The first international conference in pharmacy education in the era of globalization was organized by the University of Nizwa, Oman, from 24 to 26 January 2012. The conference was attended by the WHO Regional Adviser for Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies from the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean who delivered a keynote speech on pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies: The  role of the pharmacist from a WHO perspective. The conference was preceded by a one-day workshop/symposium on pharmacovigilance.