GLIDE launches comprehensive AI education programme for global health professionals
The Global Institute for Disease Elimination has opened applications for an innovative online learning initiative designed to equip healthcare practitioners with essential artificial intelligence literacy, commencing this November.
The Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) has announced the opening of applications for “AI for All – GLIDE Edition”, a pioneering online learning programme that extends practical artificial intelligence education to health professionals across the world. The inaugural cohort will commence on 16th November, with the course concluding by 16th December 2026.
Developed in collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), this distinctive educational initiative has been meticulously crafted to provide health professionals with the foundational knowledge necessary to comprehend artificial intelligence, evaluate its capabilities and constraints, and engage with emerging technological tools with appropriate responsibility. The programme requires neither technical expertise nor coding proficiency, rendering it accessible to practitioners across diverse professional backgrounds and experience levels.
Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Chief Executive Officer of GLIDE, articulated the significance of this educational endeavour within the contemporary healthcare landscape. “Artificial intelligence is becoming integral to the way we collect information, analyse data and make decisions, yet many of the professionals who will utilise these tools have never had the opportunity to learn how they function or how to evaluate them critically,” she explained.
Emphasising the programme’s commitment to equitable access, Dr. Al Hosani noted that the online delivery model endeavours to reach underserved populations who might otherwise lack access to such specialised training. She underscored that all health professionals should possess comprehensive understanding not only of artificial intelligence’s capabilities, but also of its limitations, the pertinent questions to pose and its potential to enhance existing work.
The Chief Executive highlighted the paramount importance of ensuring that technological advancement translates into tangible benefits for health systems and disease elimination programmes, particularly in contexts where resources, data infrastructure and technical capacity may present constraints. She emphasised that those responsible for health systems possess invaluable understanding of their own communities, available data and the operational realities governing decision-making. “Technology should support their judgement, not replace it,” Dr. Al Hosani stated.
The programme comprises four comprehensive modules that guide participants from fundamental artificial intelligence concepts through to advanced understanding of how artificial intelligence systems operate and how generative artificial intelligence can be deployed effectively within professional environments. The curriculum also addresses critical considerations governing trustworthiness and responsible deployment, encompassing bias mitigation, privacy protection, accountability frameworks and human oversight mechanisms.
Spring Fu, Managing Director of the Academy at MBZUAI, explained the university’s vision for democratising artificial intelligence knowledge. “We are advancing artificial intelligence research across health and the life sciences, and have created this programme to make artificial intelligence knowledge accessible beyond technical disciplines,” she said. “Through our collaboration with GLIDE, we are equipping health professionals with the confidence to identify where artificial intelligence can deliver genuine value, and to make informed decisions about its application within the communities they serve.”
Source: WAM