Assessment is a cornerstone of competency-based health professions education, shaping learning behaviours, feedback engagement, and professional identity formation. On 8 February 2026, Gulf Medical University (GMU) hosted an International Symposium on Evolving Approaches to Assessment in Medical Education, bringing together international invited experts and scholarly faculty from UAE for a focused exchange on contemporary assessment principles and practices.
The symposium provided a platform for scholarly dialogue on assessment for learning, feedback-informed practice, and programmatic approaches to assessment across the continuum of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. The symposium was highly interactive, with rich discussion, questioning, and peer learning throughout the day.
The programme featured expert contributions, including Prof. Henk Schmidt, Prof. David Taylor, Prof. Dario Torre, Dr. Laura Zwaan, Dr. Dario Cecilio Fernandes, with guidance and leadership from Prof. Remigius Rikers and Prof. Salman Yousuf Guraya. The symposium was organized by Dr. Farah Azhar, Dr. Marwa Mady and Dr. Ritwik Sankaran Kaimal along with volunteer students under guidance of Prof. Razia Khanam. Discussions emphasised translating assessment theory into practice and strengthening assessment design, enhancing the quality of feedback processes, and using assessment information to support learner progression.
The symposium reflects GMU’s ongoing commitment to faculty development and educational scholarship, fostering a community of practice focused on robust, learner-centred assessment in medical education.
