EIBFS receives accreditation for its first ever BS in Banking & Finance course offering

(prHWY.com) August 30, 2012 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- The Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS), the sole provider of specialized knowledge and enhanced learning experiences for the UAE banking and financial sector, has announced that it has been granted academic accreditation by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for its first ever Bachelor of Science (BS) in Banking and Finance program. The availability of the new course offering complements a recent report forecasting that the Middle East region's banking sector will continue to grow and become more competitive in the next two years. Also, industry experts have placed the Middle East alongside Asia and Africa as part of the top three regions that the banking and finance segments are focused on to help stir in more growth for the industry.

The accreditation consolidates the institute's vision of becoming a national pioneer in the promotion and development of higher education in the UAE. Explaining the process of accreditation, EIBFS first assigned a specialized committee to follow up the process with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. During the initial phase of evaluation, a delegation from the Ministry visited the institute, checking on compliance with required standards and conditions. Afterwards, a specialized committee by the Ministry's Commission for Academic Accreditation was assigned to look into the program under-discussion and its compliance with all benchmarks. The appointed committee also met with the technical and administrative bodies at EIBFS to be better acquainted with its educational programs. After a final and through evaluation on all points gathered, the Ministry finally announced accreditation for the new BS in Banking and Finance program.

"We are deeply honored and proud to receive this academic milestone for EIBFS. We would like to extend our most heartfelt appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, for his continuing efforts in championing the causes of the local academic institutions," said Jamal Al Jasmi, General Manager, EIBFS. "The approved course, which is the latest addition to our banking and finance programs, serves to reinforce public trust and confidence in the services we offer while also pushes us forward to new local and international challenges. To date, EIBFS also offers key courses like Banking Diploma, Higher Banking Diploma and Islamic Banking Diploma programs, which have been all accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research."

According to EIBFS, information on admission to its BS in Banking and Finance program can be found in newspapers, radio stations or through its official website, www.eibfs.ae, where the application form can be filled up online. Banking and financial institutions who wish to enroll their employees in the EIBFS program can do so by visiting the EIBFS headquarters in Sharjah or its branch in Abu Dhabi. In addition, EIBFS is also calling on its former graduates to take up the newly offered course as a complement to their education and driver towards lifelong learning.

The EIBFS BS in Banking and Finance program is aimed at bolstering the country's banking capabilities while at the same time help in reinforcing scientific and educational competencies. One of the key objectives of the course is to provide its students with a mastery of the English language in order to better understand the industry and effectively communicate with multinational organizations. In line with this, admission to the course will require a High School diploma or its equivalent and a minimum TOEFL score of 500 or an IELTS score of 5. Failing to meet the mentioned requirements, students can still enroll for any freshman courses to help attain the required score. The four-year program is divided into 11 semesters and includes 39 courses over 120 credit hours for both morning and evening classes. The BS in Banking and Finance program is open to all nationalities at any of the EIBFS campuses in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with designated priority to UAE nationals. Students may choose morning classes commencing from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, or evening classes from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

###