RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has announced the appointment of Professor Fiona Kent as Director of the Health Professions Education Centre (HPEC).

Professor Kent will build on RCSI’s established strengths in health professions education and lead the development of an ambitious new strategy for HPEC. She will continue her focus on interprofessional learning to advance the University’s educational practice and support innovation in curriculum design.

Her vision for health professions education is driven by sustainable innovation in health workforce development. She prioritises meaningful engagement with patients, clinical partners and the wider community, enabling RCSI to play a leading role in educating a highly skilled workforce that improves human health outcomes.

Professor Kent is an award-winning international leader in interprofessional learning and health professions education with over 15 years of clinical experience as a neurological physiotherapist and more than 15 years in academic leadership roles.

Since joining RCSI in 2024, Professor Kent has served as Deputy Director of HPEC and has played a key role in expanding educational programmes, including the development of a new MSc in Health Professions Education and advancing the interprofessional learning strategy across the university. She previously held senior leadership roles at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia including Acting Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, and has led and implemented an interprofessional and digital health curriculum that has received national and international awards.

Her research also focuses on patient-centred approaches to education, interprofessional collaboration and educational innovation. She has an extensive publication record with over 50 research outputs and an H-index of 26 and has contributed to internationally recognised work shaping health professions education policy and practice. She is Associate Editor of the Journal of Interprofessional Care and sits on the International Editorial Advisory Board of Medical Education.

Professor Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at RCSI, said: “We are delighted to appoint Professor Fiona Kent as Director of the Health Professions Education Centre at RCSI. Innovation in interprofessional learning and health professions education is central to RCSI’s mission as an international health sciences university. Professor Kent brings exceptional expertise in educational leadership, research and collaboration and I look forward to working with her as she advances our strategy to educate healthcare professionals equipped to meet the evolving needs of patients and healthcare systems worldwide.”

Professor Fiona Kent, Director of the Health Professions Education Centre at RCSI, said: “I am honoured to take on the role of Director of the Health Professions Education Centre at RCSI. I am deeply committed to advancing health professions education through meaningful engagement with patients, communities and clinical partners and to supporting the development of a highly skilled collaborative healthcare workforce.

“I look forward to continuing my work with colleagues across RCSI and with our academic collaborators to deliver an ambitious HPEC strategy that embraces innovation, including the new opportunities presented by AI, and strengthens authentic interprofessional learning to ultimately improve patient care.”

Professor Kent will lead the continued growth of HPEC, providing healthcare professionals with a wide range of teaching, learning and educational research opportunities from formal qualifications to in-house training sessions. She will also drive the Centre’s support for RCSI educators to generate new knowledge about health professions education and focus on bringing their findings to international peers through educational research.