By Suha Alsubaihi
The University of Jordan (UJ) today welcomed a delegation from the University of Southampton, UK, to explore avenues for academic and research cooperation in medical and health-related fields.
The delegation included the Deputy Head of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation School, and Lead of the Medical Technology, Innovation and Design Master's Program, Susan Patrick, and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the School, Dr. Mark Fletcher.
The visit, organised by UJ’s International Affairs Unit in coordination with the School of Medicine, included a meeting with the Dean of the School of Medicine, Prof. Ayman Wahbeh, and the Dean of the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Prof. Lara Khalifat, in the presence of the assistant and vice deans of both schools. Director of the Special Surgery Department at the School of Medicine, Prof. Moatasem Al-Rabee, and Otolaryngology and Audiology Consultant Dr. Margaret Zureikat also attended the meeting.
Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in medical education, scientific research, innovation, and technology, with particular emphasis on the applications of technologies such as artificial intelligence in medical and health fields.
Fletcher also delivered a lecture, with the participation of Patrick, entitled “Healthcare Innovation & Design: Development of Haptic Hearing Aid,” highlighting recent research outcomes at the University of Southampton in the design and development of haptic hearing aid devices.
The lecture also included an overview of the Medical Technology, Innovation and Design Master's Program at the University of Southampton. It was attended by students, faculty members, researchers, and alumni from the Schools of Medicine, Rehabilitation Sciences, Engineering, and Information Technology, as well as representatives from the private sector in the audiology field.
The delegation toured the UJ Library and the Archaeology and National Heritage Museums, where they were briefed on the library’s academic resources and services, as well as the collections and exhibits of the two museums.
The visit program includes a scientific panel discussion scheduled for Tuesday on international research cooperation between the two universities, with the participation of researchers from both sides. The session will explore joint research areas and discuss opportunities for collaboration in prosthetics, wearable and implantable health technologies, applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare, and the commercialisation of health innovations, with several University of Southampton researchers participating remotely via Microsoft Teams.