ISLAMABAD, Sept 17 (ABC): Health Services Academy (HSA) Islamabad is hosting the 2nd International Conference on Health Professionals’ Education, Research & Entrepreneurship (ICHPERE 2026) on September 17-18, bringing together academics, healthcare professionals, medical educators, researchers, institutional leaders and policymakers from Pakistan and abroad.
The two-day conference, themed “Reimagining Health Professionals’ Education in the Global South: Power, Policy, and Possibility,” is aimed at promoting dialogue on the changing landscape of health professions education, particularly the challenges and priorities of countries in the Global South.
The inaugural ceremony is being held at HSA on Thursday, with Prof. Dr. Junaid Sarfraz Khan, Dean of the School of Health Professionals’ Education, Research & Entrepreneurship, and HSA Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan addressing the participants.
Lt. Gen. (R) Azhar Rasheed, former Surgeon General of Pakistan Army and former Dean of Riphah College of Medicine, is attending the ceremony as chief guest.
Other distinguished participants include Dr. Gul Sanga, Secretary of the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council; Prof. Dr. Anwar Gillani, HEC Distinguished National Professor; and Maj. Gen. (R) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam.
The conference programme features national and international experts discussing key issues shaping contemporary health professions education, including professionalism and professional identity, commercialisation, accreditation and quality assurance, institutional leadership, research and knowledge production, social accountability, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
Discussions will also explore the relationship between global standards and local realities, policy transfer and the influence of global power structures on health professions education.
Three major plenary sessions scheduled for September 18 will feature experts from Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
The sessions will examine issues including balancing commercialism and medical professionalism, leadership in an increasingly interconnected environment, the political economy of medical education, accreditation and quality assurance in the Global South, social accountability and the role of local evidence in determining research and academic priorities.
Besides plenary discussions, ICHPERE 2026 includes oral and poster research presentations, interactive academic sessions, networking opportunities, pre-conference workshops and an Experience Gallery.
The conference will also feature the Janet Grant Education Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award, providing participants an opportunity to showcase educational innovations and develop academic collaborations.
The conference will conclude on September 18 after completion of the scientific programme. Lt. Gen. (R) Imran Majeed, former Surgeon General of Pakistan Army and former Vice Chancellor of the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), will attend the closing ceremony as chief guest.
Maj. Gen. (R) Prof. Dr. Najum us Saqib Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at Riphah International University, will attend as guest of honour.
HSA said the conference is part of its efforts to strengthen health professions education, research and innovation while promoting approaches responsive to the needs and experiences of the Global South.
