THE UNIVERSITY of Bradford marked 25 years of running its Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Dubai by hosting a networking event at the British High Committee in the city.
The University was first invited to Dubai by Emirates Airlines in 1997 to offer its MBA to senior staff, and two and a half decades later, the Dubai Executive MBA offering extends to the wider corporate world of the UAE united
Founded in 1963, the University of Bradford School of Management is one of the oldest business schools in the UK.
The school has received several accolades, most recently being named Business School of the Year 2021 at the Times Higher Education Awards.
The university’s vice-chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon, who chaired the event, said: “As one of the first UK universities to deliver an MBA in Dubai, the University of Bradford has already made a significant contribution to the socio-economic context of the United Arab Emirates by developing responsible leaders.
“Our senior management team and expert faculty are working on plans to introduce new programs to the UAE market, focused on supporting the region’s socio-economic priorities.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Zahir Irani added: “I am excited to lead our strategic plan for Dubai and look forward to working closely with colleagues in our Dubai Center and local stakeholders in the UAE to expand our offering high quality education to a wider audience in the country.
“Our Executive MBA is highly respected and has indeed been undertaken by many who have held executive roles.
“We are currently working with leading corporations in the region to expand the University of Bradford’s corporate social responsibility agenda.
“The University of Bradford has more than 145,000 alumni in 180 countries. We have a global reach and a global vision, both of which are needed to meet the challenges of the modern world.”
Shahid Baloch, Executive Vice President Commercial Banking at United Arab Bank, completed his MBA in Dubai in 2001.
“I recognize the significant value of sustaining professional development and that is my ambition for alumni here,” he said.
“Together with my colleague Dimitri Savvaidis, we have started the ‘UoB UAE Alumni Group’ to provide a forum for networking opportunities and to provide continued learning and development through a series of events, organized in conjunction with the university”.
Other guests attending the event included government institutions, staff from the University of Bradford Regional Center in Dubai and senior staff from the UK.