►International faculty from Deakin University, Australia, conducted the opening sessions of the program at GMU, in the presence of leading academics and healthcare leaders

►The new program also comes in the wake of the UAE’s AI Strategy which seeks to deploy AI across key sectors including healthcare 

In view of the rising importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, the leading medical university in the Middle East region, has introduced a certificate program in ‘Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare’, which will equip students, researchers and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to apply AI in the healthcare environment. The introductory sessions of the program was held at the Gulf Medical University campus on the 21st and 22nd of February 2020, led by visiting international faculty Dr. Sandeep Reddy, Associate Professor of Healthcare Management and Medical Informatics, Deakin School of Medicine, Melbourne and Chairman of Medi-AI, who was invited by the Gulf Medical University. 

Leading academics and healthcare leaders including Dr. Mouza Al Sharhan, President - Emirates Medical Association, Ms. Amina Al Saadi, Head - Zayed Higher Organisation, Abu Dhabi and several others from all over the country attended the introductory sessions, which covered the first two modules of the 6-module program. Participants gained introductory knowledge and understanding about AI, its various techniques and tools, applications in business and medicine, challenges and solutions, image processing and object recognition, etc. The remaining sessions slated to be conducted in April and June this year. All participants will be awarded a certificate of competency by GMU, upon successful completion of all modules of the program.

Commenting on the new program, Prof. Hossam Hamdy, the Chancellor of GMU said, “Artificial Intelligence is already bringing about rapid changes in healthcare systems and practices globally, yet the healthcare industry has a shortage of professionals who have the skills and training to capitalize on this change. This new certificate program in ‘Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare’ will address this challenge by producing healthcare professionals armed with knowledge of AI, its practical applications and its potential in improving healthcare systems. The new program also comes in the wake of the UAE’s AI Strategy which seeks to deploy AI across key sectors including healthcare.” 

“With the UAE government actively pursuing opportunities in AI, and top medical institutions in the country like the Gulf Medical University rightly identifying AI as an integral part of future healthcare systems, there will be increasing application of AI in healthcare to improve patient outcomes,” said Dr. Sandeep Reddy.

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New Delhi (PTI): US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.

Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.

"In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month," said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company's human resource department.

The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.

Oracle declined to comment on the development.

Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and "because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant".

The company has offered 15 days' salary to each employee who has completed a year of service in India, in addition to one month of unpaid wages till termination date, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and pay for a one-month notice period.

Oracle has also offered a two-month salary as a top-up.

However, the severance package is available for those who voluntarily and amicably resign from the company.

An ex-employee of Oracle, Merugu Sridhar, said that he was laid off in September for protesting against the 16-hour work shift that the company has in India.

"I contacted my friends and those who are in human resources. They shared that most of the Indians working in the US with the company have been impacted because the local laws there are very strict when it comes to the retrenchment of their citizens," Sridhar said.