Culture & Education | Saturday 5 December, 2015 12:03 pm |

In its continuous drive to build and grow a solid knowledge and talent pool that will lead on the Qatari financial sector’s future evolution, the Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) has partnered with the Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) to launch Kawader, a bespoke learning initiative for entry-level graduates in the field. As part of this initiative,   an internship agreement has been launched with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group’s (MUFG) banking arm, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. , Six students will be based between London and Dubai for a four-week-long internship program starting Nov, 10th during which they will be introduced and exposed to the bank’s various departments across markets. 

Designed as a competency-driven, innovative blended learning experience, Kawader builds and shapes the expertise, skillsets and knowledge of the financial services sector’s future business leaders and decision makers. As such, it endeavors to bridge the gap between industry and academia, providing young talents and professionals with a world-class development and training experience that is backed by an arsenal of internationally recognized professional certifications, personal development skills and guiding practices that enable them to build their career path in the financial sector and determine their future specializations and areas of expertise. 

Commenting on the partnership

Dr. Abdulaziz Al Horr, CEO at QFBA, said: 

“The industry is moving with remarkable pace and change that even veterans, professionals and decision makers continue to grapple with as they transition the sector into its next wave of growth. The next generation of professionals needs to lead on the financial sector’s evolution, rather than transition; and, in doing so, it must keep abreast with the demanding and continuously changing dynamics of both the financial job market and industry. Aligning with the Qatar National Vision 2030, the development and empowerment of solid human capital is an onus that we, among other established players and institutions operating in Qatar and the region, must carry to help young talents outpace the industry’s fast-moving dynamics, innovate and create new opportunities and arenas.” 

He also added:

“This is an undertaking that requires the collaboration and cooperation of all stakeholders involved, including the industry’s leading local institutions and players, international bodies and the young talents and professionals. Our partnership with MUFG in Dubai and London is proof of the success that such collaboration can achieve in bridging the gap between academia and professional ecosystems. It is also one of many initiatives we are undertaking in this direction.”

Mr. Iseda, Head of Doha Office, commented;

“It is our honor to contribute to the ambition of Qatar National Vision 2030, through human capital development in finance industry. In fact, many talented and motivated students applied and joined the programme. I am also delighted to see those six interns are keen to learn a lot from the internship in our London and Dubai office. They are strongly encouraged to work hard under the overseas environment, because they are fully aware “I am representing State of Qatar in here.” Those experiences are only for them to keep forever.” 

Today, besides the partnership with MUFG in Dubai and London, Kawader Program sends interns to our partners form the financial industry in Doha such as: QFCA, QIA, QInvest, KPMG, Central Bank, PWC and Standard Chartered-Dubai.

QFBA operates around five Centers of Excellence (COE): public finance, Islamic finance, competency and training framework, customer management and innovative learning solutions. Recently, the academy partnered with regional HR powerhouse Adnar Group to bring Qatar its first Global Management Challenge (GMC), an international competition built and designed around simulation and strategy­based training tools and models. The GMC follows QFBA’s launch of KAFA’A, a Training and Competency framework aimed at elevating Qatar’s financial sector talent pool, in a mandate by Qatar’s Financial Markets Development Committee (FMDC).