People Biography

Dr. Rudwan Abdul-Al is a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Adjunct Lecturer in the Master of Arts program in Counseling Psychology at HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies (CIS). With over 25 years of clinical, academic, and leadership experience in the UK and Qatar, he is recognized for his contributions to psychiatry, medical education, and research innovation.

Dr. Abdul-Al trained extensively in the UK, where he held senior leadership roles, including Associate Medical Director and Director of Research and Innovation within the National Health Service (NHS). His early career featured significant contributions at Cambridge University through the landmark ÆSOP study on psychosis and ethnicity, alongside advanced psychotherapy training under leading Cambridge clinicians. He has also served as Honorary Clinical Teacher at the University of Sheffield and Senior Clinical Tutor at Hull York Medical School.

He is a member of the board of examiners for the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Qatari Board of Medical Specialties (QBMS). Dr. Abdul-Al holds an MD from Damascus University, an MPH from the University of Nottingham, and a Master of Usul al-Fiqh from Qatar University. His research interests include cognitive styles in depression, eye movement studies, and integrating AI and virtual reality in mental health assessment. A recipient of multiple clinical excellence awards, he co-authored Qatar’s National Clinical Guidelines for Anxiety Disorders and Dementia and continues to advance mental health education through innovative projects.