AAHCI Opens Two New International Regional Offices

Washington, DC, July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI), the international arm of the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC), is pleased to announce the launch of two new Regional Offices that will serve Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the Middle East/North Africa (MENA).

“We’re pleased and honored to have a growing global presence and the privilege of supporting increasing numbers of academic health centers worldwide,” said AAHC President and CEO, Dr. Steven A. Wartman. “ AAHCI Regional Offices bring together academic health centers to promote regional activities, as well as programs and interests that are particularly germane to the area. The offices also serve to provide valuable insight for AAHC and AAHCI on key issues and challenges faced in each region.”

The LAC Regional Office will be hosted by the University of São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Jose Octavio Auler, dean, University of São Paulo Medical School, will serve as the first Regional Ambassador for the office. “Because internationalization has become such an important force in higher education, the University of São Paulo is enhancing its activities for students, professors, and researchers. This is a powerful challenge and opportunity for academic health centers to increase engagement among institutions and countries. We are sure that much of this internationalization will be facilitated by the AAHCI LAC Regional Office,” said Dr. Auler.

The American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon will host AAHCI's MENA Regional Office with Dr. Mohammed Sayegh, executive vice president for medicine and global strategy, as Regional Ambassador. “We are very eager to host AAHCI’s MENA regional office at AUB and we look forward to further engaging and networking with our peer institutions in the region, as well as sharing our knowledge and expertise about the challenges and growth strategies for academic medical centers in areas of conflict. For the past 150 years, the American University of Beirut has played a pivotal role in the evolution of healthcare as its medical center has been central in the treatment of the victims of war over the last two decades, thus developing expertise we can share,” said Dr. Sayegh.

The launch of these new offices, along with the Southeast Asia Regional Office (hosted by the National University of Singapore) and the European Regional Office (hosted by Maastricht University) develops a growing platform to:

• Customize region-specific interests and tailor programs;
• Facilitate important regional networking opportunities, educational programs, exchange of best practices, data collection and analysis, and community/regional relationships; and,
• Promote the understanding of the academic health center concept to government, industry, and the public.

AAHC is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing health and well-being through the vigorous leadership of academic health centers.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...941bbc133a

Christine Smith Association of Academic Health Centers 202-265-9600 csmith@aahcdc.org