RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON IN 2016

Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of DIFC.

• 55 Executive MBA students received their certificates at a ceremony held in DIFC
• 40 students graduated from the MSc Aviation course,  which is provided in both Dubai and London

Dubai, 29 May 2016: Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), City University London held a graduation ceremony for the seventh cohort of the Executive MBA programme in Dubai and its inaugural graduates of the MSc Aviation course.

Vice-Chancellor of City University London, Professor Sir Paul Curran, the Dean of Cass Business School, Professor Marianne W Lewis and Regional Director and Head of The Dubai Centre Mr Ehsan Razavizadeh were all in attendance as a record number of students graduated from City University London.  55 Executive MBA students received their certificates, while 40 students graduated from the MSc Aviation course, which is provided in both Dubai and London.

The ceremony at DIFC’s Conference Centre hosted over 200 people including families, business leaders and distinguished guests His Excellency Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, His Excellency Mohammed Hussein Al Shaali, the former minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Her Majesty’s Consul General, Mr Paul Fox.

Jacques Visser, Chief Legal Officer of DIFC Authority, said: “Education is the cornerstone of Dubai and the UAE’s vision to facilitate sustainable economic growth and innovation.  Aligned with the emirate’s directive to become a preferred business destination with an established financial services sector, DIFC serves as a platform for world-class executive education and training, and is committed to developing the region’s financial and business community.”

He added: “Today, we celebrate a successful milestone as a talented group of individuals set forth to put the skills they have acquired at the Cass Business School in practice.  On behalf of the DIFC, I commend the institution’s efforts in encouraging the development of the UAE’s financial sector and professional workforce, and wish today’s graduates the very best of luck in the next phase of their illustrious careers.”

Professor Sir Paul Curran, Vice-Chancellor of City University London, commented: “This is a great day for City University London and a highlight of our calendar. We are one of the most international universities in the world, with 130,000 alumni in over 150 countries and I am delighted to welcome a new cohort of graduates from The Dubai Centre to our City community.”

Ehsan Razavizadeh, Regional Director, MENA and Head of The Dubai Centre said: “We are delighted to celebrate Cass Business School’s seventh EMBA graduation and City’s inaugural MSc Aviation graduation in Dubai.

“The Aviation industry and the Financial sector are key pillars of Dubai’s economy as we strive to diversify away from our reliance on oil. We are proud that our graduates will drive these crucial industries forward. I look forward to hearing stories of their success.”

The Executive MBA and the MSc Aviation are delivered by leading academic staff from City’s London campus, in a monthly block weekend format to accommodate the needs of working professional students.

MSc Aviation graduate, John Grieve, Senior First Officer, Emirates Airline commented: “The course offers a good balance between taught modules and coursework and enabled me to study alongside my full-time job in Dubai. Meeting aviation professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds greatly enhanced the learning experience. I would like to thank all the staff who work on the programme for making the experience thoroughly enjoyable.”