US-based Babson College, a world leader in entrepreneurship education, is expanding to Dubai, UAE, to offer graduate and executive education programmes for working professionals across the region.

The Babson MBA – Dubai, delivered in a blended online and face-to-face format, will launch in January 2019. Babson’s MBA has been ranked No. 1 in entrepreneurship for 25 consecutive years by US News & World Report, and its blended format is ranked top 10 worldwide by Financial Times.

The application period is open, said a statement from the college.

Babson Executive Education will be working with organizations in the region to develop custom programmes in addition to offering specialized open enrolment programmes as part of the Academy at DIFC. The first open enrolment programme – Approaches to Innovation in the UAE – will launch this fall. Additional programmes, including one on family entrepreneurship, will be announced this summer.

“At Babson, we believe that the success of entrepreneurs is critical to economic growth and sustainability around the world,” said Babson College president Kerry Healey. “By bringing Babson’s recognized leadership in entrepreneurship education to Dubai, we will support the UAE’s long-term economic development goals, make Entrepreneurial Thought & Action accessible to more people and places, and educate global leaders who will create great economic and social value everywhere.”

Babson’s in-person programmes will be held at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

Babson holds accreditation from: EQUIS, a global organization of business schools and corporations that awards institutions for overall quality and a high degree of internationalization; AACSB International, an internationally recognized specialized accreditation for business programmes that ensures quality and continuous improvement; and NEASC, a commission recognized by the US Department of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education.

The College’s expansion into Dubai will extend its reach and impact around the world, adding to its existing hubs in Wellesley and Boston, Massachusetts, San Francisco, California, and Miami, Florida.

The Babson MBA – Dubai

Combining online classes and virtual collaboration with face-to-face sessions at the DIFC, the Babson MBA – Dubai has been designed specifically for locally and regionally based working professionals, including but not limited to Medium, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) owners, the next generation of family business leaders, and those working within corporations, who are looking to advance their entrepreneurial capacity while making the most of their time, learning, and investment.

The programme is unique in design, with a core curriculum focused on: Entrepreneurship and Opportunity; Managing at the Crossroads: Business, Government, and the International Economy; and Global Connections Through Technology. Specific to Dubai will be special topics offered in Family Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Finance, M&A for Entrepreneurs, and more.

Babson and entrepreneurship in Dubai

According to the latest Babson-sponsored Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), 88 per cent of people in the UAE see entrepreneurs as having a high status in their society, and 65 per cent are confident in their ability to start a business. This percentage drops, however, when it comes to actually pursuing entrepreneurship, as only 35 per cent see good entrepreneurial opportunity around them, and 61 percent would not start a business out of fear of failure.

Additionally, according to KPMG’s recent GCC Family Business Survey, 30 percent of family business leaders from the GCC countries are seeking opportunities to become more innovative, and 38 per cent want to diversify into new products and services. Declining profitability is of considerable concern to 40 per cent of these respondents. – TradeArabia News Service