Dubai International Financial Center launches ‘The Academy’

mediaoffice.ae: Dubai International Financial Center (“DIFC”), the leading financial hub in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region (“MEASA”), has announced the launch of ‘The Academy’, a state-of-the-art facility in DIFC for the promotion of excellence in business and financial services.

After more than a decade of providing world class professional development and higher learning courses, DIFC is enhancing its capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the market.

The Academy will form partnerships with leading business schools and universities from around the world to deliver a range of executive education programmes. It will also host regular workshops and seminars led by industry experts from DIFC and its community.

On-site teaching will be spread across The Academy’s 21 seminar rooms, three lecture halls, and three large auditoriums, all of which are equipped with the latest IT and A/V equipment. Meanwhile, students will have access to a library and resource centre, prayer room, study areas, and video conference facilities.

Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer at DIFC Authority, said: “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasised that investment in education is an essential component of UAE Vision 2021. DIFC is pleased to be able to contribute to this by providing a platform for the region’s financial services community to broaden their business skills and deepen their understanding of financial markets.

“As the leading financial hub in the region with the largest cluster of financial services institutions, DIFC is uniquely positioned to facilitate not only the flow of capital through the MEASA region but also the accumulation of knowledge and talent. In doing so, we are also working towards achieving the targets set out in DIFC’s Strategy 2024 and enhancing Dubai’s status as the number one place for doing business in the region.”

For more than ten years, DIFC has made a significant contribution to the enhancement of human capital through its ongoing professional development programme and the strong partnerships it has with institutions such as City, University of London and London Business School. In addition, DIFC has recently signed partnership agreements with Financial Times | IE Business School and The Wharton School, further strengthening The Academy’s global academic offering.

Each year, DIFC holds over 100 workshops and seminars for its growing community of more than 21,000 professionals. The Academy will build on these achievements, supporting the growth of human capital within the Centre and the wider region.