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Development of UAE and Arab Nationals is at the heart of the Bank’s strategy

Standard Chartered participates at the 15th National Career Exhibition
Dubai, UAE – February 18, 2013 – Standard Chartered announced today that it will be participating at the 15th Edition of the National Career Exhibition which is taking place at the Expo Centre in Sharjah from 20th to 22ndof February, 2013.  At the Exhibition, Standard Chartered will be identifying prospect UAE National talent who fit in the various departments across the Bank.

Standard Chartered is also an active supporter of ‘Masrafi’, the UAE government initiative which aims to boost emiratisation levels in the banking sector and is in cooperation with the National Human Resources and Development Authority, ‘Tanmia’ and the Emirates Institute of Banking and Financial Studies(EIBFS). In this context, Standard Chartered is continuously providing training and employment opportunities for UAE National talent. The bank is also an active participant in the banking career days and constantly doing career guidance visits to Colleges, Universities and Schools.
Jane Siney, Head of Human Resources, UAE and Middle East, Standard Chartered.
Commenting on the Bank’s participation at the Exhibition, Jane Siney, Head of Human Resources, UAE and Middle East, Standard Chartered said:
”Creating a talent pool of UAE and Arab Nationals capable of leading the Bank and the industry in the future is at the heart of Standard Chartered Bank’s strategy in the region.  This is reflected in our successful Emiratization strategy which focuses on attracting, training and retaining talented UAE Nationals. Today, 100% of the Bank’s 11 Branches are managed by UAE Nationals. Our participation at this exhibition comes in line with our aspiration to be the employer of choice around the world and in the UAE.”
As a part of its strategy, Standard Chartered has a number of strategic alliances with several UAE based organisations and provides a number of training programmes which make it one of the best employers for UAE Nationals in the country. Below is a list of the programmes that the Bank currently provides: 
The Al Tahadi Educational Support Programme: This programme provides UAE National students with financial support while they are completing their studies, and guarantees access to global opportunities at Standard Chartered. This programme ensures that an increased number of talented UAE Nationals join our Management Trainee Programme.
Management Trainee Programme: Scholars under the Al Tahadi Programme graduate and join the Bank. This programme was first launched in August 2007. This is a structured one year programme with rotations providing broad experience within the Bank, which allows graduates “hands on experience” of potential career paths.
The Consumer Banking Academy and the Al Massar Programme: These programmes aim to acquaint UAE Nationals with the financial services industry, including product knowledge and risks associated with Consumer and Wholesale Banking.
MBA Programme: This programme offers MBA graduates individually-tailored career paths, with significant exposure to senior management and a global MBA network.
International Graduate Programme: The programmes last up to 18 months and provide candidates with an International Induction Programme (IIP) and an academic programme, role rotations in different business or support functions, a regional Action Learning Programme where candidates will collaborate with other graduates to develop and implement projects. The programme also provides extensive formal and informal learning opportunities to accelerate the development of the future leaders of the bank. 
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For further information please contact:
Ramy Lawand
Senior Regional Manager, Corporate Affairs
T: +971 4 508 2564
M: +971566759894
Notes to editors:
Standard Chartered – leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East
Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group. It has operated for over 150 years in some of the world’s most dynamic markets and earns around 90 per cent of its income and profits in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This geographic focus and commitment to developing deep relationships with clients and customers has driven the Bank’s growth in recent years. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges as well as the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges in India.
With 1,700 offices in 70 markets, the Group offers exciting and challenging international career opportunities for 87,000 staff. It is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. Standard Chartered’s heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, ‘Here for good’.
For further information please visit www.standardchartered.ae. Follow Standard Chartered at www.facebook.com/standardchartereduae and on Twitter @StanChartMENAP.


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English Premier League & British Council Support ‘Premier Skills’ Initiative to Use Football to Develop UAE Youth Skills

Over 1,100 coaches in 20 countries engaged in the Premier Skills programme targeting 500,000 young people
London, United Kingdom, Dubai, UAE, 14 February 2013 – The English Premier League, Bolton Wanderers FC and the British Council today unveiled their support the ‘Premier Skills Community Coaching Initiative’, an innovative programme that will use football as a tool to engage with and develop the skills of young people in the UAE.

The English Premier League’s Premier Skills Programme will be visiting Dubai from March 30 to April 4, 2013, to look at the scenario and challenges in the UAE in using football for education and social inclusion, as well as to explore the scope for a Premier Skills project between the UAE and the UK. 
Between 2010-2013, more than 1,100 coaches are being trained and by the summer of 2013 the target of the Premier Skills programme is to reach more than 500,000 young people through coaches in 20 countries, including the UAE.
In partnership with E-Sports the six-day, full-time Programme, to be held at GEMS World Academy, will offer students aged 16 and above a community coaching award endorsed by and branded under the English Premier League.
Ian Laithwaite – Head of Bolton Wanders Community Trust said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in the UAE to gain an internationally recognised qualification and also enhance their personal profile with a worldwide football brand.”
Since the first pilot in 2007, Premier Skills has been delivered across 20 countries, including Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Korea, Sudan, Tunisia (including Libyan participants), Uganda and Vietnam.
James Tucker, Director of Education, Bolton Wanderers Football Club said: “This innovative programme we are unveiling today in the UAE uses the ‘football for good’ concept, leveraging the interest in the Premier League to address wider educational and social issues in local communities. This concept is being successfully delivered by Premier League clubs across the UK.”
“The programme is about learning from some of the innovative and successful work being delivered in the UK and applying some of the learning to the UAE,” added Tucker.
Tucker added: “UAE partners will play a crucial role in the Premier Skills programme. Premier Skills looks to work with existing partners, programmes or networks to build on the current work and look to share expertise and training in ‘football for good’. We are looking for UAE partners who have an interest in supporting the concept of Football for Good and community development. These partners will provide access to venues and equipment which can be used during the course. Other roles could be around putting forward participants to attend the course as well as access to networks of community coaches or sports clubs. The important aspect is that partners have the potential to apply and embed the learning from the course within their networks and in local communities.”
Premier Skills will use the global pulling power of football as a tool for the development of wider skills, community development and English Language learning.  It builds upon research that shows there is a high demand worldwide for community coaching and leadership development through sport.


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Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University launches flagship Ph.D. program commencing in fall 2013

HBMeU offers UAE’s first-ever Ph.D. programs in Quality Management, Educational Leadership and Healthcare Management
January 14, 2013
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU) has announced the launch of its flagship Ph.D. program in its e-School of Business and Quality Management, e-School of Health and Environmental Studies and School of e-Learning. The Ph.D. program is being offered for the first time in the UAE and the Arab world in three key areas of learning (Total Quality Management, Educational Leadership and Healthcare Management) following a comprehensive study that aimed to identify the specific needs of the Arab job market. HBMeU’s new doctoral studies have been approved by the Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, given its strategic relevance in the context of the socioeconomic development of the UAE and Arab world at large. The program will be offered starting in the fall semester of 2013.

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor
In line with HBMeU’s commitment to uphold quality and excellence in its Ph.D. program, an international advisory board has also been formed that includes internationally acclaimed scholars and practitioners. HBMeU has benchmarked the Ph.D. program against some of the best in the world by forming a global consortium of eminent institutions of higher learning, which is another historic initiative and one of the unique strengths of HBMeU’s Ph.D. program. The consortium ensures that HBMeU’s Ph.D. scholars gain access to vast experiences and expertise available through the partners’ of the consortium. Renowned professors from the consortium partners will teach courses as associate faculty and co-supervise projects and dissertations in the Ph.D. program.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor, said: “The Ph.D. program model crafted by HBMeU is based on best practices in Europe, Asia and North America. The launch of this program, which is also part of HBMeU’s 10th anniversary celebrations, has been especially developed in response to the research needs of the UAE and the Arab world at large. These programs likewise take advantage of the specialized capabilities and experience of HBMeU in e-learning, which serves as one of the foundations of our teaching paradigm. The launch of HBMeU’s new Ph.D. program reaffirms our commitment to inculcate innovation and relevance in its academic and professional programs. Moreover, we are confident that these programs will reinforce the status of HBMeU as one of the region’s premier institutions for academic excellence and the leading advocate of e-learning in the Arab world.”
HBMeU has already established fruitful partnerships with several well-known institutions such as the University of Bradford, UK; University of South Africa, U21 Global, University of Maryland University College, USA; European Foundation for Total Quality Management (EFQM), Brussels; British Quality Foundation (BQF), International Academy for Quality (IAQ) and the European Universities Network for TQM (EUN-TQM), among others, to enrich its academic and professional programs. Consolidating these partnerships under the global consortium will ensure that HBMeU’s Ph.D. program will achieve great heights in terms of academic rigor and quality and effectively serve the research needs of the Arab World.  
In their first two years, HBMeU’s Ph.D. candidates will take coursework to acquire the knowledge and research skills they need to complete a dissertation in their area of choice. Candidates must sit for a qualifying examination to test the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their coursework in order to move on to the dissertation stage. After passing the qualifying examination, Ph.D. candidates will write a dissertation under the supervision of two eminent professors, including a co-supervisor from HBMeU’s consortium partners. This arrangement would ensure that the highest quality standards in research are observed by the doctoral scholars at HBMeU.
HBMeU further announced that applications for the Ph.D. program will be accepted from January to July 2013. Candidates must have a Master’s degree in any relevant discipline at a university recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE. HBMeU’s full-time Ph.D. program is for a minimum period of three years and a maximum period of five years. Its part-time Ph.D. program is for a minimum period of four years and a maximum period of six years.
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For more information, please contact:
Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
P.O. Box: 500266
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel:  00971 4 456 2888
Fax: 00971 4 454 9528
Email: media@orientplanet.com


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Injazat underscores technology’s social impact at Zayed University’s Google Day event.

Innovation & creativity among Emirati youths key to sustainable growth
January 08, 2013
Global spending on information technology (IT) is expected to cross USD 3.7 trillion in 2013, which is a 3.8 per cent increase from 2012, according to Gartner[1]. Aside from its economic and business benefits, IT also plays an important role in social development. Cognizant of the multiple growth roles of technology, Injazat Data Systems has been supporting various technology-promoting initiatives, a number of which are particularly geared towards young UAE Nationals. Injazat is tapping a recent competition and an upcoming event at Zayed University to further encourage Emirati youths in particular to enhance their technology proficiency and use IT as tools for sustained national development.

To sustain the momentum of its technology awareness efforts, Injazat is sponsoring the Google Day event being held today (Tuesday, January 8, 2013) at Zayed University. Organized by the College of Technological Innovation and run by the Zayed University IEEE Student Branch, the university’s Google Day serves as a platform for discussing the latest technologies related to the Google internet service. Among the topics lined up are Google Chrome Extensions, the Google Web Toolkit (GWT), and Balsamiq Mockups. A workshop on the Android operating system for mobile devices will also be conducted.
In December 2012, Injazat also sponsored the 1st Annual Technology Comics Competition organized by Zayed University’s College of Technological Innovation. The unique contest challenged students to discuss the impact of technology in an entertaining manner via comics as the medium of expression.
“Injazat believes in the importance of instilling the value of technology and its influence on society at an early age. This aligns with our own corporate vision of IT excellence. We are thus highly committed to supporting events by educational institutions that enable students to meet technology professionals, acquire knowledge, and influence young Emiratis to pursue technology-enabled paths to national development. We commend Zayed University for exposing its students to lively discussions and meaningful activities that emphasize the importance of technology for personal, professional, social and cultural growth,” said Ibrahim Mohamed Lari, Chief Executive Officer, Injazat Data Systems.
Abu Dhabi –based Injazat Data Systems is an industry-recognized market leader in the region for Information Technology, Cloud and Data Center Managed Services delivered from the Middle East’s 1stTier IV design and ISO 27001 certified Data Centerfacility. The company is engaged in various initiatives aimed at emphasizing the important linkages between technology development and the UAE’s social and economic development. Injazat regularly extends training, sponsorship and partnership programs to leading local universities.
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About Injazat Data Systems LLC:
Injazat Data Systems is an industry-recognized market leader in the region for Information Technology, Data Center and Managed Services delivered from the region’s most sophisticated and advanced facility, the Tier IV design certified Premier Data Center facility.
Injazat combines its local expertise and presence with its global technology partnership network. Injazat continues to develop market leading IT services to meet the dynamic customers’ needs including: consultancy, project management, system integration, transformation, applications, data center, cloud services & a wide range of managed services that can help make your business more secure and agile
           



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GETEX Autumn 2012 to open on November 21st, 2012

GETEX Autumn 2012 to open on November 21st featuring over 400 study programs for students & working professionals
Dubai, UAE, November 21st, 2012 – The region’s leading forum on education and training, GETEX, will return this Autumn with regional as well as international institutes showcasing the widest range of top-quality academic, vocational and training programs for students as well as working professionals. More than 50 exhibitors will show at GETEX Autumn 2012, which will run from November 21 to 23 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, featuring diverse levels of higher education and professional development, a global business school fair segment and several exclusive presentations of interest to learners looking to pursue further education and training.
Exhibitors will include top universities from the UAE, Australia, USA, India and Switzerland along with a strong participation from UK-based universities this year. In meeting with the increasing demand for higher education options in the UAE and GCC, GETEX Autumn 2012 is suitably timed to allow students to register for courses starting in early 2013.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), organizer of the event, said: “The participation of renowned academic institutions from all over the world remains the main attraction of GETEX Autumn. As such, students, parents and industry professionals attending GETEX Autumn 2012 are sure to find suitable educational and professional development programs that match their specific needs and preferences. Moreover, we have also prepared extensively for the specialized segments of the show such as the Global Business School Fair which further reaffirm GETEX as the premier networking platform for the region’s education sector.”
Organised under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education, this edition of GETEX Autumn will see the launch of the Global Business School Fair, which provides an opportunity for MBA schools from all over the world to meet with potential UAE-based postgraduate students.


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British Council Appoints Virtue PR to Highlight Strengths of UK Higher Education

EDUKEX 2012 the right platform to raise awareness of standards and legacy of UK education, says Virtue
Dubai, UAE, 13th November 2012: The British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, has appointed Virtue PR & Marketing Communications to run a PR programme focused on highlighting the superior levels of UK higher education for the UAE market.

Virtue’s main brief was to drive the PR strategy for the 13th edition of the Education UK Exhibition “EDUKEX”, an annual event that provides UAE students with the opportunity to meet representatives from a large number of UK universities and colleges.
“We were looking for the right PR consultancy to manage this PR programme that would highlight the legacy of the UK education system and update potential students on options for continuing their studies in the UK. Virtue demonstrated the right credentials for the job, mainly through their structured and strategic approach as well as their understanding of our and our audience’s needs,” said Lara Khouri, Middle East & Africa Education UK Marketing Manager, British Council UAE.
Mirvat Naba, Director, Virtue PR & Marketing Communications added: “We are extremely pleased to be appointed by British Council to handle this PR programme. Our strategy is to communicate to stakeholders what UK education system has to offers vis a vis other players. We are a leading PR agency with proven record in managing education clients as well as handling exhibitions and fairs across different specializations.”
At this year’s event from 11th to 13th November 2012 (in Abu Dhabi on first day and in Dubai on second and third day), more than 50 UK universities and specialist colleges have showcased a wide range of bachelors and masters courses, as well as foundation year courses. The UK Border Agency and British Council executives were also present to answer visa-related, English language and IELTS queries.
Khouri added: “There are a few universities in the UAE that offer UK-based degrees. UK universities in Dubai currently hold the highest proportion of postgraduate students and there are more than 50 UK higher and further education qualifications available for study at both Emirati institutions and UK branch campus institutions.”
Naba added: “The British Council’s education initiatives have long been a part of the UAE education landscape. This show supported the British Council high level objectives of highlighting the opportunities presented by UK universities as well as building long-term institutional and individual links between higher education institutions in the UAE and the United Kingdom.”
The show provided a platform at which students considering higher education, whether in the UK or, as yet, undecided locations, have met representatives and learnt more about courses, entry requirements and application procedures. Moreover, it provided both UAE and UK institutions an opportunity to meet potential partners for collaboration.
EDUKEX is part of the British Council’s initiative to enhance cultural and educational relations between the UAE and UK by helping create a knowledge-based economy.
Virtue is a marketing communications agency that is led by credibility, innovation and transparency. The consultancy is committed to providing an integrated communications campaign focused on empowering British Council to achieve its goals. Headquartered in Dubai, Virtue PR & Marketing Communications is one of the Middle East’s fastest growing public relations, marketing and communications agencies.