FHS staff continued to strengthen their professional and academic capacity in 2025 through participation in an international health promotion workshop and a series of specialised online professional development courses.

On 5 February 2025, Ibrahim Ismail participated in the workshop “Collaborative Pathways in Health Promotion: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions,” held at Maldives National University. The workshop was organised by the Department of Public Health (DPH) in collaboration with Mahidol University, Thailand.

The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to exchange knowledge and perspectives on health promotion, explore challenges and opportunities, and discuss potential directions for future collaborative initiatives. Engagement with an international academic partner also supported professional capacity building and strengthened opportunities for collaboration in advancing health promotion.

As part of continued professional development throughout 2025, Ibrahim Ismail also completed three online courses offered by Al Balagh/UK. From January to March 2025, he completed “The Fiqh of Psychology, Psychiatry & Counselling.” This was followed by “Mental Health, Jinn Possession & Islamic Psychology,” completed between May and October 2025, and “Atheism and Islam – Level 1,” completed between August and December 2025.

Together, these professional development activities broadened the staff member’s academic knowledge and supported engagement with diverse cultural, religious and contemporary perspectives relevant to psychology, counselling and mental health. The learning also contributed to continued professional growth and the development of a broader knowledge base for engaging with diverse clients, communities and academic contexts.

The activities demonstrate FHS’s commitment to continuous professional development, international knowledge exchange and lifelong learning, while supporting staff capacity to contribute effectively to health education and professional practice.

The initiatives contributed to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through strengthened capacity in health promotion and mental health-related knowledge, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through continuing professional and academic development, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through international academic collaboration and knowledge exchange.