GCC MBA Handbook 2015

GCC

MBA Handbook 2015

The complete guide to studying a Master of Business Administration degree in the Gulf

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ED’s NOTE

The Right Decision for You

Studying an MBA is a huge undertaking, so be sure it’s for you before committing your time and money

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he decision to study an MBA is not one that should be taken without some serious consideration. They are challenging. If they were easy, everyone would do them; and they are most definitely not for everyone. As most people study their MBA while working at the same time, something usually suffers– most often the candidate’s social and family life. But they can provide a step up in a career, which is why so many people sign up for them. Often with career progression comes the bump in salary, which can be up to 100 per cent or even more in some cases depending on the degree studied.

The sheer number of MBAs on offer across the GCC, particularly in the UAE, which is home to more than 170 programmes by over 50 providers, shows just how popular they are in the region. The rapid rise in the number of MBAs in the region started around five years ago, and you can now find courses from institutions all over the world in the GCC, including some globally-ranked programmes.

All countries in the region offer MBAs, but the number varies depending on the location. Qatar and Kuwait offer the smallest number of programmes, but both countries include courses with international accreditation. The rest of the GCC countries offer between seven and 12 courses, apart from the UAE which has by far and away the most programmes.

If you are looking for a top-ranked international MBA, you will find several in the region, in addition to many more locally-accredited and cheaper courses. This guide will explain the value of MBAs, how to choose one, and set out dozens of options for where to do them. It will introduce you to the differences between each of the courses and the importance of accreditation. And hopefully, it will help you decide whether studying an MBA is right for you.

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Gillian Duncan

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CONTENTS 4 OVERVIEW Since 2006, the GCC has grown into a regional education hub, offering MBAs which cater to every class of student– if they know what they want and are ready to commit.

UAE 12 As the region’s most advanced economy, the UAE offers a plethora of exclusive, accredited and even affordable MBA programmes.

17 Abu Dhabi University Abu Dhabi University’s AMBA accredited programme aims to nurture students that can help the UAE progress.

21 American University Dubai American University Dubai’s MENA-centric US-style MBA is backed by a network of alumni in key positions across the public and private sector.

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23 Canadian University Dubai Canadian University Dubai’s five concentrations present a unique opportunity for executive development.

25 London Business School London Business School offers the same rigorous MBA in Dubai as it does in the UK including international assignments and over 70 electives.

27 Manchester Business School One of a handful in the world to be triple accredited, MBS’s MBA in Dubai is top ranked and globally renowned.

29 Strathclyde University Strathclyde’s long standing MBA in the UAE provides unparalleled flexibility and a collaborative international experience.

31 University of Wollongong One of the UAE’s oldest b-schools, the University of Wollongong is a top choice with entrepreneurs.

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KUWAIT 32 Kuwait lags in MBA options but its three programmes are affiliated and accredited.

QATAR 34 Qatar’s two MBA options offer a choice between exclusivity and affordability.

35 Qatar University Qatar University, the country’s first to offer an MBA, has benchmarked its programme against 36 US universities and is AACSB certified.

SAUDI ARABIA 37 A range of options exist for potential MBA candidates, if the hurdles to applying for them can be cleared.

OMAN 40 If you’re strapped for cash, an MBA in Oman could cost you one-tenth of what it would in other countries in the GCC.

BAHRAIN 42 With a number of international and locally accredited MBA options, Bahrain is punching above its weight in the b-school category.

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OVERVIEW

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Moving up to the next level with an MBA D

areen and Greg Zoughbi spent a year and a half researching MBA programmes–which makes the timing of the start of their studies all the more remarkable.

Both were working full-time, and Mrs Zoughbi was due to give birth to their first child the very same month they applied back in 2010. “We both knew we wanted to gain our MBA,” says Dareen. “Greg already had a master’s degree and I already had my bachelor’s of science in finance. We decided to do it together because it wouldn’t make sense for one of us to do it given the stress that we knew was coming, the pressure, the amount of work involved. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him and the same for him. We really supported each other.”

The Zoughbis, who went on to have a

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If they are ready to dedicate themselves to the demanding rigours of an MBA, the GCC provides future business leaders with a myriad of options and opportunities second child while studying their MBAs, were fortunate to be living in the UAE, which has by far the largest choice of programmes in the region. But most countries in the GCC have at least 10 programmes to choose from. In fact, from Qatar’s couple of MBAs to the UAE’s 170-plus programmes, the GCC is home to dozens of courses including some that are considered to be among the best in the world.

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trap a niche demographic,” says Jack Khabbaz, The GCC MBA market has existed for manager of supply chain, sales and marketing decades and hosted both local and internaat the global recruiter, Morgan McKinley. “There tional programmes for many years. Take the is a market for it.”

University of Strathclyde Business School, for In fact, the region is teeming with potential example, which has run its MBA degree in the MBA candidates–well-educated, affluent and UAE for the past 20 years. It’s also delivered ambitious professionals–which is primarily why the programme in Bahrain for 19 years and there are so many courses on offer. The cost Oman for 13. Many other universities in the varies, with some programmes available for as region have been delivering their MBA prolittle as $8,000 or as much as $162,000. And grammes even longer. generally, the more you spend on your MBA, But it was only from around 2006 when the better the job you can get at the end of it, the number of international business schools says Kareem El-Nagdy, managing director of really started to proliferate in the region. Most Laimoon, a UAE-based course and jobs portal. chose to base themselves in the UAE, primarFor many, the main motivation for embarking ily in Dubai, but some schools opted to open on an MBA is money; gaining an MBA degree elsewhere, such as HEC Paris–considered by does ultimately lead to an increase in salary, the Financial Times to be the best business although it can take school for executive eduseveral years for the incation worldwide in 2014– vestment to pay off. which launched its MBA in However, that wasn’t Qatar in 2011. why the Zoughbis both Both the UAE and Qatar chose to pursue their actively encouraged elite MBAs. “To be very frank business schools to set up with you money was the in their countries. Dubai eslast thing on our minds tablished Dubai Knowledge and we can say that Village and Dubai Internationwith hand on heart,” al Academic City, while Qatar says Dareen. “I wasn’t opened the Qatar Foundation looking to make more Management, Education and money out of the MBA Research Centre. Applicants – Kareem El-Nagdy, because I don’t believe now have a wide variety of managing director of Laimoon that’s how it should be traditional general MBA prolooked at. I think people grammes from which to who do an MBA thinkchoose in the GCC, in addiing they will have more money have a very diftion to various specialisations including tourism ferent focus and a very different level of dedadministration, retail management and PR and ication. We truly did it because we wanted to event management. extend our knowledge, full stop.”

For schools like HEC Paris and ManchesAnd dedication is important: MBAs are noter Business School, which are both based in toriously demanding. Dareen, who gave up these special zoned areas, their global reputaworking six months into the programme when tion and ranking is enough to attract MBA stuit proved too difficult to work, study and be a dents. For others the glut of options has forced mother, almost quit three times. Rania Abuthem to offer increasing numbers of specialisaShukur, principal at Mercer in Dubai, who tions in order to compete. “It has become more studied a part-time executive MBA at London competitive and they are looking for ways to difBusiness School, also found balancing her ferentiate themselves, whether it’s online profamily life with work and studies a challenge. grammes or specific courses such as Islamic “Classes and exams used to take place on Banking, for example, that IE Business School weekends, therefore studying for exams, prehave formulated to provide niche services and

“I personally think the best way to start is to ask yourself why do you want to do an MBA. What’s your end game?”

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OVERVIEW

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paring for the new modules, and group work with classmates would be done during the week after working hours,” Abu-Shukur says.

But all three agree the effort was worth it. The Zoughbis both achieved their objective in expanding their knowledge and have since moved on to better jobs–Dareen has even started her own consulting company.

For Abu-Shukur, the MBA helped her to apply new ideas in her job, think differently and learn about various facets of a business. “The knowledge and skills gained from studying the EMBA helped me change my career and move from an in-house HR director to an HR consultant,” she says.

However, experts warn against studying an MBA simply to earn more money or for a career change. “Often people will do an MBA believing that it is a qualification and a passport to rapid riches and a radical career change. It is not,” says Toby Simpson, managing director of the Gulf Recruitment Group.

Where it can help is in inspiring confidence and helping people develop a broader commercial mindset, he says. But fresh graduates needn’t apply. Simpson and Khabbaz both agree that an MBA degree in the GCC suits people who already have some work, life and regional experience. People with only two or three years’ work experience lack the practical context to apply the knowledge.

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“Often people will do an MBA believing that it is a qualification and a passport to rapid riches and a radical career change. It is not. ” – Toby Simpson, managing director of the Gulf Recruitment Group So, who should do them? As a rule, experts advise working at least five years before embarking on an MBA. And considering the amount of work you have to put in, it’s not necessarily worthwhile for all professionals. “I discussed the industry’s preoccupation with MBAs with the chief human resources officer at Xerox and his advice to me was to first consider what contribution one wants to make to one’s business before making the decision to do an MBA,” says Dan Smith, head of integrated marketing for the Middle East and Africa region of Xerox’s DMO. “If you are a scientist, especially

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OVERVIEW a research scientist, you would probably much rather spend your time building your expertise in that specific discipline. Meanwhile, if you are a marketer, yes, most probably you would want to do an MBA with a marketing focus.”

Marketing is in fact one of the sectors in the GCC that seeks out MBAs, according to Khabbaz. Others include finance, senior commercial functions, sales, banking and finance, and energy, to name a few. As for specific positions, MBAs are popular among regional roles and general managers. They can also act as a useful transitional tool for people who work in engineering, production or manufacturing, have technical expertise at a senior level and want to manage a business unit, a profit and loss function, or people.

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“The region continues to change quickly but the demand for high quality business education remains the same.”

MBAs are also an absolute must for C-level positions because they create a safe environment to test ideas and make mistakes. They also stimulate innovation and provide competition, help build confidence and promote teamwork. “Local organisations seeking western-educated and western-experienced multinational candidates find them very attractive as well,” says Khabbaz.

The strong pool of potential candidates in the region will help ensure that the number of MBA programmes will continue to grow, according to experts. “The region really is unique and has so much to offer professionals looking for interesting career and business opportunities across a wide range of sectors as the economy grows and diversifies; it also offers a high standard of living,” says Randa Bessiso, director for the Middle East at Manchester Business School.

“The region continues to change quickly but the demand for high quality business education remains strong and is rising with the growth of business activity and the population. As the business education market continues to mature, we have seen more MBA choices and alternatives offered to students, and this is likely to continue.”

– Randa Bessiso, director for the Middle East at Manchester Business School.

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OVERVIEW

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR MBA O

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nce you have decided to do an MBA, one of the hardest parts of the process is selecting the programme you want to study. The GCC has dozens of courses on offer, so where do you begin?

“I personally think the best way to start is to ask yourself why do you want to do an MBA. What’s your end game?” says Kareem El-Nagdy, managing director of Laimoon, a UAEbased course and jobs portal.

The Zoughbis, who both had strong educational backgrounds, wanted to continue their education at a reputable school. And because they lived and worked in the UAE, they only considered programmes based there.

However, with more than 170 programmes on offer by over 50 providers, there was still a lot to choose from. “Rankings can be subjective, such as the ones published by The Financial Times and others, but at least they can give some indication,” says Greg.

Limiting their selection to top-ranked programmes helped whittle the list down to five or six programmes before they eventually settled on Manchester Business School after 18 months of research. But once they decided on the school, they then had to choose between a general MBA and an executive MBA, eventually opting for the general MBA because they thought it would be more comprehensive.

Rania Abu-Shukur was also looking for a highly-ranked programme, so she chose to do an executive MBA at London Business School because she thought it was the best course to develop her knowledge and advance her career. There are, however, many specialisations available in the region in areas such as finance and marketing, and even tourism and PR. Companies often sponsor their employees to do MBA programmes; but for people who are financing their education themselves, cost is an important consideration. “It’s not a rule but the more accredited your MBA is the more accredited you will be,” says El-Nagdy. And the most accredited programmes tend to be the most expensive.

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Accrediting bodies and countries to look out for include the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) from the USA; EQUIS, a quality assurance scheme run by the European Foundation for Management Development based in Brussels; and the Association of MBAs (AMBA) based in the UK. However, it’s not just the top-ranked programmes which have international accreditations. Many cheaper courses are also accredited abroad.

When the course takes place is also important. Many courses tend to be taught in the evenings or weekends, so it is possible to work and study at the same time, although it can be very challenging. “In order to overcome the working/studying challenge, students should have good organisational, planning and time management skills and understand that they may end up sacrificing some of their social activities. Such an arrangement needs great support and flexibility from the employer,” says Abu-Shukur. Some courses also offer the option to take the course over a longer time to lighten the load.

If you’ve already completed a business degree at the undergraduate level, you’ll be able to start the MBA programme immediately. But, be warned–if your degree was in the sciences or the arts you’ll also have to complete bridging courses which will add to the duration and cost even more. So, with such a heavy investment in both time and finances, you’d better be sure that an MBA will serve you well before embarking on it.

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UAE

UAE

The UAE is the region’s leading centre for MBA study, so choosing the right course is your only problem 12

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ny search for MBA programmes in the United Arab Emirates poses a problem: There are almost too many to choose from. With around 170 programmes by more than 50 providers, the price range is as vast as the choice is wide–from AED 30,000 to almost AED 500,000. “[The number of programmes] is actually very big considering the size of the UAE,” says Kareem El-Nagdy, managing director of Laimoon, a UAE-based course and jobs portal.

“Look at more advanced markets, such as Singapore: It is much older, has been known for education for quite some time, and it only has 25 MBAs.” In 2013, Deloitte ranked the UAE as the fourth most attractive education destination in the world for students who want to study abroad. Today, the UAE is home to six of the world’s top 100 business schools as ranked by the Financial Times and five of Forbes’ top 24 international business schools; but these are a very small portion of the dozens of MBA programmes on offer in the UAE. “Some of the schools and courses offered are very small and others have 500-plus students across various programmes, from executive MBAs to MBAs

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of various types. So there are a lot of students who have an appetite for these courses,” says Jack Khabbaz, manager of supply chain, sales and marketing at Morgan McKinley.

Manchester Business School’s Dubai base, for one, is the fastest growing of all of the institution’s seven international centres. The hub accounts for more than 50 per cent of all the part-time MBA students at MBS worldwide alone. Plenty of other UAE MBA programmes are popular too, all of which have made the country a regional centre for MBA study in a very short space of time. “Of course the market has been maturing over the past 10 years but the rapid increase of MBAs in the UAE has happened over the past four or five years,” says El Nagdy. “You have a lot of universities setting up shop because a lot of people have opened educational provider companies and created partnerships with universities in the UK to deliver these courses.”

University of Bangor offers an online Chartered Banker MBA–the only specialisation of its kind in the UAE–via Dubai’s Westford School of Management for between AED 51,000 and AED 63,000. And BTEC offers general MBA programmes by three UK universities: Anglia

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UAE

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Ruskin University, University of Northampton and University of Worcester for AED 70,000.

Other private education providers offering MBA programmes include Lincoln University of Business and Management and Al Tareeqah Management Studies.

However, many universities and business schools, including some of the world’s top ranked institutions, have gone to the expense of opening their own branches here. The vast majority of the international business schools have chosen to base themselves in Dubai, with the exception of INSEAD and NYIT, which have both opened campuses in Abu Dhabi. London Business School, ranked second in the Financial Times’ 2015 international ranking of MBA programmes and fourth

by Forbes, offers an Executive MBA programme which is among the most expensive available in Dubai, at AED 380,696.

“London Business School has been developing the region’s business leaders since it first introduced its Executive MBA programme in 2007 through its Dubai Centre in the DIFC,” says Susan Roth, executive director for recruitment and admissions at London Business School. “Developing and progressing steadily since we first started here, Dubai is increasingly recognised as a global business hub and we are proud to have been part of this exciting growth.”

Other universities on the Financial Times’ list with a UAE campus include Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business–which offers an online programme–and INSEAD, which teaches only one module of its EUR 65,800 course at its Abu Dhabi campus. However, Cass Business School, City University London,

“Of course the market has been maturing over the past 10 years but the rapid increase of MBAs in the UAE has happened over the past four or five years.”

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University of Strathclyde, and Manchester Business School all also appear on the Financial Times’ list and teach their entire MBA programmes in Dubai.

In fact, the UAE is home to business schools from a number of countries including seven US schools, 14 British programmes, four Indian institutions, three Australian–and many more besides.

But why would so many business schools all decide to open bases in the UAE? There are numerous reasons, according to experts–not least because the country, like in other areas such as finance, has evolved to become a hub in the region for education. “The UAE and the Gulf region attract multinational companies to set up their local operations and regional headquarters, along with experienced business people who are well qualified, mobile, affluent English speakers,” says Randa Bessiso, director of the Middle East region of Manchester Business School. “There is a buoyant economy supported by world-class communications, infrastructure, services and leisure. Where business goes, business education follows–along with business support service providers.”

The increasing competition has forced schools to devise ways of standing out, such as offering specialised courses in Islamic Banking and infrastructure. It is also not uncommon to find MBA courses designed to cater to professionals from some of the UAE’s most successful sectors, including hospitality, tourism and aviation.

But it’s not just people living in the UAE who study MBAs in the country. According to Laimoon’s research, which includes Google Trends data, online searches for MBAs in Dubai are among the top searches globally. The website itself receives around 5,000 queries a month for MBAs in Dubai. “A lot of people actually travel to Dubai to study their MBA as well so it isn’t just for working professionals based here. Obviously there is a very big pool of working professionals in the UAE interested in pursuing their MBAs while working, but there are also a lot of people who travel here for that as well,” says El Nagdy.

“You would be surprised. We get inquiries from the United States. People in the States want to do an MBA in Dubai. It is crazy.”

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Contact:

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Abu Dhabi School of Management OOMBA General Fee: AED 135,000 Duration: 15 months Location: Abu Dhabi Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: Rolling

Anglia Ruskin University via BTEC Dubai OOMBA General Fee: AED 70,000 (or AED 58,000 before 1 May) Duration: 18 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

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American University in Dubai OOMBA General OOMBA International Finance OOMBA International Marketing OOMBA Management Fee for each course:

AED 120,000 Duration of each course:

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Al Ain University of Science and Technology OOMBA General OOMBA Accounting OOMBA Finance and Banking OOMBA Marketing OOMBA Human Resources Management OOMBA Management Information Systems Fee for each course:

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Abu Dhabi University

Programme strives to create graduates fit for the nation’s needs

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bu Dhabi University’s MBA programme not only aims to help its graduates move forward in their careers, it also seeks to advance a nation. The programme, which has been running for nine years, is designed to help graduates understand the latest management issues and acquire essential business skills needed in the UAE and wider region–in addition to supporting Abu Dhabi’s plan to transform its economy.

“The UAE economy and Abu Dhabi in particular, are in big need of skilled managers with master’s degrees who can manage the various growing sectors,” says Dr Ali Abu-Rahma, associate dean and MBA programme director of the university’s College of Business Administration.

“The proposed investment in infrastructure associated with Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 [a blueprint which includes a reduced reliance on the oil industry as a source of revenue] will transform the economy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”

One way Abu Dhabi University fulfills its commitment to the community is by providing talented professionals with the knowledge and skills to succeed, says Dr Abu-Rahma. “The MBA programme has been designed to enhance the analytical and other relevant skills of young graduates so that they can advance in their careers and help the UAE move forward as a nation.”

The accredited MBA programme from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is 30 credit hours in total, while

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students who select a concentration must complete 33 credit hours. There are four concentrations available: Finance, Project Management, Human Resource Management or Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

“The MBA programme uses a stimulating blend of case studies, exercises, discussions, group work, simulations and lectures to present course material in the most effective way,” says Dr Abu-Rahma. “This balanced teaching approach is used to maximise the learning experience. Using this blend of learning methods, the programme prepares students to manage, motivate, innovate and lead.”

“While the programme provides students with essential and fundamental skills in business administration, it tends to relate knowledge and skills to the UAE and the region through projects, case studies, and other research assignments,” he adds.

Students can graduate from the programme, which was designed to international MBA programme standards, in one year.

A total of 740 people had graduated with an MBA degree from Abu Dhabi University as of March.

The majority of the students enrolled in the programme are already employed and they study a MBA in order to get a promotion or change their career. The course is particularly relevant for experienced managers, says Dr Abu-Rahma.

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UAE Contact:

Tel: +971 3 7024888 Email: business@aau.ac.ae

OOMBA Marketing OOMBA Finance OOMBA Human Resources Fee for each course: AED

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Fee for each course:

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months

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Duration of each course:

30 months Location of all courses: Dubai Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Tel: +971 4 4 200223 ext. 304/303 Email: mbaadmissions@agu. ac.ae

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Summer Term 2016: 19 May, 2016 (International and UAE applicants)

Al Hosn University

OOGeneral MBA OOMBA Finance OOMBA Banking OOMBA Accounting OOMBA International Business OOMBA Management information systems Fee for each course:

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Fee: AED 108,000, Duration of all courses: 24 Location of all courses:

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Contact:

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Contact:

Enrolment deadline: Fall Semester 2015: 9 August,

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OOMBA Insurance & Banking Fee: AED 82,000

Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: Rolling

American University of Ras Al Khaimah OOGeneral MBA

Tel: +971 6 515 5555 Email: graduateadmission@ aus.edu

Amity University

American University in the Emirates OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 105,050 Duration: 12 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: Rolling

American University of Sharjah OOMBA General Fee: AED 206,460

Tel: +971 2 4070700 Email: mba@alhosnu.ae

Duration of all courses: 24

Contact: Contact:

months Dhabi

2015 (for all applicants)

months

Duration of each course: 24 Location of all courses: Abu

Fee: AED 190,000 Enrolment deadline: 30 August,

2015 (international applicants), August 23, 2015 (UAE applicants) Spring Semester 2016: 7 January, 2016 (international applicants), 21 January, 2016 (applicants within the UAE)

OOMBA (in Dubai, USA & UK) Fee: AED 106,000 + other

expenses

OOMBA Hospitality Management Fee: AED 84,000

OOMBA Working professional Fee: AED 84,000

29/07/2015 18:12

Geetu Ahuja, Head of GCC, CIMA

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants. Founded in 1919, CIMA operates in 179 countries and has more than 227,000 members and students working at the heart of business.

CIMA established its GCC operations in 2008, and today is based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). CIMA provides aspiring business and finance professionals the most relevant qualification for business combining accounting, finance and management skills. CIMA trained professionals work across varied industries including FMCG, oil and gas, retail, aviation, commerce, management consultancies and banks. In fact, most of the top CFOs, CEOs and management consultants in the UAE are qualified chartered management accountants.

CIMA is also the first global accountancy body to have pioneered the computer base assessment of candidates. Taking advantage of improvements in technology and its role in educating the younger generation, CIMA now allows students to take their objective computer based assessment on demand for the respective modules. Allowing them flexibility to choose the pace at which they want to progress towards the full CIMA qualification.

Students who hold a relevant degree and are keen on applying for the Certificate in Business Accounting and CIMA Professional Qualification are exempted from certain exams, allowing them to fast track their careers and gain a globally accredited CIMA award and title.

CIMA is also the first professional accountancy body to offer a truly global product in the fast-moving area of Islamic finance. The qualification is much sought after in the UAE by young and seasoned professionals wanting to hone their skills in the booming Islamic Finance sector. CIMA was unanimously chosen as ‘Best Islamic finance education provider 2013’ by the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) committee.

By Geetu Ahuja, Head of GCC, CIMA

WANT TO KNOW MORE ?

Call : +971 (0)4 368 9432 Visit: www.cimaglobal.com/Our-locations/Middle_East ads.indd 19

7/28/15 7:50 PM

UAE Duration for all courses: 24

months Location of all courses unless otherwise stated: Dubai Accrediting country for all courses: India Enrolment deadline for all courses: End of August Contact:

Tel: +9714 4554 900 Email: admissions@ amityuniversity.ae, info@ amityuniversity.ae

BITS Pilani OOMBA Engineering and Technology Management OOMBA IT Enabled Services Management Fee for each course:

Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: 1 May Contact:

Location of all courses: Dubai Accrediting country: India Enrolment deadline: 15 June, 15

December Contact:

Tel: Admission Office: +9714 4200 811 Email: admission@dubai.bitspilani.ac.in

Canadian University Dubai OOMBA Human Resource Management OOMBA General Management OOMBA Islamic Banking OOMBA Marketing OOMBA Finance Fee for each course:

AED 92,295 Duration of each course: 12

months Location of all courses: Dubai

12_UAE.indd 20

Management

OOMBA Material & Supply

Cass Business School, City University London

OOMBA Advertising

Chain Management

OOMBA Travel & Tourism Management

OOExecutive MBA Fee: GBP 36,500 Duration: 24 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: Rolling

Management

OOMBA Office Administration OOMBA Insurance Management OOMBA Healthcare Management Fee for each course:

AED 30,000 Duration of each course: 16

Contact:

months

Ehsan Razavizadeh Tel: +9714 4 01 9318 Email: dubaiemba@city.ac.uk

Location of all courses:

Duration of each course: 24

20

Management

OOMBA Human Resource

Tel: +971 4 3219090 Email: info@cud.ac.ae

AED 60,000 months

OOMBA Export /Import

Ras al-Khaimah Accrediting country: UK, India Enrolment deadline: April,

September and January Cornerstone College of International Studies OOMBA Computer Application OOMBA General Administration OOMBA Marketing Management OOMBA Hospital Administration OOMBA Financial Management OOMBA International Business OOMBA Retail Management OOMBA Hotel Management OOMBA Information Technology OOMBA Production Management OOMBA Communication Management OOMBA Personnel Management OOMBA Customer Relationship Management OOMBA Airlines and Airport Management OOMBA Event Management

A U i

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a

Contact:

Tel: +971 7 2433500/ +971 50 5771005   Duke University

OOCross Continent MBA Fee: USD 135,000 Duration: 16 months

OOGlobal Executive MBA Fee: USD 162,000 Duration: 15 months Location of all courses: Online Accrediting country for all courses: AACSB (US), UAE Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Tel: +971 4 401 9342/ +971 4 401 9306 Email: mideast@fuqua.duke.edu

29/07/2015 18:12

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American University in Dubai

Equipping future leaders with a true US-style MBA

A

merican University in Dubai goes to great lengths to ensure the institution remains American in substance as well as in name.

Not only is the university one of the few higher learning institutions in the Gulf to be accredited in the United States, its syllabi and textbooks are the same as those used in America.

And many of its faculty members are also either American or American trained.

That makes AUD a good place for people looking to study an American-style MBA. But professionals working in the region who are on the university’s programme, now in its 19th year, receive the added advantage of learning from local business cases.

“Since most of our faculty teaching the MBA have a strong academic background in their discipline as well as professional experience in consulting and training industries in Dubai, most of our courses include projects and case studies that are directly related to the UAE or the Mena region,” says Dr Mohammed Abu Ali, Dean of the AUD School of Business Administration.

“In addition, faculty bring guest speakers from the industry to the classrooms and encourage students to engage with businesses and industries in Dubai.”

The university offers several options, with stu-

12_UAE.indd 21

dents choosing between a General MBA or with concentrations in Finance, Management or Marketing. Admission is subject to an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, good work experience and a satisfactory Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score.

The 36 credit hour programme includes 12 courses, consisting of nine core courses, including the programme’s capstone course, Strategic Management and Policy, and three advanced or elective concentration courses.

“The mission of the MBA programme is to provide graduates who aspire to management and leadership roles within the field of business administration the opportunity to pursue a high level of professional education that will enhance their prospective career prospects,” says Dr Ali. It is a strategy that appears to be paying off. AUD Alumni hold leading positions in the public and private sectors in Dubai and the UAE. “The feedback we get from the industry about our graduates highlights their superiority in business analytics, personal communication and presentation skills, working in teams, problem solving, and critical thinking,” says Dr Ali.

21

29/07/2015 18:12

UAE Finance

INSEAD OOGeneral MBA (INSEAD MBA Programme) Fee: EUR 65,800 Duration: 10 months Location: France or Singapore (modules taught in Abu Dhabi) Accrediting country:

EQUIS and ACCSB Enrolment deadline:

January 2016 Round 1: 4 March 2015 Round 2: 22 April 2015 Round 3: 17 June 2015 Round 4: 5 August 2015 September 2016 Round 1: 16 September 2015 Round 2: 14 October 2015 Round 3: 13 January 2016 Round 4: 14 February 2016

Geneva Business School OOMBA International Management OOMBA Healthcare Management OOMBA Project & Operations Management OOMBA Information Technology Management OOMBA Education Leadership & Management OOMBA Global Banking & Finance OOMBA Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management OOMBA Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management OOMBA Human Resource Management OOMBA Quality Management

OOMBA Logistics and Supply Chain Management

OOMBA Information

Technology & Business Analytic OOMBA Education Leadership & Management OOMBA Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management OOMBA Quality Management OOMBA Entrepreneurship & Innovation OOMBA Social Innovation and Impact OOMBA Leadership and change Management Fee for each course:

AED 39,000 Duration of each course:

14 months Location of all courses:

Contact:

Fee for each course:

Email: mba.info@insead.edu

AED 39,600

Online and in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain

Duration of each course: 14

Accrediting country:

months

AACSB, Switzerland Enrolment deadline: Rolling

22 Emirates Aviation University OOMBA in Aviation Management OOMBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management OOMBA in Information Technology OOMBA in General Management Fee for each course: AED 103,000 Duration of each course:

18 months Location of all courses: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Tel: +971 4 6050104/ +971 4 2189104 ext. 112 or 109 Email: eau.mba@emirates.com

12_UAE.indd 22

Location of all courses:

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Accrediting country:

Contact:

USA, Switzerland

Tel: +971 6 5982111

Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Tel: +971 6 5982111/+971 55 538999

Geneva Business School via Lincoln University of Business and Management

OOMBA Healthcare Management

OOMBA Project & Operations

Heriot Watt University Dubai OOMBA General Fee: AED 88,000 Duration: 12 months (fulltime)/22 months (part-time) Location: Dubai/online Accrediting country: UK, UAE Enrolment deadline: Mid-August Contact: Tel: +971 4 435 8700 Email: dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk

Management

OOMBA Human Resource Management

OOMBA Marketing Management

OOMBA Global Banking &

Higher Colleges of Technology OOProfessional MBA Fee: AED 96,000

29/07/2015 18:12

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M s o o w o c p s a e h fi

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Canadian University Dubai T

hrough its flagship MBA programme, Canadian University Dubai is widely recognised as a leader in graduate business education across the Gulf region.

With its recent re-accreditation by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, CUD’s MBA programme continues to offer a distinctive approach to executive development, offering five concentrations combined with the opportunity to specialise in more than one area of business through a double concentration award. This offers students the opportunity to develop their business leadership skills through a concentration in general management, while also building specialised knowledge in a specific business discipline, from human resource management or marketing, to finance or Islamic banking.

Key to the success of the programme is its focus on developing students’ professional networks and expanding their understanding of fundamental management principles through case studies, innovative partnerships and interactive seminars. For working professionals looking to take the next step in their career– whether through advancement, a change in vocation, or a new enterprise–the MBA provides a solid return on investment, with graduates of the programme having emerged as leading business professionals, officials, researchers,

12_UAE.indd 23

With a double concentration award offered, CUD graduates can boast a broader skillset 23 and entrepreneurs across Dubai, the UAE, and beyond.

Alongside its well-established MBA programme, the university continues to be an innovator in the field of higher education, having recently established a unique master’s level programme in information technology management and governance to respond to the demand for skilled professionals who can support Dubai’s Smart City vision. As the first of its kind in the region, the MITGOV programme is designed to build capacity in the latest theoretical models of IT governance and assurance and help both municipal and private sector organisations in implementing effective and efficient business processes that align with the Smart City model.

Across each of its programmes, the university is focused upon preparing students for challenges they will inevtiably face in a competitive professional environment and equipping them with skills that will help them perform both, in today’s business world, and that of the future as well.

29/07/2015 18:12

UAE Duration: 24 months Location: Abu Dhabi, Dubai Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: 15 June Contact:

Tel: +971 2 6922550 Email: masters@hct.ac.ae

Hult International Business School OOOne Year MBA Fee: AED 256,400 Duration: 12 months Enrolment deadline: 10 May

OOExecutive MBA Fee: AED 271,800 Duration: 24 months Enrolment deadline: 26 July Location of all courses: Dubai Accrediting country for all courses: UK, US

24

Contact:

Enrolment deadline: 11

Tel: +971 4 3598400

September Contact:

Institute of Management Technology

Tel: +971 0 4 401 9301

OOGeneral MBA

Manchester Business School OOGlobal Executive MBA Fee: £51,500 Duration: 20 months Location: Core residential workshops in Dubai, Manchester, Shanghai, and Miami. 2 further elective workshops can be taken in Dubai, Manchester, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Miami and São Paulo Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: May

Fee: AED 92,000 Duration: 24 months Enrolment deadline: June

OOExecutive MBA Fee: AED 65,000 Duration: 12 months Enrolment deadline: 30 July Location of all courses: Dubai Accrediting country for all courses: US, UAE Contact:

Tel: +9714 4 227244 Email: admissions@imtdubai. ac.ae

Contact:

Tel: +971 4 427 5800

IE Business School OOInternational MBA Duration: 12 months Location: Madrid, Spain

OOExecutive MBA OOGlobal MBA OOGlobal Executive MBA OOIE Brown MBA Duration: 15 months Fee for all courses: EUR 42,000 euros/USD 130,000 Location of all courses: Online with

residential weeks in Madrid and other cities.

Accrediting country: AAA Enrolment deadline: Rolling

12_UAE.indd 24

Islamic Azad University OOMBA Marketing Fee: AED 60,000 Duration: 2–2.5 years Location: Dubai Accrediting country: Iran Enrolment deadline: First week of September and February Contact:

Tel: +971 4 5674600/+971 4 5674601 Email: info@iau.ae

Contact:

Tel: +971 4 446 8664 Email: gemba@mbsworldwide.ae

OOPart-time Global MBA Fee: £32,918 Duration: 30 months (24

months plus a six month live company project) Location: Workshops held in Dubai, Manchester, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Miami and São Paulo Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: 1 June Contact:

Tel: +971 4 4468664 Email: mba@mbs-worldwide.ae London Business School OOExecutive MBA Fee: AED 380,696 Duration: 20 months Location: London, Dubai Accrediting country: UK

Manipal University

OOMBA

Fee: AED 78,000 (full-time),

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AED70,000 (part-time) p.a

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Duration: 24 months

29/07/2015 18:12

e,

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London Business School

Students get the same programme in Dubai as in London and get a grounding in all areas of business and management

R

eem Al Banna knew working full-time and studying an Executive MBA at a top business school would be tough.

Many of her friends had done the same course before her at London Business School, so she knew what to expect. And it is more difficult for her than some students, being a single mother to a young daughter.

“She is seven so I sat her down and explained to her that mummy is also studying.

That was challenging,” she says. “It was about talking to friends and family members and making sure that my mum was on board to take care of her while I needed to go and work long hours at night.”

But she also knew the advantages of completing an Executive MBA degree would outweigh the challenges. Al Banna works for HSBC in Dubai as a senior risk manager where she looks at wholesale credit proposals for companies and multinationals in the UAE. Her role is niche though and she believes studying an MBA will help her transition to become more of a general manager.

She chose London Business School because it is one of the world’s top business schools, coming second on the Financial Times’ Global MBA Rankings list for 2015. The Dubai programme is exactly the same as the one on offer in London, with the same content and faculty teaching both courses.

Core courses provide a grounding in all areas of business and management and students are

12_UAE.indd 25

offered the opportunity to choose six to eight options from more than 70 electives. The course also includes a week-long international assignment in the United States, Dubai, China, Argentina, South Africa or the Russian Federation. Both Dubai and London streams start and finish the programme together, with the orientation and the finale to the programme taking place in London.

Al Banna only began studying the degree in January but it is already paying off. It has helped her secure a secondment at HSBC in London and shown her a different way of looking at things.

“When you are in a specialised job routine you only think of your work. But actually stepping out of the office five days a month to come back with new information and try to use it makes you step back, think, and plan more in a strategic way rather than follow the same routine method of doing the job” she says.

“When I did organisational behavior I learned how different people get motivated in different ways and I started using different methods.”

She expects the network she has established will benefit her career in the longterm, as will all of the new techniques and skills she has learned such as managing her time more efficiently.

“Because I am working at the same time, it helps me to prioritise and learn how to manage time, because if you don’t then you are lost,” she says.

25

29/07/2015 18:12

UAE Location: Dubai Accrediting country: India Enrolment deadline: 15 August Contact:

Tel: Toll Free: 800 6832 (MUDC) or +971 4 4290 777 Email: admissions@ manipaldubai.com

Murdoch University Dubai OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 96,000 Duration: 16 months (full-time) 24 months (part-time) Location: Dubai Accrediting country: Australia Enrolment deadline:

Metropolitan School of Business Management OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 38,000 Duration: 18 months Location: Online Accrediting country: UK and UAE Enrolment deadline: 30 May Contact:

26

Tel: +971 4 311 3580 Email: info@msbm.org.uk

Middlesex University Dubai OOMBA General OOMBA Marketing OOMBA Finance OOMBA Operations and Logistics OOMBA International Business OOMBA Business Excellence

Second week of May, Second week of August, Second week of December Contact:

Tel: +971 4 4355700 Email: admissions@ murdochdubai.ac.ae

New York Institute of Technology OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 75,000 Duration: 18 months Location: Abu Dhabi Accrediting country: US and UAE Enrolment deadline:

Last week of May, first week of September

non-business degree or 16 years of relevant education with min 55% marks or 2.0 CGPA) Fee: AED 48,000 Duration: 24 -30 months

OOGeneral MBA Eligibility: For people with 14 years of education with min.

55% marks or 2.0 CGPA Fee: AED 60,000 Duration: 36-42 months OOExecutive MBA Eligibility: For people with a bachelor’s degree with minimum 50% marks or 2.0 CGPA from a an HECrecognised university or four years of work experience with managerial work experience Fee: AED 48,400 Duration: 24 months Accrediting country: Pakistan Location of all courses: Dubai Enrolment deadline:

30 June (Summer), 31 August (Autumn)

Contact:

Tel: +971 2 4048 523/ +971 50 1204 064 Email: nyitad@nyit.edu

Contact:

Skyline University College OOMBA E-Governance OOMBA Marketing OOMBA Finance OOMBA Human Resource Management OOMBA Strategic Management and Leadership

Contact:

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science & Technology OOGeneral MBA Eligibility: For people with a business degree or 16 years of relevant education with min 55% marks or 2.0 CGPA) Fee: AED 24,000 Duration: 18 months

Tel: +971 4 3678100 Email: admissions@mdx.ac

OOGeneral MBA

Duration: 18 months Location of all courses: Sharjah

Tel: +971 4 3664601 Email: info@szabist.ac.ae

Fee for each course:

AED 100,000 Duration of each course:

12 months (full-time), 24 months (part-time) Location of all courses: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: 24 September

Eligibility: For people with a

12_UAE.indd 26

Fee for each course:

AED 90,000

29/07/2015 18:12

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MANCHESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL

As the British institution celebrates its 50th anniversary, its Middle East Centre is offering students flexibility

W

hen Moatassem Moatez was researching where he wanted to do his MBA, one thing in particular stood out about Manchester Business School.

“It is triple accredited, so it is a strong programme,” says Moatez, who had been working in marketing and sales since the start of his career nine years ago before deciding to study an MBA as a way to move into a broader managerial role.

Moatez also liked the fact that the MBS programme is part-time and taught over one week a semester, as opposed to a workday every week or evenings and weekends. It also offered him the opportunity to study at different MBS centres worldwide.

“A big part of my MBA was engaging with different people from different centres. I actually had the chance to travel to Manchester twice and Miami once,” he says. “MBS was a great option for me because it literally ticked all of the boxes I was looking for,” adds Moatez, who is a business partner in Innovest Middle East which partners with entrepreneurs and SMEs to grow their businesses within the region.

Manchester Business School, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was one of the first business schools to be founded in the UK. It is one of just 68 worldwide to hold the triple accreditation status, with accreditations from bodies based in the US (AACSB), UK (AMBA) and Brussels (EQUIS). The Financial Times ranks its MBA the fifth best in the UK, 12th in Europe and 35th worldwide.

12_UAE.indd 27

It introduced its Global MBA programme in the region in 2006 with the launch of the Middle East Centre in Dubai, one of seven internationally for MBS. With approximately 2,000 graduates, it is the largest and fastest growing centre in the network, supporting more than 1,800 part-time MBA students– more than half of all part-time MBA students at MBS worldwide.

The Middle East Centre offers two parttime MBA programmes–the 30-month Global MBA and the 20-month Global Executive MBA for senior executives.

“The Global MBA covers all the main business management areas and allows for substantial tailoring with four learning pathways and a range of electives to personalise the learning experience,” says Randa Bessiso, Middle East director of Manchester Business School.

The school also offers a doctoral degree programme, the DBA, which is ranked among the top three in the world for highly experienced professionals and is supported by a team at the Manchester campus.

“The quality of students in the Middle East is apparent–around 30% are in senior management/c-level roles while 10% of students hold a Masters level qualification when they join the [MBA] programme,” says Bessiso. “Around 50% of MBA students are resident in the UAE with the balance based mainly in the GCC, especially Saudi Arabia, and the wider Middle East.”

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UAE Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline:

10 May, 9 September Contact:

Tel: 971 6 5441155 Email: admissions@ skylineuniversity.ac.ae

Accrediting country:

Synergy University OOExecutive MBA in Strategy and Leadership Fee: AED 88,080 Duration: 18 months

OOMBA Women’s Leadership Fee: AED 80,740 Duration: 24 months

SP Jain School of Global Management OOGlobal MBA Fee: USD 42,000 Duration: 12 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: Australia Enrolment deadline: First week of November, first week of March, first week for September Contact:

28

Neha Motiwala (UAE admissions) +971 55 2343337 Prashant K Mishra (Middle East and Africa admissions) +971 52 7818735

Swiss Business School via Al Tareeqah Management Studies

Location for all courses: Dubai Accrediting country for all courses: UK, UAE, Russia Enrolment deadline for all courses: September 2015,

February 2016 Contact:

Tel: Toll Free: 800 SYNERGY/ 800 7963749/ +971 4 4206699/ +971 55 167 8476 Email: mba@synergydubai.ae

The British University in Dubai OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 64,000 Duration: Under 18 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline:

End of August Contact:

Tel: +971 4 391 3626 Email: admissions@buid.ac.ae

Switzerland, USA Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Jennifer Perez Tel: +971 50 1035479 Email: jperez@atmsedu.org

12_UAE.indd 28

Tel: +971 4 315 5555/ + 971 4 348 0955 Email: info@emiratesacademy.edu

United Arab Emirates University OOGeneral MBA OOMBA in Manufacturing Excellence Fee: AED 86,400 (Dubai), AED 130,032 (Al Ain and Abu Dhabi) Duration: 24 months Location of all courses:

Al Ain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi Accrediting country: UAE

The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management OOMBA International Hospitality Management Fee: AED 100,070 Duration: 12 months (full-time), up to 48 months (part-time) Location: Dubai

S B

T o

F

o S re

1 May, 15 November

Fee: AED 39,900 Duration: 12 months Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi,

Accrediting country:

Contact:

Enrolment deadline:

OOGeneral MBA

Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Dubai

UAE, UK and Australia Enrolment deadline: 30 October, 30 January, 30 June

Contact:

Maitha Al Ghaithi Tel: +971 3 7135282 Email: m.alghaithi@uaeu.ac.ae

University of Bangor via Westford School of Management OOMBA Chartered Banker Fee: AED 51,000 to AED 75,000 Duration: 12-24 months Location: Online Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Tel: +971 7 243 2004/ 971 52 926 3000 Email: info@westford.org.uk

29/07/2015 18:13

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Strathclyde Business School Taught face-to-face in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Strathclyde’s MBA is one of the elite few which holds triple international accreditation

F

azeela Gopalani knew that to rise through the ranks of her large multinational employer she needed an internationally-recognised MBA. “[That] is why I selected the Strathclyde MBA,” says Gopalani, who is currently studying the programme in Dubai.

“I liked the subjects offered by Strathclyde compared to other MBA providers and the emphasis on strategy. The Strathclyde MBA is a part time, two-year programme and everything is in my home town. What’s more, if I can’t make it to a class in Dubai, I have the flexibility of being able to go to Abu Dhabi for lectures– it’s not far and the flexibility of the programme allows for that.”

The University of Strathclyde Business School this year celebrates its 20th anniversary in the UAE, where the Executive MBA programme is taught on a part-time, face-to-face basis in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

As well as being consistently ranked among the world’s top Business Schools in the Financial Times and Economist Which MBA? rankings, Strathclyde is among an elite group of just 68 in the world which hold triple international accreditation from AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB. In addition, the Strathclyde MBA programme is accredited locally by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

12_UAE.indd 29

“At Strathclyde, we firmly believe that accreditation provides a comprehensive analysis and an objective measure of a business school’s quality,” says Dr Ron Bradfield, Director of Strathclyde Business School UAE. “This means that students can be confident that all the work we do, whether it’s our research, teaching, or approach to how we encourage students to learn and the extent to which we offer them international opportunities–in sum, the totality of the business education that Strathclyde delivers–meets the highest global standards.

“Moreover, our graduates can be assured that the quality of their MBA will be internationally recognised by recruiters and employers.”

The Strathclyde MBA programme offers a collaborative, experiential and international learning experience. Students work alongside classmates from many countries and can opt to take elective subjects in Glasgow or in the business school’s postgraduate centres in Bahrain, Oman, Singapore, Malaysia, Greece, and Switzerland.

Class sizes are limited to no more than 65-70 course members to allow for more interaction and enhance the quality of learning for students.

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29/07/2015 18:13

UAE Contact:

University of Bolton OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 60,000 Duration: 24 months Location: Ras al-Khaimah Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: 15 August Contact:

Tel: +971 7 2211221 Email: info.uaecampus@ bolton.ac.uk

Tel: +971 4 2072787 Email: info@ud.ac.ae

University of Northampton via BTEC OOMBA general Fee: AED 70,000 Duration: 18 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

30

University of Bradford OOExecutive MBA Fee: £18,500 Duration: 24-30 months Location: Online, Dubai or UK Accrediting country: UK

OOExecutive MBA

Enrolment deadline:

Fee: AED 85,602 to

No deadline. Session begins in September, students can register until places are not available.

AED 108,948

Contact:

Tel: +971 4 439 3694 Email: middle-eastoffice@ bradford.ac.uk

Email: lena.strath@hct.ac.ae or sheena.strath@hct.ac.ae

University of Wollongong OOMBA General Fee: AED 96,480/$26,289 Duration: 24 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country:

UAE, Australia Enrolment deadline:

Summer semester: 30 May (international applicants), 7 June (UAE applicants)

Tel: Toll Free: 800 2832/ +971 55 1137080 Email: naveed@btecdubai.ae

Contact:

University of Sharjah

Tel: +971 4 278 1800 Email: info@uowdubai.ac.ae

Duration:

18 months to 24 months Location: Sharjah Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: 1 May

University of Worcester OOGeneral MBA Fee: AED 70,000 Duration: 18 months Location: Dubai Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: January

Contact:

Tel: +971 6 5053871 Email: emag@sharjah.ac.ae

Contact:

Tel: Toll Free: 8002832 Email: naveed@btecdubai.ae

University of Dubai

OOMBA Leadership and Human Resource Management OOMBA Operations and Logistics Management OOMBA Finance and Accounting OOMBA International Business and Marketing

University of Strathclyde OOMBA General Fee: AED 120,000 Duration: 12 months to 72 months (Part-time) Location: Dubai and Abu Dhabi Accrediting country:

Duration of each course:

AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS Enrolment deadline: End of February and end of August

15 months Location: Dubai

Contact:

Accrediting country: USA, UAE Enrolment deadline: Rolling

Tel: +971 2 4048546/ +971 4 2089280

Fee for each course:

AED 107,520

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Zayed University

OOExecutive MBA

Fee: AED 128,000 Duration: 24 months Location: Abu Dhabi Accrediting country: UAE Enrolment deadline: November Contact:

Tel: +971 2 5993605 Email: info@zu.ac.ae

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University of Wollongong in Dubai The Australian institution’s MBA has a truly global outlook and provides a strong grounding for start-up entrepreneurs

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stablished in 1994, the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) MBA programme has been welcoming entrepreneurs and business executives to its ranks for over 20 years.

“The MBA program at UOWD is one of the UAE’s most well established and offers opportunities to build a network of business contacts which are second to none,” explains professor Mohamed Salem, president of UOWD. “Our students find that the wide-ranging background of course participants, alumni and industry professionals they meet enriches their learning experience, helps develop business world perspectives, and is a valuable asset towards career progression.” Students could be in a classroom with business people from 108 different nationalities, “such is the multi-cultural environment at UOWD,” says Salem.

The MBA at UOWD is case-study led and students learn first-hand from businesses and organisations across the world. It follows an Australian curriculum tailored to local needs and is fully accredited by the UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research as well as the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TESQA)–the national higher education sector regulator in Australia. Students can opt to graduate from either University of Wollongong in Dubai or Australia.

“The UOWD MBA’s global outlook means it is an incredibly useful program for both established business executives and entrepreneurs. It

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provides them with an analytical, cross-functional skillset that will support both top-level managerial decision-making and the day-today management of a business–multi-disciplinary abilities which are transferrable across the world,” adds Salem.

“Our entrepreneurs in the making tell us that the skills they learn during the programme are incredibly useful in the early days of a start-up, when they may not have funds or man-power and find themselves undertaking everything, from marketing strategy to balancing the books, even building a CSR program.”

For experienced entrepreneurs and executives, the MBA offers an opportunity to upgrade skills, says Salem. Along with courses in building and managing a successful business, the UOWD MBA offers electives in Finance, HR, Marketing, Project Management, Information Systems, Logistics, Supply Chain and Quality Management.

The school also encourages participation in societies such as UOWD’s Business Minded Association, holds talks by some of the world’s leading business leaders and hosts a number of international business conferences which are free to attend for MBA students.

“Sound academic instruction is crucial to developing a theoretical understanding of business practices, but it’s also important to have programme directors with a large network of industry contacts and practical knowledge of working within the industry,” adds Salem.

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KUWAIT American University of the Middle East in affiliation with Purdue University

OOMBA General Fee: KWD 9,760 Duration: 22 months Location: Kuwait City Accrediting country: Kuwait

(affiliated with Purdue University, USA) Enrolment deadline: 31 August Contact:

Tel: +965 2225 1400 Fax: +965 2654 8484 Email: info@aum.edu.kw

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KUWAIT

With only three MBA courses on offer, finding the right programme is a straightforward task

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fter Qatar, Kuwait has the smallest number of MBA programmes on offer among countries in the GCC. American University of the Middle East offers a General MBA course costing KWD 9,760 that can be completed in 22 months. Designed for busy working professionals, classes are held in the evenings and include core courses, workshops, special topics and project based courses and practices.

Gulf University for Science and Technology also offers a General MBA, which is slightly cheaper and takes roughly the same time to complete. However, it has obtained AACSB accreditation and is run in cooperation with a US institution–the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

If you’re looking for a programme with international accreditation, Kuwait Maastricht Business School’s General Strategic Management MBA also holds AACSB status. At KWD 8,400, it’s the cheapest Kuwaiti entry in the listing. The business school has been running its programme for 12 years and has produced more than 600 graduates so far, according to Maastricht School of Management’s website.

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Gulf University for Science and Technology OOMBA General Fee: KWD 9,000 Duration: 2 years Location: Kuwait City Accrediting country: Kuwait, AACSB Enrolment deadline: 1 July Contact:

Tel: +965 2530 7147/ +965 2530 7144 Email: Alhashmi.a@gust.edu.kw

Kuwait Maastricht Business School OOMBA General Strategic Management Fee: KWD 8,400 Duration: 2.5 years Location: Kuwait City Accrediting country: AACSB Enrolment deadline: To be confirmed Contact:

Tel: +965 2251 7091

29/07/2015 18:16

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QATAR

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Qatar

The MBA market in the tiny Gulf peninsula offers a choice between an exclusive education and an accessible alternative 34

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he first thing to note about MBA programmes in Qatar is the lack of courses on offer compared to elsewhere in the region. With only a couple of MBA degrees on available, people living and working in Qatar may be tempted to look for a programme overseas.

However, the two courses that are on offer are among the best in the world and the region according to rankings.

The Financial Times ranked HEC Paris, which launched Qatar’s first international executive MBA programme in 2011, number one for executive education worldwide in 2014. The schoool’s Trium Executive MBA programme was also named number one worldwide by the newspaper in the same year. HEC opened a base in Qatar in 2010 after signing an agreement with Qatar Foundation, which hoped that the school would help in the foundation’s mission to prepare Qataris for the future. At USD 87,500, the EMBA programme is by no means cheap, but as an investment it can pay off. According to the Financial Times, gaining the qualification can lead to a 104 per cent increase in salary.

However, if the initial outlay for the HEC Paris EMBA proves to be too expensive, Qatar University may provide an alternative. The university’s three MBA options–MBA General, MBA Business Analytics and MBA Entrepreneurship–cost a modest QAR 45,000 and the programme was ranked 11 in Eurasia and the Middle East region by Eduniversal in 2014-2015.

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American University of the Middle East in affiliation with Purdue University

OOMBA General Fee: KWD 9,760

HEC Paris in Qatar

OOExecutive MBA

Fee: USD 87,500 Duration: 15 months Location: Doha Accrediting country: AACSB,

EFMD, Association of MBAs Enrolment deadline: Rolling Contact:

Tel: + 974 4454 0161 Email: info@hec-q.qf.org.qa

Qatar University

OOMBA General OOMBA Business Analytics OOMBA Entrepreneurship Fee: QAR 1,250 for one credit

hour. 36 credit hours (QAR 45,000) for students with business degree/48 credit hours (QAR 60,000) for students with non-business degree Duration: Business graduate, 2 years/Non-business graduate, 2.5 years Location: Doha Accrediting country: AACSB Enrolment deadline: 28 May Contact:

Tel: +974 4403 3333 Email: bus-econ@qu.edu.qa

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Qatar University

Creating leaders in the public and private sectors, Qatar University’s MBA combines American benchmarks with the local business culture

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atar University became the first institution in the country to offer an MBA degree when the College of Business and Economics launched its programme in 2002. At the time it was both the first graduate degree programme at the university and in the country as a whole. And the MBA was also the first course of its kind in Qatar to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Based on a benchmark of MBA programmes in the United States, the course remains firmly rooted in local business culture. “Although the MBA programme is internationally benchmarked, we use many local and regional case studies in the teaching [and] learning environment, in addition to Harvard Business Cases,” says Dr Nitham Hindi who is Dean of Qatar University’s College of Business and Economics.

“The course continues to maintain cultural and heritage norms within the business context while incorporating international and global standards.”

The programme, which is a traditional MBA, is made up of a total of 36 credit hours. Core courses include managerial economics– how microeconomics applies to managers in a

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global environment, strategic management, and corporate finance. There is also a selection of elective courses which include human resources management, entrepreneurship and business management, and project management.

Foundation courses cover introductions to management, economics, accounting and finance. Students develop the ability to analyse the implications of making ethically responsible decisions, apply critical thinking skills in making business decisions and evaluate leadership skills, among others.

Many students go on to work in leadership roles in both the public and private sector.

“Over five CEOs of major organizations in Qatar are graduates from the program. A few graduates have gone on to pursue PhD degrees,” adds Hindi.

A total of 215 people have graduated from the programme since it was founded and less than 40 per cent of people who apply are admitted. Candidates must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.85 on a 4.00 scale and be able to demonstrate that they are proficient in English. A minimum of two years’ work experience is required, although additional experience will also be recognized. Candidates must also attend an interview, during which they will be expected to write a short essay.

The majority of students are working professionals, which is made easier for them by the fact that classes are run in the evenings.

On average, students have 6.3 years of work experience and their GPA is 3.4 out of 4.00.

The current cohort comprises 21 nationalities.

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29/07/2015 18:19

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia

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The kingdom has something to offer MBA applicants right across the country. But finding out exactly what that offer is can be a problem

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s the largest country in the GCC, you would expect Saudi Arabia to have a fairly comprehensive choice of MBA courses on offer. With 11 institutions across the country offering MBA programmes, there’s a broad batch of courses to choose from–including the listing’s only free MBA– but it can often be difficult to source information about them.

A number of the institutions that advertise MBA programmes have invalid phone numbers listed on their websites, and emails often go unanswered. Unfortunately they represent the majority of the institutions offering MBAs in the kingdom, but some are easier to contact and willing to provide extra information about their programmes.

Al Faisal University’s MBA programme takes 22 months and costs SAR 200,000.

The course, which was established in 2010 with the support of the King Faisal Foundation, is open to both men and women. According to its website, the Riyadh-based programme was modelled on the “highest ranked global business schools” and is continually

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updated to maintain its relevance to the international business environment.

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals offers both General MBA and Executive MBA programmes for SAR 75,000 and SAR 130,000 respectively. Both accredited by the AACSB, the programmes focus on general business management but also include the application of theory and skills to the Saudi business environment, according to the website.

Qassim University’s General MBA programme is curious in that it’s the only course in the region that has no tuition fee. The business school is currently pursuing AACSB accreditation and has made “significant progress” so far, according to the institution. The university is also one of only three Saudi institutions that have been accredited by the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment in Saudi. The programme takes two years and is located in Qassim.

Finally, University of Business and Technology offers an MBA programme in Jeddah which takes two years to complete and costs SAR 150,000.

29/07/2015 18:20

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SAUDI ARABIA Duration of all courses:

Fahad Bin Sultan University OOMBA General OOMBA Marketing OOMBA Human Resource Management OOMBA Accounting OOMBA Finance OOMBA General Management OOMBA Management Information Systems OOMBA Engineering Management OOExecutive MBA Fee: Information unavailable Duration of all courses: 21 months Location: Tabuk Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia Enrolment deadline: 28 May Contact:

38

Tel: +966 14 4252500 Email: emba@fbsu.edu.sa

Information unavailable Location: Jeddah Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia Information unavailable

Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd University OOMBA General Fee: SAR 180,000 Duration: 24 months

Contact:

OOExecutive MBA

Tel: +966 2 6951265

Fee: SAR 120,000 Duration: Information

Enrolment deadline:

unavailable King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals OOMBA General Cost: SAR 75,000 Duration: 3 years Enrolment deadline: 15 September and 28 February

OOExecutive MBA

Contact:

Tel: +966 11 215 7700/7808 E-mail: mba@alfaisal.edu Website: www.alfaisal.edu/ mba

Location of all courses: Dhahran Accrediting country: Saudi Enrolment deadline: 30 May Contact:

Tel: +966 13 8601143 Email: emba@kfupm.edu.sa

King Faisal University

OOGlobal MBA

Fee: Information unavailable Duration: Four semesters Location: Al-Ahsa Accrediting country: Saudi

Arabia Enrolment deadline: Information

unavailable King Abdulaziz University OOMBA General OOExecutive MBA Fee: Information unavailable

36_SAUDI.indd 38

Arabia Enrolment deadline: Information

unavailable Contact:

Tel: +966 13 849 8526/+966 13 849 8599

Fee: SAR 130,000 Duration: 2 years

Arabia, AACSB Alfaisal University OOMBA General Fee: SAR 200,000 Duration: 24-36 months Location: Riyadh Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia Enrolment deadline: 28 May

Location: Al Khobar Accrediting country: Saudi

Prince Sultan University OOMBA General OOMBA Finance OOMBA Human Resource Management OOMBA Marketing Fee: SAR 40,000 per semester Duration: 21 months Location: Riyadh Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia Enrolment deadline: End of June

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Contact:

Tel:+966 14 948335/+966 14 948556/+966 50 5915964 Fax: +966 14 548317 Email: mba@psu.edu.sa

Contact:

Tel: +966 13 5800000 ext.

1458 *Further information unavailable

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Qassim University

OOMBA General

Fee: Free to all students Duration: 2 years

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Location: Qassim Accrediting country: Saudi

Enrolment deadline:

Contact:

Arabia

Information unavailable

Tel: +966 12 2159000 Fax: +966 12 2159010

Enrolment deadline: December Contact: Contact:

Tel: +966 16 3800050 ext.

3892 Email: chi.okike@qu.edu.sa

Dar Al Uloom University OOMBA General Fee: Information unavailable Duration:

Information unavailable Location: Riyadh Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia

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Tel: +966 14 949000 Fax: +966 14 949490 Email: info@dau.edu.sa

University of Business and Technology OOMBA General Fee: SAR 150,000 Duration: 2 years Location: Jeddah Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia Enrolment deadline: August (date to be confirmed)

E-mail: info@ubt.edu.sa Al Yamamah University OOMBA General OOExecutive MBA Fee: Information unavailable Duration: 24 to 36 months Location: Riyadh Accrediting country: Saudi Arabia Enrolment deadline:

Information unavailable Contact:

Tel: +966 11 2242222 Email: info@yu.edu.sa

29/07/2015 18:20

OMAN

OMAN

A range of courses with international accreditation at reasonable prices

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ompared to some countries in the GCC, studying an MBA in Oman is cheap. At around USD 18,000, the average cost of an MBA programme in Oman is just over a tenth of the cost of some of the most expensive courses in the UAE. Arab Open University offers one of the cheapest MBA degrees at OMR 4,620 for a general programme. Those graduating from the course receive a certificate from The Open University in the UK in addition to the AOU. Most of the programmes in Oman are either accredited internationally or are international programmes offered by a third party in Oman.

Gulf College Oman has been running British MBA programmes for the past 17 years and has more than 2,000 graduates in the region. It offers an MBA from the University of Hull, which was ranked one of the top 60 business schools in Europe by the QS Global 200 MBA Rankings 2014/15. But at GBP 19,950, or around OMR 11,600, the programme, which is run in conjunction with MDCI, is the most expensive MBA in the country.

Gulf College’s programme is one of four UK MBA degrees on offer in Oman. Majan University College offers a University of Bedfordshire MBA General degree, which takes two years to complete at a cost of OMR 5,750. Middle East College offers the country’s only MBA in Information Technology from Coventry University; it costs OMR 6,285 and also takes two years to complete. Strathclyde University offers its General MBA programme–which has triple international accreditation from AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB (something less than 1 per cent of business schools can claim)–for OMR 9,000.

There are two Indian MBA programmes in Oman: One run

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by Banasthali University via Mazoon University College, which offers four specialisations, and another by Birla Institute of Technology via Mazoon University College, which runs an MBA General programme.

Modern College of Business and Science offers the only US-accredited MBA programme in Oman from Franklin University. There are three courses to choose from: either a General MBA, an MBA in Finance or an MBA in Human Resources at a cost of OMR 8,000 or OMR 10,500 for the specialisation programmes.

The final two MBA programmes are run by local universities and accredited in Oman. Sohar University’s MBA General programme takes two years to complete and costs OMR 5,400. Sultan Qaboos University, which offers a MBA General course, is the only programme in the country, or indeed the region, to charge a different price depending on the nationality of the student. The course costs OMR 4,500, while other nationalities pay almost OMR 1,000 more, at OMR 5,400.

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S Arab Open University OOGeneral MBA Fee: OMR 4,620 Duration: 2 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: Oman, UK Enrolment deadline: End of September

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Contact:

Tel: +968 2 4699444 Email: info@aou.edu.om

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Frankin University, USA via University college of Business and Science

via Waljat College of Applied Sciences

OOMBA General Fee: OMR 5,000

University of Bedfordshire, UK via Majan University College

OOGeneral MBA

OOExecutive MBA

OOMBA General

Fee: OMR 8,000

Fee: OMR 4,400

OOMBA Finance MBA Human Resources Fee: OMR 10,500 Duration of all courses: 16 months Location of all courses: Muscat Accrediting country: US, Oman, IACBE Enrolment deadline: 15 July

Duration for all courses: 2 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: Oman, India Enrolment deadline: 15 July

Fee: OMR 5,750 Duration: 2 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: 15 July Contact:

Contact:

Tel: +968 2 4446660/+968 2 4449194 Email: admissions@waljat.net

Contact:

Tel: +968 2 4583583/+968 2 4583538 Email: info@mcbs.edu.om

Banasthali University via Mazoon University College OOMBA Financial Management OOMBA Marketing Management OOMBA Information Technology OOMBA Human Resources Fee for all courses: OMR 5,400 Duration of all courses: 2 years Location of all courses: Muscat Accrediting country: India Enrolment deadline: 5 September, 20 May Contact:

Tel:+968 2 4513315/+968 2 4513316/+968 2 4513343 Fax: +968 2 4513364 Email: mazoonco@omantel. net.om

Coventry University via Middle East College OOMBA Information Technology Fee: OMR 6,285 Duration: 2 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: End of July

Tel: +968 2 4730448 Email: pg.admissions@ majancollege.edu.om

University of Hull via Gulf College Oman and MDCI OOMBA General Fee: GBP 19,950 Duration: 2 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: End of August

41

Contact:

Tel: +968 2 4531588 Email: mohammed@mec.edu.om

Tel: +968 2 4468666 Fax : +968 2 4468600 Email: gcollege@omantel.net.om

Sultan Qaboos University OOGeneral MBA Fee: OMR 4,500 for Omanis or OMR 5,400 for other nationalities Duration: 3 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: Oman Enrolment deadline: 15 March

University of Strathclyde OOMBA General Fee: OMR 9,000 Duration: 2 to 6 years Location: Muscat Accrediting country: AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS Enrolment deadline: March and September

Contact:

Contact: Contact:

Birla Institute of Technology University

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Tel: +968 2 4142972 Email: badiaa@squ.edu.om

Tel: +44 014 15536118/6119 Email: sbs.admissions@ strath.ac.uk

29/07/2015 18:21

BAHRAIN

BAHRAIN

The tiny Gulf island belies its size a with a distinctive mix of courses

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or a small country with a population of just over 1.3 million people, Bahrain has a fairly large number of MBA courses.

Most are general MBA programmes offered by overseas providers but there are some specialisations available.

Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance offers the only programme in the country from a US institution, a general MBA course from DePaul University. The course, which costs BHD 1,3400, follows the same curriculum as the one taught in Chicago, except with an emphasis on international and Middle Eastern finance issues. It may be of particular interest to those interested in international accreditation as it is recognised by AACSB, which is held by less than 5 per cent of business schools worldwide.

French Arabian Business School offers specialised programmes–an MBA in Public Private Partnership and an MBA in Utilities Management. The programme takes 18 months, however, the cost depends on whether you have an undergraduate business degree or degree from another discipline.

MDCI offers an MBA from University of Hull, the same programme it runs in partnership with Gulf College Oman, for the same cost–GBP 19,950 or around BHD 11,385 BHD– which is fairly average for Bahrain. However, if you are interested in an internationally accredited MBA degree from a UK institution, you may want to consider the University of Strathclyde’s triple internationally accredited

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General MBA programme, which is cheaper at BHD 10,500. The programme is also available in the UAE and Oman.

University of Strathclyde had already opened branches in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong when it started to look for other locations in the 1990s. “The business school determined that the next growth market would be the Middle East, in particular the Gulf Region, which at that time was growing rapidly but was essentially untapped territory in terms of Western-based, part-time postgraduate programmes,” says Karen Ryan, the university’s marketing manager.

“Moreover, Gulf countries such as the UAE, Bahrain and Oman had a long relationship with the UK and our discussions with entities such as the British Council suggested that while these countries had a relatively small population, there was a growing and sustainable market for high-quality postgraduate programmes, notably for a part-time MBA.” For those looking for a locally based and accredited programme, University College of Bahrain offers two MBA specialisations–an MBA in Management and an MBA in Islamic Finance. They cost BHD 10,000 and can be completed in one and a half years. It may not have the international accreditations that some of the other MBA programmes in Bahrain offer but it’s the only one in the country to appear in the top 20 of Eduniversal’s MBA ranking for Eurasia and Middle East in 2014-2015.

29/07/2015 18:22

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BAHRAIN Arabian Gulf University OOMBA Public Private Partnership OOMBA Utilities Management Fee for all courses: BHD 13,000 for those with a business degree or BHD 14,500 for other degrees Duration of all courses:

18 months Location of all courses: Manama Accrediting country: Bahrain Enrolment deadline: End of May Contact:

Tel: +973 17 239455 Email: samiahak@agu.edu.bh

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DePaul University via Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance OOMBA General Fee: BHD 13,400 Duration: 22 months Location: Manama Accrediting country: AACSB Enrolment deadline: TBA Contact:

Tel: + 973 17 815555

Contact:

Email: admreg@uob.edu.bh

University of Hull via MDCI OOMBA General Fee: GBP 19,950 Duration: 2 years Location: Bahrain Accrediting country: UK Enrolment deadline: December

University of Bahrain

OOMBA Accounting OOMBA Finance OOMBA Management OOMBA Marketing

Fee for all courses: Information

Contact:

Tel: +968 24 468666 Fax: +968 24 468600 Email: gcollege@omantel. net.om

unavailable Duration of all courses:

Information unavailable Location: Information unavailable Accrediting country: Information unavailable Enrolment deadline: Information unavailable

42_BAHRAIN.indd 44

University of Strathclyde OOMBA General Fee: BHD 10,500 Duration: 2 to 6 years Location: Manama Accrediting country: AMBA,

AACSB and EQUIS Enrolment deadline: March and September Contact:

Tel: +44 014 15536118/6119 Email: sbs.admissions@ strath.ac.uk

University College of Bahrain OOMBA Management OOMBA Islamic Finance Fee for all courses: BHD 10,000 Duration of all courses: 1.5 years Location: Bahrain Accrediting country:Bahrain Enrolment deadline: 13 September Contact:

Tel: +973 17 790828/ +973 17 790978 Email: mbaadmission@ucb. edu.bh

29/07/2015 18:22

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