPharm (5 years) and the MSc in pharmaceutical sciences (2+ years), the Faculty has introduced a 2-year add-on PharmD in 2016, to improve clinical pharmacy education. The BPharm and the PharmD will later be merged into a single entry-to practice PharmD, for which we will seek accreditation by the International Canadian Council. After this transformation, we will work on a residency program to allow pharmacists to develop their clinical competencies even further.
The Faculty is also planning a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences to increase the number of highly qualified personnel in the Kuwait pharmaceutical sector. The development of new academic programs will incorporate several active-learning approaches as well as an important proportion of experiential learning activities to help students integrate faster within their future work environment.
To support the current workforce, the Faculty is preparing a range of continuing professional development (CPD) activities targeting pharmacists and employees working for the Ministry of Health, community pharmacists, industrial pharmacists and other employees of the pharmaceutical industry that have CPD needs.
Research: The scientific research conducted at the Faculty is currently amongst the best at Kuwait University. Nearly 100% of our academic staff is engaged in research activities and we usually rank first in terms of number of publications per academic staff. In recognition of the need for a more multidisciplinary approach to modern research, the Faculty has consolidated its research activities by establishing specialized Units that have a “bench to bedside” philosophy in order to bring fundamental ideas closer to therapeutic applications.
Outreach: There is a need to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists to enable future graduates to utilize the full extent of their training for the health and well-being of the Kuwaiti population. This has to be done in conjunction with the development of standards of practice that are based on credentials obtained by formal education. The Faculty is participating in this effort in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Kuwait Pharmaceutical Association.
The Faculty has developed a Medicines Information Center (MIC) to provide precise, updated services to physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare personnel. The MIC also offers training to emerging information centers in the country. Later it is expected to be able to offer advice directly to the general population. In the future, the Faculty plans to have a clinic, to become a national training center for pharmacists to develop pharmaceutical care services, where cognitive services will be offered to health care professionals and patients alike. Its aim will be to optimize the use of medicines for patients having complex medication therapy issues or identifiable pharmacogenetic profiles. Kuwait is building a new campus for Kuwait University and the Health Sciences Sector is expected to move into these new premises in 2027. We now have the chance to tailor our future research and teaching infrastructure to allow the full expression of our talent, ideas and social responsibilities.
Pierre Moreau, B.Pharm., Ph.D. Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy