Arqaam Capital, an investment bank headquartered in Dubai, has partnered with Morocco's Al Akhawayn University School of Business Administration to launch a global business education initiative.

Announcing the launch, Arqaam Capital said the course is based on Arab Capital Markets and is being developed in conjunction with Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.

Arqaam and Al Akhawayn signed an MoU at the university campus to formally set up a finance colloquium for the undergraduate and graduate students.

Specially designed to equip students in the Arab world with practical skills to increase their employment prospects, this programme primarily focuses on regional equity and credit markets, derivative financial markets, interest rates, and financial risk management, said a top company official.

'The Arab World is developing rapidly and it is imperative that students have the tools for developing skills needed in the 21st century. As part our investments into human capital in the region, we will work closely with regional universities to assist them develop and enhance education systems,' said Riad Meliti, CEO of Arqaam Capital.

'This is part of our initiative to drive educational transformation in the region and we are keen to support universities and students integrate practical business acumen into the classroom,' Meliti stated.

'Since practical application is critical to establishing robust and vibrant innovation economies, students will be judged on their coursework and winners become eligible for a six week internship at the Arqaam Capital offices,' he added.

According to him, the students will deliver the modules by April 23 and the winners will be announced on April 30.

Commenting on the benefits of the agreement, Al Akhawayn University president Driss Ouaouicha said: 'We look forward to working with Arqaam Capital in advancing our students’ ability to explore the many opportunities in global finance, economics, and business.'

'Through this partnership, Al Akhawayn University will also contribute to enhancing research and business practices in Morocco,” he added. 

Arqaam Capital will also provide consulting to support the university’s business education initiatives like co-supervising joint research projects and theses, co-organising conferences designed for CFOs, finance directors and financial services professionals generally, with a specific focus on the asset management space.

Arqaam will also support the creation of a research centre at Al Akhawayn University to advance research and knowledge creation as well as sharing practical experience about the financial markets in Morocco and the Mena region, said Meliti.
 
“For the Arab world to become truly competitive, we have to tackle regional issues with a multifaceted approach,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service