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INCEIF President visits Dubai Center for Excellence in Islamic Banking and Finance.

 Both parties agree on the significance of establishing reference standards for licensing experts in the field of Islamic Finance
  
]UAE, December 23, 2013[ – Dubai Center for Excellence in Islamic Banking and Finance (DCIBF) recently received a visit from Daud Vicary Abdullah, CEO and President of the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), the global university of Islamic finance was established by Bank Negara Malaysia. On hand to meet him was HBMeU Chancellor Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, where they discussed various matters relating to the Islamic banking and finance sector and the importance of e-learning in this day and this era. Both parties also shared their experiences and discussed potential initiatives and projects that can be highly beneficial to HBMeU and INCEIF. Both parties have also agreed on the importance and need to establish key reference standards for licensing experts in the field of Islamic Finance.

Dr. Al Awar explained the importance of DCIBF to Dubai and the region,  as a quality-oriented addition to meet the needs of the Islamic banking and finance industry. He mentioned how the Center offers academic and professional training programs and scientific research in line with the best international practices. He further highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Center to establish Dubai as the world’s Islamic economy capital to support the ambitious vision and directives of the emirate’s leadership.
Dr. Al Awar said: “Launched by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and President of HBMeU, DCBIF offers high-quality academic programs and training courses to strengthen the concept of Islamic economy. We look forward to collaborating with INCEIF to develop curricula on Islamic banking and finance as it supports the Center’s vision of producing world-class talent for the global Islamic finance industry.” 
“With the advancement of online channels and digital media, eLearning has become highly relevant and can be availed by organizations for enhancing professional skill sets of their employees particularly through the executive training programs. The high standards set by HBMeU in the field of eLearning are commendable. We are confident that our collaboration with HBMeU will enable us to leverage on its position as a leading eUniversity, especially in this part of the region,” added Abdullah.  
Aside from discussing the importance of their respective entities during the meeting, both parties concluded that eLearning is an excellent platform for continuous professional development. They also agreed on the need to collaborate on several fronts, including joint courses to offer high-quality programs on Islamic banking and finance, develop curriculum relevant to the industry and focus on accreditations not just from educational authorities but also from industry related institutions.
INCEIF is one of many initiatives undertaken by Bank Negara Malaysia to develop and nurture talents and experts under the Malaysia International Islamic Finance Center (MIFC). It offers three postgraduate programmes in Islamic Finance – Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIPD), Masters in Islamic Finance and PhD in Islamic Finance. INCEIF offers industry-focussed executive education that includes customized executive programmes.  

The Dubai Center for Excellence in Islamic Banking and Finance’s academic programs are based on three pillars – Human Capital Development, Research, and Community Service. It was established through the mutual cooperation between HBMeU and the ‘Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy’ initiative. 
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BurJuman “Fashion Expose” Competition Showcases Emirates’ Emerging Fashion Talent

Future Looks Bright for UAE Fashion Industry
Dubai, UAE, 23 December 2013 – Fashion students from across the UAE have recently gathered in Dubai to compete in the BurJuman’s Fashion Expose Competition. The event is the only competition between fashion colleges and universities held in the Emirates, and offers up-and-coming designers the opportunity to showcase their talent to local and international fashion houses and buyers.

The winning team from the Centre of Executive Education’s (CEE) Fashion Department will have their winning pieces showcased in the Saks Fifth Avenue BurJuman store. The team has also won AED20,000/- and various other prizes from the competition’s sponsors.
Competition entrants were judged on the creativity, innovation and adherence to the theme of their designs. This year’s theme was “Decades of Fashion – 1950s to the Present”. Suraiya Taufiq, Manal Al Younis, Huda Salem, Nabeela Amin, Assia Mehri, Subhashini Sam, Tishya Pandey and  Anisa Begum  were  part of the winning team.
Suraiya Taufiq says that the competition provides a forum for young fashion designers to grow their profile in the industry.
“Entering the fashion industry can be very competitive, but this event allows us to demonstrate to potential employers or potential buyers that we have both the design skills and technical capability necessary to produce beautiful garments. The Edexcel programme that we have undertaken at the Centre for Executive Education has given us a great start in our careers, and this competition is an opportunity to show to the market what we have learnt in this course, and what we can accomplish going forward”.
The Pearson Edexcel Professional Programme in Fashion Design being undertaken by the winning team at CEE is a practical-focussed qualification that can lead to university entry and membership of the United Kingdom’s prestigious Chartered Society of Designers. The programme has been designed to develop a breadth of understanding of the fashion industry and to provide a broad foundation for students from which they can determine which branch of the industry their personal talents are most suited. CEE has offered the programme for 14 years, producing a number of award winning students across International competitions including Dubai International Fashion Week, Hotel Show, Swarovski Bride Show and BurJuman Awards.
Revealing local design talent through Fashion Expose will help build Dubai’s growing international reputation as a regional and international fashion centre. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Maktoum, Vice-President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai recently signed a decree that will bring together the country’s public and private sectors to foster the growth, innovation and sustainability of the Emirate’s design and fashion industries.
Work has also started on a dedicated design quarter in the Emirate, to be known as the Dubai Design District, or D3. This new “design city” will be housed near Dubai mall, accommodating design, fashion and luxury organisations.
Mark Andrews, Regional Director of Pearson International Qualifications, says encouraging local talent through competitions such as Fashion Expose will help meet increasing demand across the region for well-trained fashion graduates.
“As the fashion industry grows in Dubai and across the region it is important that educational institutions are providing qualifications that give graduates the skills necessary to succeed in this burgeoning industry. The Pearson-Edexcel Professional Programme in Fashion Design helps prepare learners for a variety of careers in fashion, and gives learners the capabilities needed to thrive in the world of work – whether it is in fashion or any other industry”.