KHALEEJ TIMES ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
Educating youth With promising growth prospects, the UAE is fast becoming a hot destination for higher education Sadiq Shaban
T
he UAE higher education sector is poised for growth. With the number of enrolments going up steadily in recent years, the sector accounts for more than 20 per cent of the government expenditure. A recent report estimates the market size of
education in the UAE to be well above $7 billion. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific has been instrumental in bringing about this change. With the setting up of the National Authority for Scientific Research in 2008, awareness and application of knowledge and its dissemination through participation of institutions of higher education in the UAE has increased substantially. Pertinently, the government has taken several strides towards transforming the place into a knowledge-based economy. The setting up of Educational Free Zones has proven to be an important hallmark towards achieving this objective. Dubai International
Academic City (DIAC), a first of its kind in the world, has a state-ofthe-art campus spread over 18 million square feet. Around 48,000 students are enrolled in various colleges in Dubai, including 20,000 Emirati students. With more than 460 academic programmes, students indeed have a wide choice in higher education. The number of students that could demand a place in the higher education system is expected to increase by 2016. With a projected 50,000 students able to enrol, the government is pulling all stops to ensure that the nation’s higher education system is at par with the best in the world. — sadiq@khaleejtimes.com
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Opening up opportunities ICAEW provides a passport to a rewarding and successful career The ACA qualification from The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) gives access to many amazing career paths in all sectors of business. Once successfully completed, the student will become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and can use the letters ACA after their name. The ACA is one of the leading professional finance and business qualifications. It equips individuals with skills and knowledge needed to work in a variety of
roles, in a diverse business environment. Students will gain a solid background in finance, business, marketing, economics, management and information systems, opening the door to a wide range of career paths once qualified. ACA training is a mixture of classroom learning and work experience. When studying for the ACA participants will work for an ICAEW authorised training employer. These employers are in all business sectors, including practice (accountancy firms) and commerce. Their employer will sometimes fund all or part of the training, as well as allow study leave and pay a competitive salary, which can increase as ACA exams
Being an ICAEW Chartered Accountant is a passport to a very rewarding and successful career are completed. Organisations employ school leavers and graduates to study the ACA. There are a variety of entry routes available after A-levels/ equivalent level. Candidates who are school leavers will have to train for five years and those who are bachelors or post-graduates for three years.
Passport to success
A CIMA qualification is recognised as an equivalent to a Master’s degree, but with more extensive professional knowledge and skills The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), founded in 1919, is among the world’s leading and largest professional body of Management Accountants operating in 173 countries. In the Middle East, CIMA offers an international qualification in management accountancy that combines accounting, finance and management skills, thus providing finance professionals with skill sets needed to develop into all-round strategic business managers. CIMA-trained professionals work across varied industries including commerce, management consultancies, banks, and non-profit and public sector organisations. In fact, most of the top CFOs, CEOs, and management consultants today are qualified chartered management accountants. Commenting on the qualification, Geetu Ahuja, Head of GCC, CIMA said, “The globally recognised CIMA qualification is the perfect choice for a successful career in business. In addition to strong accounting fundamentals, CIMA teaches strategic business and management skills. Our members are qualified to work across all departments in an organisation, not just in finance. We are committed to upholding the highest ethical and professional standards, and public confidence in management accounting.” The CIMA qualification is recognised as an equivalent to a Master’s degree, but with more extensive professional knowledge and skills, which is why it is preferred by employers globally and regionally. CIMA is the best route to an international career in business and finance developing skills for opportunities to top-level roles. CIMA has a fast track route for degree holders and professionally qualified accountants, where the candidate could be from just one paper away from CIMA’s globally prestigious
accredited awards and titles. Ahuja added: “There has never been a better time to be a management accountant as organisations in the UAE and across GCC are looking for qualified professionals to fill a growing number of midsenior key management positions. These roles need qualified Geetu Ahuja professionals who can oversee and manage business and finance strategies across a macro-level. The CIMA qualification has been designed with this in mind. It is the most relevant international professional qualification for business performance and finance management. It is open to anyone with the drive and desire to succeed in business. The qualification is regarded highly by employers around the world for its relevance to today’s complex business.” CIMA has also developed the first international qualification in management accounting to be offered in Arabic. The potential for CIMA members and students to develop rewarding and dynamic international careers remains strong in the Middle East and globally. This potential has been further enhanced following the launch of a new member designation, the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). The CGMA is the result of a joint venture between CIMA and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and reflects the global prestige of two of the world’s leading accountancy bodies. Hence CIMA members are now eligible with a further value added title of CGMA that is powered by AICPA and CIMA, the only global designation for business and finance qualified who are recognised from Seattle to Sydney. CIMA as well is proud to be the first professional accounting body to offer a truly global product in the fast-moving area of Islamic Finance. For more information about CIMA, please visit www.cimaglobal.com
fULL SCHOLARSHIP TO bECOmE A LEAdER IN YOUR fIELd SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY IESS is a programme that offers young Emiratis a full scholarship to study the ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification, the ACA. Successful candidates will also obtain a full-time position at a leading accountancy firm. The ACA is one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available. If you are an aspiring business leader, looking for an opportunity to develop your career, visit icaew.ae today. ‘ The ACA is recognised worldwide as a qualification for business leaders and thus a great career door opener. In addition to providing students with the highest technical skills it also gives them a very sound ethical grounding.’ HELAL SAEEd ALmARRI, CEO ANd dIRECTOR GENERAL Of dUbAI WORLd TRAdE CENTER ANd AN ICAEW fELLOW CHARTEREd ACCOUNTANT
BUSINESS WITH CONFIDENCE
icaew.ae