Law alumnus wins at British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Qatar

Huge congratulations to Newcastle University alumnus Barry Solaiman, who has won the Science and Sustainability Award at this year’s British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Qatar.

Congratulations on your award! Could you please introduce yourself to your fellow alumni and tell us about your time at Newcastle University and your journey afterwards?

Studying Law at Newcastle University was a natural choice for me, as my family is from the North East. I was fortunate to secure a place through the PARTNERS programme, where I met lifelong friends.

Newcastle provided a strong foundation, not just in legal doctrine but in critical thinking and the skills needed to succeed in law. It was a transformative time—living away from home and stepping into a bigger world.  

After my LLB, I trained as a Barrister in London, pursued a Master’s at Durham, and later completed a PhD at Cambridge. My career has since taken me across multiple countries, allowing me to merge my interests in health, AI, and law. This journey ultimately led me to my current role at HBKU, where I focus on legal and regulatory challenges shaping AI in healthcare.

What inspired you to apply for this award, and what does it mean to you?

This award isn’t just about me—it’s a recognition of the work we’ve done at HBKU’s Law School in Qatar, much of which builds on the foundation of my UK education.

When I joined HBKU in 2017, the Law School was still in its infancy. It had yet to graduate its first class, and choosing to join at such an early stage was a risk—there was no established reputation. However, I believed in its vision and knew that my UK education could help shape something new.

Today, nearly a decade later, HBKU Law School has grown into one of the leading law schools in the Middle East, pioneering a distinctive model of legal education. Our graduates are making an impact, whether leading industries or pursuing advanced degrees at institutions like Harvard.

The university has also invested in research, awarding me a grant to develop the first AI-in-healthcare guidelines for the Middle East. This funding also enabled the open access publication of my edited book, The Research Handbook on Health, AI and the Law, now a leading global text in the field.

As for what this award means to me—there’s no greater honour than being recognised by your own country for representing it on the global stage. I’m proud to be British. I love my country, and I believe I have a responsibility to represent it well—not just for myself, but for the many generations in my family before me who contributed to the values and traditions I carry forward.

How has your work contributed to winning this award?

My focus is on regulating AI in healthcare—ensuring safety, fairness, and accountability as new technologies integrate into healthcare systems.

From my early research at Newcastle, through my PhD at Cambridge, and now in my role at HBKU, I have explored how legal systems can adapt to rapid technological advancements. My work involves advising governments and institutions on AI regulations, publishing research that influences policy, and designing governance structures that balance innovation with ethical safeguards.

This award recognises these contributions—particularly my efforts to bridge law, health, and sustainability in AI governance.

What inspired you to specialise in this field?

My family works in healthcare—my parents, siblings, and cousins are in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry. While my skills were better suited to law than medicine, I’ve always been fascinated by healthcare, so I found a way to combine both interests.

People are at their most vulnerable when dealing with health issues, and I believe the law should work in the background to protect them. AI regulation isn’t just an abstract legal exercise—I want to ensure these technologies are used safely, that patients understand how AI influences their care, and that they know their rights if something goes wrong. Law and technology should work for people, not against them.

Could you share details about a project or achievement you are particularly proud of?

One of my proudest achievements is co-editing The Research Handbook on Health, AI and the Law with Professor I. Glenn Cohen at Harvard Law School. This project took over three years to complete and involved contributions from 36 authors across 22 chapters.

What makes it particularly special is that my former HBKU students helped copy-edit the chapters. Thanks to funding from HBKU, the book is open access and has already been downloaded over 25,000 times—an impressive achievement for a legal publication.

This project is a testament to collaboration, dedication, and the power of global partnerships in shaping AI regulation in healthcare.

What advice would you give to students and young professionals?