As a health professions educator, I have come to realise that our greatest responsibility extends beyond preparing students to become competent clinicians. It is about nurturing professionals who can respond to the complex challenges of our time with knowledge, compassion, integrity, and a deep sense of stewardship. Today, our learners will practise in a world shaped by climate change, technological disruption, evolving health systems, and widening health inequities. These realities challenge us to rethink not only what we teach, but why and how we educate the next generation of healthcare professionals.

This shared responsibility brings us together. Across disciplines, institutions, and countries, we are united by a common purpose: to shape health professions education that is innovative, values-driven, and responsive to the needs of people, communities, and the planet. While digital technologies and artificial intelligence are transforming healthcare and education at an unprecedented pace, they also remind us that technology alone is never enough. Our greatest contribution as educators is to cultivate professionals who lead with empathy, collaborate across boundaries, and make decisions guided by values as much as by evidence.

Guided by the theme, "Planetary Health and Value-Based Education in the Digital Era", this conference provides a platform to exchange ideas, challenge conventional thinking, showcase educational innovations, and build meaningful partnerships. Together, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and MAEMHS are proud to present this inaugural conference as a catalyst for advancing scholarship, collaboration, and innovation in health professions education across Malaysia, the region, and beyond.

There is no better place to begin this journey than Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. I hope this conference inspires conversations that continue long after we leave, collaborations that extend across borders, and actions that create lasting impact for our learners, our communities, and future generations.

On behalf of the Organising Committee, thank you for joining us for this historic inaugural conference. I look forward to welcoming you to Sabah as we learn, connect, and shape the future of health professions education together.

Warm regards,

Associate Professor Dr. Zulkhairul Naim Sidek Ahmad

Organising Chair

1st International Borneo- MAEMHS Health Professions Education Conference 2027