Bahrain-based Ahlia University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), aimed at offering a globally recognised qualification in business and finance.

The agreement will enable students to earn a CIMA Certificate in business accounting, allowing them to earn a double degree at the end of their graduation.

CIMA, which is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants, with over 218,000 members and students operating in 177 countries, will offer the Master Gateway route which is an accelerated entry programme to CIMA for Ahlia students who hold an MBA.

The Master Gateway route allows the MBA students an exemption in 11 papers, and they will be only required to sit for one paper to be awarded CIMA’s globally accredited title in Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting, said a statement.

The CIMA qualification not only enhances the students’ career prospects in a fast-paced business environment but also equips them with an all-around business knowledge that qualifies them to work in a wide variety of roles inside and outside the finance function, it said.
 
Dr Abdul Hussain Ali Mirza, Bahrain’s Minister of State for Electricity and Water, said: “There is a growing demand for skilled professionals to lead and drive growth opportunities in Bahrain and to meet this growth it is crucial that education providers equip students with skills and training that are relevant in the business world. It is great news that the CIMA qualification is now available to Ahlia University students and we hope the education providers are able to train students to become future leaders who can contribute to the growth of the economy.”

Professor Abdulla Y Al Hawaj, president of Ahlia University in Bahrain, said: “At Ahlia University, we are proud of our growing reputation as a provider of quality higher education in the country and the GCC region. As the leading education provider in Bahrain, we are continuously working toward improving and enriching the quality of our educational service offerings. Through our new partnership with CIMA, we will be able to upskill our students, and better prepare them to succeed in today’s competitive job market”.

Established in 2001, Ahlia University is the first private university to be licensed by the Government of Bahrain. Today has grown to become an internationally recognised university boasting affiliations with an extensive network of prestigious institutions around the world.

Geetu Ahuja, head of GCC, CIMA said: “We are very pleased to be partnering with Ahlia University and offering our professional qualification for the very first time in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This new partnership is pivotal in our mission to expand our service offering across the GCC region. CIMA will continue to empower and equip business and finance professionals across the Gulf, and we look forward to a successful and long standing relationship with Ahlia University”.

The new partnership with Ahlia University is a crucial milestone for CIMA’s expansion plans in the Gulf region. The CIMA qualification has also been introduced across key regional universities including the Abu Dhabi University, Manipal University and the University of Wollongong in Dubai, the statement said. - TradeArabia News Service