Sidra Medical and Research Center (Sidra) has launched its National Development Strategy 2.0. 
The strategy -'To inspire and cultivate the development of Qataris and the development of the healthcare sector in Qatar' - is a clear affirmation to support Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the country’s national health strategies.
Under the new strategy, national development as well as learning and development programmes at Sidra will ensure that nationals at all levels - students, graduates or skilled employees - are given access to the right training tools and mentorship to advance their careers in healthcare. 
Dr Kholode al-Obaidli, chief learning officer said: “The healthcare sector in Qatar has undergone major progressive changes. We must ensure that our nationals adapt to these changes and are ready to bring further progress and innovation in the field. This applies to clinical, scientific and medical administration roles.”



Sidra will ensure that nationals are given access to the right training tools and mentorship to advance their careers in healthcare. 

“With a national workforce of nearly 27%, we are putting in place strategies and programmes to further grow the number of Qataris joining healthcare. The key driver to rolling out the national strategy at Sidra is to ensure that people are the right fit for the role and that they have clear learning and development paths mapped out.” 
The career development opportunities under the strategy include ‘Lead Yourself’, an accredited development programme from the Institute of Leadership and Management, UK, to provide nationals with the knowledge, skills and capabilities to succeed in the workplace. 
Other elements of the strategy are ‘Leadership Behaviours’ - to promote and support behavioural expectations of all employees; ‘Fursati’, a development programme to support all nationals achieve their full potential; and ‘Coaching as a Management Style’ which demonstrates the effectiveness of coaching as a tool to guide performance and development conversations.
Another feature of the strategy is 'GE Healthcare Leadership', a joint collaboration course that provides an opportunity for managers to leverage their skills through on the job project-based activities, coaching and project reporting. It will also explore international and local partnerships for work placements.
Peter Morris, chief executive officer at Sidra said: “ National development remains an integral part of our short- to long-term focus. Our national development programmes are strategic interventions that will contribute towards Sidra’s overall success. Sidra is committed to providing excellent developmental opportunities for our national graduate associates.”
Sidra has identified students as a key future talent pool - with active measures taken to encourage and inspire more students to consider careers in science and medicine. Training and scholarship programmes have also been streamlined to position Sidra as an employer of choice. Sidra is currently offering scholarship opportunities in nursing, medicine and allied health.
In addition to its academic partnership with Weill-Cornell Medicine in Qatar, Sidra has also established affiliations with the University of Calgary in Qatar, Qatar University and Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
Related Story