Doha Bank CEO Dr R Seetharaman has received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy from the Arts, Sciences and Technology University in Lebanon (AUL) during its annual graduation ceremony held Tuesday.
Seetharaman received the award, his fifth doctorate, for his valuable contribution to banking and finance from AUL president Dr Adnan Hamzeh. The awarding ceremony was held in the presence of Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs at AUL Gebran Bassil.
Seetharaman said: “It is a huge privilege to receive this honorary Doctor of Philosophy and I would like to thank the management of AUL for considering me for the doctorate title.
“I saw the spirit of innovation of AUL with a vision for quality in education when I visited the AUL campus. This is definitely going to help the student community and AUL, as well. My best wishes to the AUL management in carrying out their mission of promoting excellence in education services.”
During the event, Seetharaman provided insights on GCC economies: “The oil price had recovered from the yearly low in February 2016. In the GCC, oil exporters are benefiting from the recent modest recovery in oil prices while continuing fiscal consolidation in response to lower oil revenues.
“GCC economies have come up with bond issues and other measures to manage their fiscal deficits this year and liquidity challenges still remain in GCC on account of low oil prices.”
On sustainable development, he said the world is home to 1.8bn young people between the ages of 10 and 24 year, while nine in 10 of the world’s young population live in less developed countries. Young people are the innovators, creators, builders, and leaders of the future, Seetharaman noted.
“The record 1.8bn young people present an enormous opportunity to transform the future. Youth empowerment should contribute to sustainable development, which is the one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” he stressed.
Seetharaman said global citizenship “is a valuable tool” in building sustainable communities because it promotes youth empowerment and gives people opportunities to address the environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by society and explore the actions needed for sustainable development.
An integrated approach, he said, can empower young people having formal education to continue global citizenship activities and demonstrate leadership in their communities by engaging others “on a collective journey” to a more sustainable future.
“Global citizens should work on transition towards green economies. Green economy is mainly based on sectors such as renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, water management, waste management, and land management. Green economies are the solution for climate change and for sustainable global growth,” he said.