Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Bolton (UK) to develop an MBA in Islamic Banking.

As per the MoU, BIBF will act as lead content provider for the Islamic finance subjects and will supervise all dissertations, while the University of Bolton faculty will deliver the core MBA subjects.

Graduates of BIBF’s Islamic Finance programmes will be eligible for exemptions from some of the subjects, providing them with a shortened pathway to obtain an MBA with a specialisation in Islamic Finance, said a statement.

“The initiative further bolsters our position as the global content provider of choice for Islamic Finance. We expect the new programme to become an attractive means for students globally to develop expertise in Islamic Finance, and for our graduates to further their studies in the UK,”BIBF director Solveig Nicklos said at the signing.

According to a recent BIBF research paper, the Islamic financial sector, which in 2012 had an overall asset valuation of more than $1,350 billion globally, is expected to create anywhere from 250,000 to 1 million professional Islamic finance jobs worldwide by 2020. – TradeArabia News Service