WASHINGTON, March 26 /PRNewswire/ --

Academic health center leaders from around the world will be taking a Voyage of Discovery addressing the visions, growth, and strategic partnerships of academic health centers in a global environment and speaking to vital infrastructure issues that impact education, research, and patient care innovations at the 2008 International Forum of the Association of Academic Health Centers.

WHO: THE NEED TO GO GLOBAL: Victor J. Dzau, MD, Chancellor for Health Affairs, Duke University, and President and CEO, Duke University Health System

IN SEARCH OF THE U.S. MODEL: Peter Noble, MBA, Director of Health Development, Dean's Office, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds; Edward Hillhouse, BSC, MBBS, PhD, Faculty Dean, University of Leeds

SINGAPORE'S EXPERIENCE: John Eu-Li Wong, MBBS, FAMS, FRCP, Vice President, Research/Life Sciences, Dean, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore

THE U.K. EXPERIENCE: Stephen Smith, DSc, FMedSci, Principal, Faculty of Medicine, CEO, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

DEVELOPING ISRAEL'S ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER: Rafael Beyar, MD, DSc, FACC, FESC, Director General and CEO, Rambam Health Care Campus, Israel

CHINA AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: Xian Wang, MD, PhD, Vice President for Education, Peking University, Health Science Center

SHANGHAI: VISIONS FOR EDUCATION: Lily Hsu, RN, MSN, Dean, School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

ORGANIZATION, GROWTH, AND EXPANSION: Jianqun Yan, MD, PhD, Vice President of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, and President, Xi'an Jiao Tong University Health Science Center, China

QATAR'S PIONEERING CENTER: Daniel R. Alonso, MD, Dean, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar

WHAT: 2008 International Forum: A Voyage of Discovery: Building Academic Health Center Infrastructure Worldwide WHEN: Monday, March 31, 2008 (8:00am-5:45pm) Tuesday, April 1, 2008 (8:00am-12:30pm) WHERE: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Salon I Washington, D.C., 1150 22ND Street, NW

-- Please RSVP and bring valid press credentials and a photo ID.

The Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) is a national, non-profit organization that seeks to improve health and well-being through vigorous leadership of the nation's academic health centers.

1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 720 Washington, DC 20036 P +1-202-265-9600 F +1-202-265-7514 www.aahcdc.org

Lynn Bentley of the Association of Academic Health Centers, +1-202-265-9600