The Chamber of Engineers organised this highly anticipated annual event, proved to showcase a highly topical subject of engineering in healthcare and how both sectors intersect for the benefit of patients. Organised a decade after the last conference on engineering in healthcare, the 2024 conference enjoyed a larger and more diverse audience. The larger participation is attributable to an increased interest in areas of development for both engineers and for the profession in what concerns engineering in healthcare. The diverse audience was representative of a greater recognition that we need to work together to be truly successful, and engineers were joined by various healthcare professionals coming from medicine and surgery, pharmacy, nursing radiography, podiatry, speech therapy and more.
The President of the Chamber of Engineers, Inġ. Malcolm Zammit opened the 31st Annual Engineering Conference edition and was followed by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works and Planning Hon. Dr Chris Bonett and Opposition Spokesperson for Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Capital Projects Hon. Dr Joe Giglio.
The carefully developed conference programme sought to portray the sheer potential that cross-functional collaboration between engineers and healthcare professionals can have on the future of healthcare. The conference included the participation of 26 local and international speakers across the 3 keynotes, 10 presentations and 2 discussion panels held throughout the programme.
During his opening address, the President of the Chamber, Inġ. Malcolm Zammit remarked that the application of engineering in healthcare has garnered increased recognition and popularity over the past years. Looking at the field of engineering research, there is an increasing level and breadth of activity with various projects in biomedical engineering, biodesign, cybernetics, biomaterials, digital health and many more. He then highlighted the conference had an aim of getting the audience close to medical facilities and how engineering and technology are transforming the provision of care. In conclusion, the CoE President further emphasised the role of engineers as agents of change with the ability to bring about a general improvement in the healthcare sector to drive innovation in collaboration with healthcare professionals.
The CoE Executive Council thanks the organising committee chaired by Activities Secretary Inġ. Alex Tanti, the conference sponsors, corporate sponsors, partners, and corporate members.
The Chamber extends recognition to the conference speakers who shared their knowledge and experiences with the audience, and the conference participants for making the 31st Annual Engineering Conference a successful event a unique experience.
The 31st Annual Engineering Conference, Engineering: Sustaining Tomorrow's Healthcare, was sponsored by: Baxter Malta, ESS & Elektra, Teva Malta, Foundation for Medical Services (FMS), Specculo, Tektraco, Konnekt, STMicroelectronics Malta, Aurobindo Pharma Malta, Bioscint Engineering, CareMalta Group, Saint James Hospital Group, Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works.
The conference was also supported by: University of Malta, MCAST, Malta Council for Science & Technology, Tech.mt, Malta Enterprise and Malta Innovation Forum.