Dr. Wael M. Al-Kattan, Vice Dean and Director of Sustainability Office, and Dr. Baraa Alghalyini, Vice Dean and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine represented the College of Medicine at the Canada-Saudi Education Partnership Forum 2.0, hosted at the University of Toronto on March 30-31, 2026.
Alfaisal University took part in the Canada-Saudi Education Partnership Forum 2.0, held on March 30 and 31, 2026 at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto. Organized by the Canada-Saudi Business Council in collaboration with the Embassy of Canada in Riyadh, the Forum convened representatives from 33 Saudi institutions and their Canadian counterparts for two days of structured dialogue on education, research, and institutional collaboration aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The Forum opened with addresses by H.E. Dr. Enas bint Suleiman Al-Eisa, Saudi Vice Minister of Higher Education; H.E. Amal bint Yahya Al-Moallimi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Canada; the Hon. Nolan Quinn, Ontario Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security; and Mr. Jean-Philippe Linteau, Ambassador of Canada to Saudi Arabia. Panel sessions addressed institutional and research partnerships within Canada’s U15 group of research universities, technical and vocational education, and health sciences cooperation, followed by a dedicated B2B session for bilateral institutional meetings.
Through these meetings, Alfaisal advanced multiple partnership opportunities with leading Canadian universities.
The Toronto Forum builds on Alfaisal’s earlier academic engagement in Canada. On May 13, 2025, Dr. Baraa Alghalyini and Dr. Abdul Rehman Zia Zaidi represented Alfaisal at the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine Annual Conference, where they presented “A Curriculum to Stimulate Medical Students’ Interest in Community Practice Careers”, work that continues to inform Alfaisal’s growing collaboration with Canadian partners.
