“We aim to create global graduates with skills and mindsets for international career success, but very importantly, to contribute to Qatar’s rise as a premium business hub, which attracts investments in business districts from around the world.
“We want to make sure that we're keen to share those experiences with students here in Qatar,” said Professor Jon Reast, pro vice-chancellor (International), Northumbria University, who was in Qatar yesterday to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA).
According to Reast, Northumbria University “belongs to the top 1% of business schools around the world,” and is the first university in Europe to achieve accreditation for both its business and accountancy programmes by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Citing the university’s achievements, Reast described its partnership with QFBA as “the coming together of two world-class organisations.”
“Throughout the negotiations around the MoU, I’ve been enormously impressed with QFBA in terms of its quality and its focus. And also, it clearly has a strong ambition to contribute towards the country’s development in the form of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
“It is fitting for QFBA to be working with Northumbria, particularly its business school. Together we will work to provide a range of professional and scientific programmes at the highest quality, fulfilling career ambitions, meeting the needs of the Qatar labour market, and helping to drive the Qatar economy forward,” Reast explained.
QFBA chief executive officer Abdulaziz al-Horr told Gulf Times the partnership will offer new programmes, which are open for both Qataris and expatriate professionals. He noted that QFBA and Northumbria are still finalising the type of programmes to be offered by both organisations.
Asked if the partnership will offer exchange programmes, al-Horr said: “We are open to the idea of offering exchange programmes, accredited programmes of the university, or certification courses. All areas of co-operation are open with the university and they really showed great interest to partner with QFBA in any area that the industry needs in Qatar.”
Reast added: “My responsibility at the university is for the international strategy, which talks about overseas partnerships of high quality on research, teaching, and learning but also recruitment of students into the UK, as well as staff exchange.
“But naturally, we’d be keen as part of the overall agreement to ensure that we actually have staff flows in both directions so this isn’t just about students, it’s actually about a broader setting development.”